The concept of time travel has fascinated science fiction fans for years. While science suggests we can travel into the future provided we move very fast, going back in time seems impossible. However, recent research hints that we might not be completely out of luck when it comes to looking into the past, thanks to quantum physics.
A team led by Kater Murch from Washington University in St Louis has proposed a groundbreaking idea: using quantum entanglement to create “time-traveling detectors”. To understand this, think of it like sending a telescope back in time to capture a shooting star you saw only briefly. In our everyday world, this is impossible, but quantum physics operates under different rules.
Here’s how it works: Quantum entanglement links two particles in a special way. Imagine two coins which, no matter how far apart they are, always show opposite faces i.e. one heads, the other tails. In this case, when one of the particles (the ‘probe’) is exposed to a magnetic field, it starts to rotate.
The exciting part comes when the second particle (the one not used as the probe) is measured. The act of measuring it sends information about its state “back in time” to the probe. This means that, even after the probe has reacted to the magnetic field, the experimenters can still adjust their measurements based on the information they gain about the second particle.
Normally, scientists have a 1 in 3 chance of failing to measure correctly because the magnetic field’s direction can interfere with the results. But with this “hindsight” technique, they can optimise their approach, essentially using the past to improve their current measurements.
Einstein famously called entanglement “spooky action at a distance”, and in this case, it allows scientists to treat entangled particles as if they can interact both forwards and backwards in time. This breakthrough opens up new possibilities for creating advanced sensors that can improve our understanding of various phenomena, from studying distant astronomical events to better analysing magnetic fields. As this idea develops, more exciting applications will likely emerge!
Dr Intikhab Ulfat
Karach
