Very Extraordinary Claims: Gravity and Dark Energy are Ever Increasing Quantum Entanglements

Gravity as Quantum Entanglement Force

Authors:

Lee et al

Abstract:

We conjecture that the total quantum entanglement of matter and vacuum in the universe tends to increase with time, like entropy, and that an effective force is associated with this tendency. We also suggest that gravity and dark energy are types of quantum entanglement forces, similar to Verlinde's entropic force, and give holographic dark energy with an equation of state comparable to current observational data. This connection between quantum entanglement and gravity could give some new insights into the origins of gravity, dark energy, and the arrow of time.

Could Quantum Entanglement Increase a Particle's "Mass"

 [O]ne theorist has shown that an exotic quantum effect called entanglement has a real and measurable influence on a gravitational field— the first time this kind of link has ever been shown.

David Bruschi at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in Israel says the new result has important implications for quantum mechanics and relativity and may represent an important step towards a long sought after theory that explains them both.

Bruschi’s idea is simple in principle. Physicists have long known that a single quantum particle can exist in two places at the same time. There is a clear quantum correlation called entanglement between these two locations that is well-defined mathematically in quantum mechanics.

Bruschi’s new approach is to formulate the mathematics in the context of relativity. He first makes the mathematical assumption that some perturbation of a gravitational field is possible in these circumstances.

He then goes on to formulate the mathematical properties of this perturbation and how they evolve when the two locations are maximally entangled and when they are not, a state known as maximally mixed.

He finds that the perturbation is zero when the states are maximally mixed. But in the other case— when the two locations are maximally entangled— the perturbation spreads through space over a scale related to the energy of the particle and the coherence time of the entanglement.

This kind of perturbation is mathematically similar to a gravitational wave, albeit on a much smaller scale. It is essentially equivalent to the particle having some additional weight. And that is what makes it potentially detectable.

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Lunar Gravity Insufficient for Human Orientation?

Keeping upright in a low-gravity environment is not easy, and NASA documents abound with examples of astronauts falling on the lunar surface. Now, a new study by an international team of researchers led by York University professors Laurence Harris and Michael Jenkin, published today in PLOS ONE, suggests that the reason for all these moon mishaps might be because its gravity isn't sufficient to provide astronauts with unambiguous information on which way is "up".

"The perception of the relative orientation of oneself and the world is important not only to balance, but also for many other aspects of perception including recognizing faces and objects and predicting how objects are going to behave when dropped or thrown," says Harris. "Misinterpreting which way is up can lead to perceptual errors and threaten balance if a person uses an incorrect reference point to stabilize themselves."

Using a short-arm centrifuge provided by the European Space Agency, the international team simulated gravitational fields of different strengths, and used a York-invented perceptual test to measure the effectiveness of gravity in determining the perception of up. The team found that the threshold level of gravity needed to just influence a person's orientation judgment was about 15 per cent of the level found on Earth – very close to that on the moon.

The team also found that Martian gravity, at 38 per cent of that on Earth, should be sufficient for astronauts to orient themselves and maintain balance on any future manned missions to Mars.

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