Science is pretty weird, especially when you take it to the quantum level.
Back in 1970, Soviet physicist Vitaly Efimov postulated that quantum objects that cannot form into pairs could nevertheless form into triplets - which was proven in 2006 (by Austrians), the first example of such a so-called Efimov state in a cold gas of cesium atoms. And what was causing the bonds between the pairs and triplets were completely different...
Now, scientists in Norway believe they're about to discover far more complex objects forming with these bonds, opening up "brand new form of matter governed by an entirely new branch of physics".
The basis is in topology, which deals with the properties of shapes when an object is twisted, squeezed, and stretched - but not torn. For explanation is the Borromean ring, which consists of three circles intertwined, when if you open one, it releases the other two. It's not a concept possible in 2D space like the picture, but in 3D space, the mathematics favor Efimov's ideas. The mathematics of quantum mechanics and of topology turn out to be the same.
Physicists are beginning to build conductors and insulators in which the movement of electrons is governed by the topology of quantum mechanics and not regular parallel bonds. If it's possible to make Efimov states equivalent to Borromean rings, then it ought to be possible to create others as well. The link between particles is very similar to quantum entanglement (at least, that's what I'm told - I don't entirely understand this stuff), and is already expanding the mechanics of theoretical and quantum physics.
Back in 1970, Soviet physicist Vitaly Efimov postulated that quantum objects that cannot form into pairs could nevertheless form into triplets - which was proven in 2006 (by Austrians), the first example of such a so-called Efimov state in a cold gas of cesium atoms. And what was causing the bonds between the pairs and triplets were completely different...
Now, scientists in Norway believe they're about to discover far more complex objects forming with these bonds, opening up "brand new form of matter governed by an entirely new branch of physics".
The basis is in topology, which deals with the properties of shapes when an object is twisted, squeezed, and stretched - but not torn. For explanation is the Borromean ring, which consists of three circles intertwined, when if you open one, it releases the other two. It's not a concept possible in 2D space like the picture, but in 3D space, the mathematics favor Efimov's ideas. The mathematics of quantum mechanics and of topology turn out to be the same.
Physicists are beginning to build conductors and insulators in which the movement of electrons is governed by the topology of quantum mechanics and not regular parallel bonds. If it's possible to make Efimov states equivalent to Borromean rings, then it ought to be possible to create others as well. The link between particles is very similar to quantum entanglement (at least, that's what I'm told - I don't entirely understand this stuff), and is already expanding the mechanics of theoretical and quantum physics.
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