Produced by: Manoj Kumar
Reality, as perceived, appears strictly classical, yet experiments confirm that we exist in a quantum world. The bridge between these two domains remains a mystery, fueling debates about the true nature of existence and the role of observation in defining reality.
Representative pic
The thought experiment of Schrödinger’s Cat presents a paradox—until observed, the cat is both dead and alive. If this holds at a quantum level, does reality only exist once measured, or are we unknowingly coexisting with infinite versions of ourselves?
Representative pic
One explanation for quantum uncertainty is the Many Worlds Interpretation, suggesting that all possible outcomes actually occur, each spawning a parallel universe. This would mean every decision, every quantum event, results in an entirely new reality.
Representative pic
A study published in Physical Review X by researchers at the Autonomous University of Barcelona suggests a mechanism for how classical reality emerges from quantum chaos. Their work simulates quantum evolution across 50,000 energy levels, revealing a distinct transition.
Representative pic
The researchers tested decoherent histories, a theory proposing that reality unfolds in definite sequences. The study suggests that as quantum systems scale up, chaotic interactions push them toward classical states, making our macroscopic world appear stable.
Representative pic
Physicist Philipp Strasberg, a co-author of the study, stated on X: “As system size increases, decoherence emerges exponentially fast for coarse observables in chaotic many-body systems.” This means classical reality is almost inevitable—at least for human perception.
Representative pic
The team used powerful computational models to demonstrate that larger quantum systems inevitably conform to classical laws. With thousands of particles in play, the system lost its quantum weirdness, collapsing into something recognizable as our everyday world.
Representative pic
“It’s very generic, almost inevitable,” Strasberg told New Scientist. While this is reassuring for those who prefer a stable reality, the findings leave open the possibility of universes where quantum uncertainty reigns, defying the laws of classical physics.
Representative pic
If these findings hold across all systems, reality may be nothing more than a probabilistic outcome of cosmic processes. Yet, as ScienceAlert notes, the unsettling idea of quantum superpositions on a macroscopic scale still lurks at the edges of possibility.
Representative pic