Physicists have created a visible, self-sustaining “time crystal” using swirling liquid crystals that move in endlessly repeating patterns when illuminated.
Imagine a clock that runs forever without batteries or wiring, its hands turning on their own without stopping.
In a recent study, physicists at the University of Colorado Boulder used liquid crystals, the same materials found in phone screens, to build something that echoes that idea. Their work produced a new form of what is known as a “time crystal,” a phase of matter in which components such as atoms or particles remain in continuous motion.
Although time crystals have been created before, this version is the first that can be viewed directly, which could open the door to practical uses.
