Step forward to measure
quantum gravity
, the phenomenon that
could solve one of the greatest puzzles in physics
and unite the knowledge of our world governed by the laws of classical physics with the world of quantum mechanics.
The gravitational attraction of the smallest mass ever
was measured
by the experiment described in the journal Science Advances and led by Tim Fuchs, of the University of Southampton in the United Kingdom, in which Italy participated with the University of Trieste .
“Scientists have been trying to understand how gravity and quantum mechanics can coexist for about a century, but without success,” Fuchs said.
Both born at the beginning of the last century, theory of relativity and quantum mechanics are the most 'perfect' models of physics, capable of describing and predicting the world around us almost perfectly.
However, the two theories are incompatible, that is, they do not allow us to find an agreement in any way, especially in explaining what gravity is.
Precisely for this reason, for decades many of the most brilliant minds have been looking for a new theory capable of unifying the two theories.
To help solve this puzzle, "we have now successfully measured gravitational signals with the smallest mass ever recorded," Fuchs said.
Specifically, the attraction produced on a tiny particle kept in levitation at a temperature a few hundredths of a degree above absolute zero.
"From here we will begin to reduce mass using this technique until we reach the quantum world. By understanding quantum gravity - he concluded - we could solve some of the mysteries of our universe, for example how it began or what happens inside black holes , or unite all forces into one great theory."
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