The Year in Physics: Surprising Discoveries in 2023
A look at the most notable physics discoveries and advancements in 2023.
The Universe's Surprises
The James Webb Space Telescope continues to provide stunning images of the cosmos, challenging established theories and forcing scientists to rethink the origins of cosmic objects like stars and black holes.
Scientists have discovered evidence for gravitational waves produced by colliding supermassive black holes.
JWST has also spotted intriguing pairs of objects in our galaxy's Orion nebula, raising questions about the formation of stars and free-floating planets.
Advances in Quantum Computing
Quantum computing has seen remarkable advances in 2023, particularly in the development of more reliable quantum hardware, such as qubits.
Researchers have also made progress in quantum error correction, a challenging problem to overcome in building practical quantum computers.
Exploring Quantum Phenomena
Scientists have achieved the teleportation of energy over microscopic distances, utilizing the properties of the quantum vacuum.
A new type of phase transition, related to the structure of information in entangled qubits, has been identified and observed in the lab, unveiling abrupt changes in how information is shared.
Researchers have introduced a new metric, 'fermionic magic', to quantify the degree of quantumness in a system.
Towards Understanding Quantum Gravity
The challenge of reconciling quantum mechanics with the theory of gravity persists, but new theories and approaches are emerging.
Scientists have identified a potential mistake in Hawking's black hole information paradox and developed a more sophisticated theory of gravity to handle the region just inside the event horizon.
The detection of gravitational waves resulting from the merger of supermassive black holes has provided further insight into the workings of the cosmos.
