Reference Terms
from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Schrödinger's cat
Schrödinger's cat is a seemingly paradoxical thought experiment devised by Erwin Schrödinger that attempts to illustrate the incompleteness of an early interpretation of quantum mechanics when going from subatomic to macroscopic systems. Schrödinger proposed his "cat" after debates with Albert Einstein over the Copenhagen interpretation, which Schrödinger defended, stating in essence that if a scenario existed where a cat could be so isolated from external interference (decoherence), the state of the cat can only be known as a superposition (combination) of possible rest states (eigenstates), because finding out (measuring the state) cannot be done without the observer interfering with the experiment — the measurement system (the observer) is entangled with the experiment.
The thought experiment serves to illustrate the strangeness of quantum mechanics and the mathematics necessary to describe quantum states. The idea of a particle existing in a superposition of possible states, while a fact of quantum mechanics, is a concept that does not scale to large systems (like cats), which are not indeterminably probabilistic in nature. Philosophically, these positions which emphasize either probability or determined outcomes are called (respectively) positivism and determinism.
Related Stories
1
2
Matter & Energy News
November 13, 2025
Nov. 13, 2025 — Researchers engineered “gyromorphs,” a new type of metamaterial that combines liquid-like randomness with large-scale structural patterns to block light from every direction. This innovation solves longstanding limitations in quasicrystal-based ...
Nov. 13, 2025 — Scientists have developed a new way to build rare-earth crystals that boosts quantum coherence to tens of milliseconds. This leap could extend quantum communication distances from city blocks to entire continents. The method uses atom-by-atom ...
Nov. 12, 2025 — Boron arsenide has dethroned diamond as the best heat conductor, thanks to refined crystal purity and improved synthesis methods. This discovery could transform next-generation electronics by combining record-breaking thermal conductivity with ...
Nov. 11, 2025 — UC Santa Barbara physicists have engineered entangled spin systems in diamond that surpass classical sensing limits through quantum squeezing. Their breakthrough enables next-generation quantum sensors that are powerful, compact, and ready for ...
Nov. 10, 2025 — New research from UBC Okanagan mathematically demonstrates that the universe cannot be simulated. Using Gödel’s incompleteness theorem, scientists found that reality requires “non-algorithmic understanding,” something no computation can ...
Nov. 9, 2025 — Stanford scientists found that strontium titanate improves its performance when frozen to near absolute zero, showing extraordinary optical and mechanical behavior. Its nonlinear and piezoelectric ...
Nov. 9, 2025 — Researchers have discovered quantum oscillations inside an insulating material, overturning long-held assumptions. Their work at the National Magnetic Field Laboratory suggests that the effect originates in the material’s bulk rather than its ...
Nov. 9, 2025 — A team at the University of Stuttgart has engineered a compact short-pulse laser that achieves up to 80% efficiency—far surpassing current models. Their new multipass design reuses light within a small crystal, combining power and precision in a ...
Nov. 8, 2025 — MIT scientists uncovered direct evidence of unconventional superconductivity in magic-angle graphene by observing a distinctive V-shaped energy gap. The discovery hints that electron pairing in this material may arise from strong electronic ...
Nov. 6, 2025 — Researchers are exploring MXenes, 2D materials that could transform air into ammonia for cleaner fertilizers and fuels. Their atomic structures can be tuned to optimize performance, making them promising alternatives to expensive ...
Nov. 5, 2025 — A new copper-magnesium-iron catalyst transforms CO2 into CO at low temperatures with record-breaking efficiency and stability. The discovery paves the way for affordable, scalable production of carbon-neutral synthetic ...
Nov. 5, 2025 — Engineers at the University of Delaware have uncovered a way to bridge magnetism and electricity through magnons—tiny waves that carry information without electrical current. These magnetic waves can generate measurable electric signals within ...
Latest Headlines
updated 12:56 pm ET
Nov. 12, 2025 — Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope have uncovered a trove of complex organic molecules frozen in ice around a young star in a neighboring galaxy — including the first-ever detection ...
Nov. 9, 2025 — New supercomputer simulations hint that dark energy might be dynamic, not constant, subtly reshaping the Universe’s structure. The findings align with recent DESI observations, offering the ...
Nov. 8, 2025 — Researchers are using black hole shadows to challenge Einstein’s theory of relativity. With new simulations and future ultra-sharp telescope images, they may uncover signs that his famous equations ...
Nov. 7, 2025 — Using CERN’s Super Proton Synchrotron, researchers generated plasma fireballs to simulate blazar jets. The beams stayed stable, suggesting plasma ...
Nov. 6, 2025 — A new theory claims dark matter and dark energy don’t exist — they’re just side effects of the universe’s changing forces. By rethinking gravity and cosmic timelines, it could rewrite our ...
Nov. 5, 2025 — Researchers using new simulations suggest that the Milky Way’s past collisions may have reshaped its dark matter core. This distorted structure could naturally explain the puzzling gamma-ray glow ...
Nov. 4, 2025 — Scientists at TU Wien found that electrons need specific “doorway states” to escape solids, not just energy. The insight explains long-standing anomalies in experiments and unlocks new ways to ...
Nov. 4, 2025 — Astronomers are rethinking one of cosmology’s biggest mysteries: dark energy. New findings show that evolving dark energy models, tied to ultra-light axion particles, may better fit the ...
Nov. 3, 2025 — Physicists have uncovered how direct atom-atom interactions can amplify superradiance, the collective burst of light from atoms working in sync. By incorporating quantum entanglement into their ...
Nov. 2, 2025 — Researchers at Maynooth University have achieved a forensic milestone by revealing fingerprints on fired bullet casings using a safe electrochemical ...