Proposed approach could bridge gap between general relativity and quantum mechanics

A circulating fluxon–antifluxon pair in coupled annular Josephson junctions behaves as a detector. The pair decays due to Unruh-induced fluctuations, and the resulting event is observed as a voltage jump. By measuring the distribution of the corresponding switching currents, the Unruh effect can be detected. 

Credit: Haruna Katayama and Noriyuki Hatakenaka, Hiroshima University

Researchers at Hiroshima University have developed a realistic, highly sensitive method to detect the Unruh effect—a long-predicted phenomenon at the crossroads of relativity and quantum theory. Their novel approach opens new possibilities for exploring fundamental physics and for developing advanced technologies.


The work is published in Physical Review Letters on July 23, 2025.

The Fulling-Davies-Unruh effect, or simply the Unruh effect, is a striking theoretical prediction at the profound intersection of Albert Einstein's Theory of Relativity and Quantum Theory.

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“Faster Than Anything Ever Seen”: Mind-Blowing Speed of Quantum Entanglement Measured for the First Time in Scientific History

1. Scientists have measured the speed of quantum entanglement for the first time, marking a major milestone in quantum physics.
2. The study uses attosecond precision to track electron motion, offering unprecedented insight into quantum dynamics.
3. Quantum entanglement shows how particles can be interconnected over vast distances, defying traditional physics.
4. These discoveries could revolutionize data security through quantum encryption and advance computational technologies.

Quantum physics continues to amaze us, challenging our understanding of the microscopic world. A groundbreaking study has recently measured, for the first time, the speed at which quantum entanglement occurs—a phenomenon previously believed to be instantaneous. This research, published in the prestigious journal Physical Review Letters, paves the way for significant advancements in quantum computing and encryption. By exploring these microscopic interactions, scientists are uncovering the intricacies of particles that could revolutionize the way we think about data security and computational processes.

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New Subatomic Particle Detected

The BESIII collaboration have reported the observation of an anomalous line shape around ppbar mass threshold in the J/ψ→γ3(π+π-) decay, which indicates the existence of a ppbar bound state. The paper was published online in Physical Review Letters.

The proximity in mass to 2mp is suggestive of nucleon-antinucleon bound states, an idea that has a long history. Before the birth of Quark Model, a nucleon-antinucleon bound state was already proposed by Prof. E. Fermi and Prof. C. N. Yang.

There is an accumulation of evidence for anomalous behavior in the proton-antiproton system near the ppbar mass threshold, e.g., J/ψ→γppabr , J/ψ→γπ+π-η' and the proton's effective form factor determined from e+e-→ppbar, exhibiting a narrow peak or a very steep falloff around the ppbar mass threshold, which inspired many speculations and renewed the interests on the nucleon-antinucleon bound state.     READ MORE...

From the Dawn of Time

The particle was produced inside the Large Hadron Collider at CERN. (Image credit: Shutterstock)

Physicists at the world's largest atom smasher have detected a mysterious, primordial particle from the dawn of time.

About 100 of the short-lived "X" particles — so named because of their unknown structures — were spotted for the first time amid trillions of other particles inside the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), the world's largest particle accelerator, located near Geneva at CERN (the European Organization for Nuclear Research).

These X particles, which likely existed in the tiniest fractions of a second after the Big Bang, were detected inside a roiling broth of elementary particles called a quark-gluon plasma, formed in the LHC by smashing together lead ions. By studying the primordial X particles in more detail, scientists hope to build the most accurate picture yet of the origins of the universe. They published their findings Jan. 19 in the journal Physical Review Letters.
wie X particle's internal structure, which could change our view of what kind of material the universe should produce."

Scientists trace the origins of X particles to just a few millionths of a second after the Big Bang, back when the universe was a superheated trillion-degree plasma soup teeming with quarks and gluons — elementary particles that soon cooled and combined into the more stable protons and neutrons we know today.

Just before this rapid cooling, a tiny fraction of the gluons and the quarks collided, sticking together to form very short-lived X particles. The researchers don't know how elementary particles configure themselves to form the X particle's structure. But if the scientists can figure that out, they will have a much better understanding of the types of particles that were abundant during the universe's earliest moments.  READ MORE...