Physicists have long puzzled over why quantum behavior—the strange combination of possible states that particles can occupy simultaneously—disappears at larger scales in the everyday world. This transition from quantum to classical physics is known as decoherence, and its underlying mechanisms remain a fundamental mystery in physics.
One proposed explanation, originating from theoretical physicist Frigyes Károlyházy in the 1960s, suggested that gravity itself might be responsible for destroying quantum superpositions. According to this model, spacetime undergoes tiny, unavoidable fluctuations that would gradually disrupt the quantum states of objects. Such fluctuations could theoretically explain why large objects like Schrödinger’s famous cat cannot exist in multiple states simultaneously.
Researchers at the INFN Gran Sasso National Laboratory, the world’s largest underground facility for fundamental physics, set out to test this hypothesis. The experiment was conducted 1.4 kilometers beneath the surface, where massive rock layers shield the sensitive equipment from background radiation. If spacetime fluctuations existed as Károlyházy predicted, they would cause electrically charged particles to move and emit extremely faint electromagnetic radiation. Using a high-purity germanium crystal detector protected by additional shielding, scientists gathered data over 62 days and searched for signs of this radiation.
The result showed no detectable signal matching the predicted pattern. Although this finding does not prove that gravity plays no role in quantum decoherence, it eliminates one major version of the hypothesis. The research significantly constrains future theories attempting to connect gravity with quantum mechanics. Scientists note that this null result represents an important scientific contribution, as it narrows the theoretical landscape and brings researchers closer to understanding the boundary between quantum and classical physics.
The study demonstrates that fundamental questions once considered purely theoretical can now be addressed through precision experiments. As experimental sensitivity continues to improve, more predictions from quantum gravity theories may become testable, potentially unlocking deeper insights into the principles governing the universe.
Article Attribution | Read More at Article Source
Article summary produced by Claude AI