German Researchers Make Unexpected Discovery of Time Reversibility in Glass
German researchers attempting the first-ever direct measurement of material aging report the unexpected discovery of time reversibility in glass.
The Forward Movement of Time vs. Time Reversibility
German researchers attempting the first-ever direct measurement of material aging, which is defined as the movement of molecules within a material over time, report the unexpected discovery of time reversibility in glass.
Although material aging was discovered over fifty years ago, this is the first time researchers have been able to measure the phenomenon directly. The discovery of time reversibility was completely unexpected, opening up numerous questions about the potential reversibility of the physical laws of nature, as well as the variability of the internal clock within different materials.
Scattering of Laser Light Aids First Ever Measurement of Material Aging
To make the first-ever direct measurement of molecular aging, the Darmstadt researchers directed a laser beam into a sample of glass. When the molecules within the glass scattered the light, they used customized cameras and sensors to measure and record the reflected light patterns.
Next, statistical methods examined those readings, revealing the first-ever direct measurement of material aging. The researchers did not expect to find time reversibility in the glass, but the fluctuations of the molecules were found to be time-reversible on a molecular level.
Researchers to Study How Findings Relate to the Potential Reversibility of the Physical Laws of Nature
In their published research, the German researchers make sure to point out that the discovery of time reversibility in glass does not mean that time moves backward in glass or that it can magically fix itself given enough time.
Instead, their measurement of material aging confirms that it is appropriately named since it expresses the irreversible part of the aging process. The researchers acknowledge that there are still many unanswered questions about the extent of time reversibility in materials and how it relates to the physical laws of nature, as well as the variability of internal clocks in different materials.
