In a revelation sparking curiosity, researchers in Canada claim to have demonstrated "negative time" in action. A quantum experiment led by University of Toronto scientists suggests light emerges from materials before entering them. The findings challenge decades-old views on time's nature.
Experiment Redefines Time and Light Interaction
Physicists Aephraim Steinberg and Josiah Sinclair conducted the research. Their work focuses on how light interacts with matter, particularly atomic excitation. In this process, photons energise atoms, causing electrons to jump to higher states. When electrons return, they emit energy, causing a light delay. Surprisingly, their study shows this delay can appear reversed, hinting at "negative time."
Inspiration Dates Back to 2017
The idea for the study first surfaced six years ago. At the time, Steinberg and Sinclair explored photon behaviour during atomic excitation. Their goal was to understand light's transit through different mediums. Over time, this research led to observing unexpected behaviours in photon absorption and emission.
Steinberg announced the experiment results on X, formerly Twitter. “It took a positive amount of time, but our experiment observing photons making atoms seem to spend a negative amount of time in the excited state is up!” he posted. The term "negative time" is unconventional but aims to provoke scientific discussion.
Awaiting Peer-Reviewed Validation
A report by Scientific American reveals that the concept for this research originated in 2017. At that time, Aephraim Steinberg and Josiah Sinclair, then a doctoral student, delved into the interaction between light and matter. Their focus was on a process called atomic excitation. In this phenomenon, photons travelling through a medium are absorbed by electrons orbiting atoms, causing the electrons to jump to higher energy states.
When these excited electrons return to their original state, they release the absorbed energy as reemitted photons, resulting in a measurable time delay in the light's passage through the medium.
Although the results are not yet peer-reviewed, they have gained international attention. Scientists are intrigued, but scepticism remains until further validation. The study is expected to drive deeper exploration into time and quantum mechanics.
This research highlights how quantum physics continues to surprise. As studies evolve, they promise new ways of understanding the universe's most perplexing mysteries.
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