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Physics

New spin on quantum theory forces rethink of a fundamental physics law

In the quantum realm, a particle’s properties can be separate from the particle itself, including its angular momentum – which could require a rethinking of fundamental laws

By Karmela Padavic-Callaghan

13 August 2024

A particle’s motion can travel without the particle

Shutterstock / Dmitriy Rybin

Quantum reality just got stranger. A particle’s angular momentum – its spin around an axis or rotation around a point – may be able to travel between two places by itself, disembodied from the particle. This finding may require a rethink of some of the most fundamental laws of physics.

Yakir Aharonov at Tel Aviv University in Israel likens it to the way the Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland can move its body…

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