Monday, June 04, 2007

Quantum self-loathing

Now, here's one way to annoy yourself in lots of little (quantum) ways: Let's say you're an atom. Are you with me here? You are an atom, just doing your atom thing. And one way that you are just being you is that, under certain situations, you can actually be in two places at once. This often comes in handy when your kid needs his nose wiped upstairs, but the second-to-last episode of "The Sopranos" is on TV downstairs.

Well, scientists have now not only placed atoms in two places at once, but they managed to stick them close enough together that they interfere with one another.

In other words: Here you are, face-to-face with yourself, and you find that you really don't like what you see, so you start really f---king with one another. And who else but you would know how to insult you so it really hurts?

Oh, and there's some application here to quantum computing. Read about the breakthrough here, and quantum computing here.

Backgrounder
Jim Carrey and Conan talk quantum physics II
A sneak peak at next week's quantum leap
Einstein's dice and the nano Sopranos
Zeno, nano and quantum cwaziness

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