Vice reports a physicist working at the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom has potentially figured out quantum wormholes. Research fellow Hatim Salih proposed an experiment that makes a sort of teleportation, called “counterportation,” realistically achievable. However, it isn’t quite the Star Trek transporter many sci-fi fans have pined for over the years. Here’s everything you need to know about Salih’s quantum wormhole experiment.
Salih’s quantum wormhole is a huge scientific breakthrough.
Famed scientist Albert Einstein’s theory of general relativity posits that hypothetical “bridges” between two locations in space-time are possible. However, since 1935 when Einstein came up with his theory, the existence of wormholes has remained purely hypothetical. However, Salih’s experiment lays out a potential path to achieving the century-old goal of passing through a rift in space-time.
Counterportation stems from “counterfactual” and “transportation,” and although it is similar to teleportation, the two terms are not synonymous. “Counterportation gives you the end goal of the object being reconstituted across space,” said Salih. “[B]ut we can verify that nothing has passed.”
Although unfortunately, for Salih to achieve true counterportation, they’ll have to wait a few years. The quantum computers necessary to perform the task don’t exist yet in 2023. “If counterportation is to be realized, an entirely new type of quantum computer has to be built,” Salih said. However, development is underway, and Salih hopes to complete it in three to four years.
The success of this experiment could change the field of physics forever.
Additionally, Salih posits that this work is tantamount to the particle acceleration work at the European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN). “This work will be in the spirit of the multi-billion ventures that exist to witness new physical phenomena,” Salih said. “[…] But at a fraction of the resources.”
The ultimate goal of the quantum wormhole experiment is to “explore fundamental questions about the universe,” Salih says. And if successful, the experiment could allow scientists to research “higher dimensions.”
