Physicists create quantum universe model to observe emergence of time

A physicist at the University of Birmingham created a miniature model universe in a laboratory using 24,000 ultracold atoms, ScienceDaily reported. The experiment designed an isolated quantum system that repeatedly expands and contracts. This setup mimics the Big Bang and a potential Big Crunch to explore whether time is an emergent property rather than a fundamental component of the universe. [1]

ScienceDaily reported that the experiment allowed researchers to watch time emerge from physical changes taking place within the system itself, rather than relying on an external clock. The researchers designed the model using ultracold atomic states to observe the dynamics of an isolated quantum environment. [1]

The investigation builds upon broader efforts to analyze the state of the early universe. As FTMQ Science reported earlier, researchers at CERN previously observed individual quarks creating wakes and ripples inside quark-gluon plasma, which demonstrated that the primordial universe behaved like a liquid at temperatures reaching trillions of degrees. [3]

The new quantum simulation provides insight into how temporal progression can arise inside a closed cosmic system. The finding addresses long-standing theoretical questions about the nature and origin of time in quantum physics. [1]