ThoughtGallery.org > Did Einstein Kill Schrödinger’s Cat? A Quantum State of Mind

Did Einstein Kill Schrödinger’s Cat? A Quantum State of Mind

Schrödinger’s Cat, a thought experiment proposed eighty years ago to illustrate the mind-boggling effect of quantum superposition—the unseen cat in the box that is neither dead nor alive, but in a so-called superposition of both states at once—has become a common creature in physics labs around the world. Researchers are creating ever larger and more complex Schrödinger’s cats using systems of photons, clouds of ultra-cold atoms, and superconducting devices, and have even learned to herd multiple quantum cats. Recent research also suggests that quantum information and entanglement of quantum states—a concept coined by Schrödinger at the time when his famous feline came into being—may be key to understanding quantum gravity, one of the greatest unsolved problems of modern physics. Physicists are now wrestling with another paradox thought experiment that describes the fate of quantum states at the event horizon of a black hole and may upend some of the time-tested fundamental theories. This panel will discuss the fascinating interplay between two great theories of the 20th century—quantum theory and general relativity—and how these phenomena may be exploited, from black holes to quantum computing.











When: Wed., Jun. 29, 2016 at 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Where: New York Academy of Sciences
250 Greenwich St., 40th Floor
212-298-8600
Price: $15
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Schrödinger’s Cat, a thought experiment proposed eighty years ago to illustrate the mind-boggling effect of quantum superposition—the unseen cat in the box that is neither dead nor alive, but in a so-called superposition of both states at once—has become a common creature in physics labs around the world. Researchers are creating ever larger and more complex Schrödinger’s cats using systems of photons, clouds of ultra-cold atoms, and superconducting devices, and have even learned to herd multiple quantum cats. Recent research also suggests that quantum information and entanglement of quantum states—a concept coined by Schrödinger at the time when his famous feline came into being—may be key to understanding quantum gravity, one of the greatest unsolved problems of modern physics. Physicists are now wrestling with another paradox thought experiment that describes the fate of quantum states at the event horizon of a black hole and may upend some of the time-tested fundamental theories. This panel will discuss the fascinating interplay between two great theories of the 20th century—quantum theory and general relativity—and how these phenomena may be exploited, from black holes to quantum computing.

Buy tickets/get more info now