Science: A proposed theory to unify classical and quantum physics

This has the feel of something that could be a very big deal in science. The Brighter Side News reports:

For over a century, quantum mechanics and Einstein’s general relativity have stood as the cornerstones of modern physics, yet their unification remains one of science’s greatest challenges.

Now, researchers at University College London (UCL) have introduced a groundbreaking theory that challenges conventional approaches to this problem.

Quantum gravity seeks to bridge the gap between the microscopic world, where quantum mechanics governs particle behavior, and the macroscopic realm, where gravity shapes spacetime.

Traditionally, physicists have assumed that Einstein’s theory must be modified to fit within the quantum framework. However, UCL researchers propose a striking alternative: a "postquantum theory of classical gravity" that reexamines the fundamental relationship between these two domains.

This latest proposal challenges conventional wisdom, suggesting that instead of forcing gravity into a quantum framework, researchers should explore a new perspective—one where classical gravity interacts with quantum systems in ways previously unexplored. The implications of this theory could reshape our understanding of the universe, offering a fresh path toward reconciling two of physics' most successful yet conflicting models.

Enter Professor Jonathan Oppenheim and his team at UCL, who have challenged the status quo with their groundbreaking theory. In two parallel papers published simultaneously, they propose a novel perspective that suggests spacetime may remain classical and unaffected by quantum mechanics.

This theory, as described in a paper published in Physical Review X (PRX), refrains from modifying spacetime itself and instead modifies quantum theory.

An experiment in which heavy "particles" (illustrated as the moon), cause an interference pattern (a quantum effect), while also bending spacetime. The hanging pendulums depict the measurement of spacetime

The core tenet of this theory is that spacetime remains classical, not subject to the constraints of quantum theory. Instead, quantum theory is tweaked to account for intrinsic unpredictability mediated by spacetime. The consequence? Spacetime experiences random and violent fluctuations that exceed the expectations set by quantum theory. These fluctuations, if measured precisely enough, render the apparent weight of objects unpredictable.

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Until now, physicists including Einstein tried to unify classical and quantum physics by trying to fit  classical with quantum physics. That failed. This new theory reverses it. It proposes two possibilities. One is that classical physics (Einstein's relativity and spacetime) is not quantum at all, but instead quantum phenomena arise from properties inherent in spacetime. Here, quantum theory gets modified to account for a proposed intrinsic unpredictability in spacetime. The hypothesis is that spacetime is subject to random and "violent" fluctuations, which are more than quantum physics predicts. 

Researchers propose testing this first theory by detecting changes in the mass of an object over time due to fluctuations in spacetime. The theory precisely predicts exact changes in mass that would be expected. If the measurements of a chosen mass are fluctuations less than those required for mathematical consistency with the new theory, that would contradict the new theory. But if the predicted changes in mass are observed, that would constitute strong evidence that this hypothesis is correct.

A second theory is a hybrid model that postulates that classical spacetime interacts with quantum fields. To test that possibility, researchers propose using gravity to see if it influences quantum entanglement of subatomic particles, atoms, or more likely large masses like 1 mg. If spacetime is classical, entanglement would behave in a quantum way, but if spacetime is quantum, entanglement would behave as it has been observed until now. The new variable here is looking for effects of gravity on quantum entanglement. That has never been done before.

Researchers estimate that it will take about 20 years to test these hypotheses. The reason is that new, far more accurate technology to measure time and gravity strength are needed. The most accurate atomic clock available now can measure increments of time in increments of 8.1 x 10^-19 seconds, an accuracy level of 1 sec. in 30 billion years. That is not nearly accurate enough. Also, current devices to detect gravity fields are not sensitive enough. Gravity field detectors will require developing something like quantum gravity gradiometers using cold atom interferometry. That technology might potentially measure Earth's gravitational field with enough precision to do the experiment.

In addition, ways to prepare and maintain quantum states of heavy objects, like a milligram mass, in superposition or entanglement is necessary. This would require (i) cooling systems to near absolute zero to minimize thermal noise and decoherence, and (ii) isolating the instrument from environmental disturbances such as electromagnetic fields, thermal fluctuations, and mechanical vibrations. That probably would require ultra-high vacuum conditions and advanced vibration and radiation isolation techniques. Some of this might require doing experiments in a quiet place in space, like L2 where the James Webb Space Telescope is currently parked and doing its experiments. 

Exploding MAGA bits 💣

It just keeps getting weirder and weirder. And scarier.

The NYT reports: Trump Brazenly Defies Laws in Escalating Executive Power Grab -- Three weeks into his second term, hand-wringing about norms seems quaint. .... “We are well past euphemism about ‘pushing the limits,’ ‘stretching the envelope’ and the like,” said Peter M. Shane, who is a legal scholar in residence at New York University and the author of a casebook on separation-of-powers law. The array of legal constraints Mr. Trump has violated, Mr. Shane added, amounts to “programmatic sabotage and rampant lawlessness.” Trump has effectively nullified laws, such as by ordering the Justice Department to refrain from enforcing a ban on the wildly popular app TikTok and by blocking migrants from invoking a statute allowing them to request asylum. He moved to effectively shutter a federal agency Congress created and tried to freeze congressionally approved spending, including most foreign aid. He summarily fired prosecutors, inspectors general and board members of independent agencies in defiance of legal rules against arbitrary removal.

Comments: Wheeee!

The NYT reports: With Gaza Plan, an Unbound Trump Pushes an Improbable Idea -- President Trump basked as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel praised his “willingness to think outside the box.” But when it came to Gaza, Mr. Trump’s thinking on Tuesday was so far outside the box that it was not clear he even knew there was a box. Mr. Trump’s announcement that he intends to seize control of Gaza, displace the Palestinian population and turn the coastal enclave into “the Riviera of the Middle East” was the kind of thing he might have said to get a rise on “The Howard Stern Show” a decade or two ago. Provocative, intriguing, outlandish, outrageous — and not at all presidential. .... Never mind that resettling two million Palestinians would be a gargantuan logistical and financial challenge, not to mention politically explosive. Never mind that it would surely require many thousands of U.S. troops and possibly trigger more violent conflict.

 

Comments: Great, we have an unbound president who doesn’t know there is a box to think outside of. Quick! Somebody get Jared Kushner on the klaxon. We gotta tell him DJT is opening up a huuuge development opportunity on the shore of the Mediterranean Sea! All high end resorts and no Palestinians!

Palestinian reaction

The NYT opines: What Is ‘State Capture’? A Warning for Americans. -- But the cumulative effect of these stories offers at best a complicated answer to what should be an uncomplicated question: Who exactly is running the federal government? It’s troubling enough not to be able to answer emphatically with “democratically elected leaders.” Even more troubling is the possibility that the actual answer is Mr. Musk — the world’s richest man — and other unaccountable, unelected, unconfirmed allies cozy with the president. Political economists have a name for that: state capture. State capture occurs when wealthy private interests influence a government to such a degree that they can freely direct policy decisions and public funds for their own benefit or for the benefit of their ideological fellow travelers (or both).

Comments: Wikipedia says that state capture is a type of systemic political corruption by private interests. Germaine says that says that state capture is one form of kleptocracy. Wheeeeee!! (insert poopstorm image here)

The NYT snarks: Jimmy Kimmel Wants Canada to Save Us, Eh? --  Kimmel is all for making Canada the 51st state: “If Canada also had 54 electoral votes, forget MAGA — our next president will be a kindhearted lesbian moose.”

Comments: Makes sense to me.

Kindhearted gay Canadian moose

TNR reports about some blowback coming to red states: Trump’s Plan to Gut Education Department Will Hit Red States Hardest -- The draft order will direct the department to slash spending and slash staff, according to The Washington Post. Such an aggressive decision on such a large scale would have sweeping consequences. “The Dept of Education provides crucial funding for low-income public schools—eliminating it would result in the loss of 6% of teachers’ jobs nationwide,” former adviser for Barack Obama, Steven Rattner, wrote on X.

Slate: Elon Musk’s Power Grab Is Lawless, Dangerous, and—Yes—a Coup -- If this were happening in any other country, we’d be calling it a coup -- The federal government is currently under relentless and unlawful assault by a man no one elected to lead it. With Donald Trump’s blessing and enabling, Elon Musk and his confederates have laid siege to the executive branch in an onslaught whose appalling and far-reaching consequences have barely begun to be reported, much less understood. .... Musk’s actions since Jan. 20 are so extreme that any summary runs the risk of sounding alarmist. This is not overstatement or embellishment: Although the billionaire purports to exercise executive authority, he does not appear to hold any formal office, serving in the ill-defined role of “special government employee.”

And it just goes on and on and on like this. 

Illegal access to data by Musk and his young DOGE minions?

Musk's minions

(Musk is vexed 🤨, irate even 😠, that they have been 

outed -- he didn't want us to know who these fine young people are)

Akash Bobba – A 22-year-old Indian-American engineer, Akash graduated from the Management, Entrepreneurship, and Technology program at UC Berkeley. He has interned at Meta and Palantir and is currently part of Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

Luke Farritor – 21 years old. An American software engineer, Luke gained recognition for using artificial intelligence to decipher ancient Herculaneum scrolls, earning a $700,000 prize. He interned at SpaceX and is now a member of DOGE.

Ethan Shaotran – 20 years old. There is no publicly available information about an individual named Ethan Shaotran.

Edward Coristine – 19 years old. Edward appears to have recently graduated from high school and was enrolled at Northeastern University. He interned at Neuralink and is currently listed as an "expert" at the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), reporting directly to the chief of staff.

Gauthier Cole Killian – 24 years old. Also known as Cole Killian, he attended McGill University and worked as an engineer at Jump Trading. He is currently listed as a volunteer with DOGE.

Gavin Kliger – 23 years old. Gavin attended UC Berkeley until 2020 and worked for the AI company Databricks. He is listed as a special adviser to the director of the federal OMP for information technology.

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Elon Musk and his DOGE minions are aggressively demanding, and have obtained, access to sensitive federal data, including data about treasury department payments. Vast amounts of highly sensitive data are at stake. They have accessed sensitive Treasury data, including Social Security and Medicare customer payment systems. This access was granted without congressional approval, full background checks, or proper security clearances. Reuters reports that the Treasury Department confirmed that Musk and his team from DOGE have "read-only access" to its payment system. The system includes sensitive data related to Social Security and Medicare customer payments. Lawsuits have been filed to stop Musk's access to government computer systems, arguing unauthorized access to sensitive information about Americans, including personal details like addresses and Social Security numbers.

Federal law at 18 USC §1030(a)(2) and (a)(3): Fraud and related activity in connection with computers, controls who has access to federal computers with federal data. Section (a)(2) criminalizes unauthorized access to obtain information from any department or agency of the United States or from any protected computer. Section (a)(3) criminalizes intentionally accessing a nonpublic computer of a department or agency of the United States without authorization, where such conduct affects the use of the computer by or for the government. The penalties for violations under section (a)(2) are specified in subsection (c)(2) of the statute. For a first-time offense, the penalty is a fine under Title 18 or imprisonment for not more than one year, or both. If the offense involves an attempt to commit an offense punishable under this subparagraph or if the defendant has a prior conviction under this section, the penalty increases to a fine under Title 18 or imprisonment for not more than ten years, or both. To be convicted under section (a)(2), the government must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant (i) knowingly accessed a computer, (ii) did not have authorization or exceeded authorization, and (iii) intended to obtain information from the computer.

Those lawsuits are going to be very interesting to follow. Trump judges will have to figure some way to decide that Musk and his young minions did have authorized access. From what I can tell, Trump's authorization of Musk and DOGE alone is not sufficient to legalize the data access. While a president has broad executive powers, the law does not provide an exception for presidential authorization. In addition, Musk's access to sensitive data potentially violates other federal statutes, including the Privacy Act of 1974, the Federal Information Security Modernization Act, and strict taxpayer privacy provisions under the Internal Revenue Code. These laws impose strict controls on access to personal and financial data, and presidential authorization does not override these legal protections. 

To protect Musk and his young minions from criminal culpability, Trump judges would need to say that DJT's authorization implicitly authorizes access to the data. I guess that's how this will probably resolve some day when the case gets to the USSC, maybe in 2027. By then all the damage will have been done.

In related free, wild and butt naked MAGA weirdness, one source reports about how Republicans in congress see all this: Republican Senators Say They’re Fine Handing Their Power to Elon Musk -- Musk’s actions may be unconstitutional but “nobody should bellyache about that,” Sen. Thom Tillis said -- “He’s doing exactly what he should be doing,” Florida Sen. Rick Scott said Monday night. “He’s going through every agency and looking at how to make sure the money’s spent right.”

Musk is just making sure the money is spent right? Two US senators saying this in public?? Really??? 

Well there we have it. The MAGA GOP is just fine with abdicating power and allowing illegality. Presumably that is because the pesky law gets in the way of MAGA's kleptocratic authoritarianism. Or, is that just Germaine's standard over the top, hypersensitive hyperbole, unwarranted alarmism, or whatever?

Q: How much worse does MAGA need to act before most sleepwalking people start waking up, or will they just keep on sleepwalking?

Bits: White men in charge; The case that could get rid of same-sex marriage; USAID's demise

Part of the bigoted MAGA authoritarian package is to reassure white men that they are in charge and things will get back to normal real soon. Signs of this are starting to become public. For example, Darren Beattie has been appointed as the acting Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs by DJT's administration. He posted this on X:

Beattie is known for promoting conspiracy theories, particularly related to the January 6 Capitol riot. He suggested the FBI was involved in orchestrating the attack, calling it a "Fedsurrection" and a "setup" to frame Trump supporters. His past involvement with a conference attended by white nationalists led to his dismissal from the Trump administration in 2018. This association has been a point of contention, with critics arguing that it undermines the credibility of the State Department's efforts to promote American values globally. Well, Beattie is promoting American MAGA values globally. So, he's doing his job. 

His implication is that only white men are competent. So MAGA picks people because they are a certain race and gender? That sounds like DEI!!

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The Kentucky Lantern reports on a case seeking to overturn the right to same-sex marriage has reached the federal court of appeals in the 6th circuit:

CINCINNATI — A lawyer for former Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis argued before the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Thursday in a case he hopes will help overturn federal same-sex marriage protections.

The oral arguments focused on the question of whether Davis should pay $100,000 to David Ermold and David Moore for denying their marriage license a decade ago.

After the hearing, Davis’ lawyer, Liberty Counsel founder and chairman Mat Staver, told the Lantern that his team’s goal is for the appeal to reach the U.S. Supreme Court. The case would provide the justices an opportunity to re-evaluate the decision that guaranteed gay couples equal marriage rights on the same grounds that the court in 2022 used to overturn the federal right to abortion, Staver said.

Obergefell v. Hodges, the 2015 decision that guaranteed same-sex couples marriage rights, is “on the same shifting sand” that doomed Roe v. Wade, said Staver.

“I think … it’s not a matter of ‘if,’ it’s a matter of ‘when’ Obergefell will be overturned,” Staver told the Lantern. “I have no doubt that Obergefell will be overturned, and the issue will be returned back to the states as it was before 2015.”

This could be the case that kills same-sex marriage. Once it gets to the USSC, probably in May or June of 2025, he USSC could take the case up. However, it might not decide it until sometime before the end of the 2026-2027 term in June 2027. My guess is that the USSC would overturn same-sex marriage, but wait until after the 2026 mid-terms to minimize political damage to MAGA and American Christian authoritarianism generally.  

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Actually, the main conflict is facts vs lies,

but let's not quibble

The AP reports about what USAID (US Agency for International Development) does, MAGA's efforts to get rid of it and what Americans think about foreign aid generally:

Over the last two weeks, President Donald Trump’s administration has made significant changes to the U.S. agency charged with delivering humanitarian assistance overseas that has left aid organizations agonizing over whether they can continue with programs such as nutritional assistance for malnourished infants and children. 

President Kennedy created USAID at the height of the United States’ Cold War struggle with the Soviet Union. He wanted a more efficient way to counter Soviet influence abroad through foreign assistance and saw the State Department as frustratingly bureaucratic at doing that.

Congress passed the Foreign Assistance Act and Kennedy set up USAID as an independent agency in 1961.

Critics say the programs are wasteful and promote a liberal agenda.

On his first day in office Jan. 20, Trump implemented a 90-day freeze on foreign assistance. Four days later, Peter Marocco — a returning political appointee from Trump’s first term — drafted a tougher than expected interpretation of that order, a move that shut down thousands of programs around the world and forced furloughs and layoffs.

Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, known as DOGE, has launched a sweeping effort empowered by Trump to fire government workers and cut trillions in government spending. USAID is one of his prime targets. Musk alleges USAID funding been used to launch deadly programs and called it a “criminal organization.”

About 6 in 10 U.S. adults said the U.S. government was spending “too much” overall on foreign aid, according to a March 2023 AP-NORC poll. Asked about specific costs, roughly 7 in 10 U.S. adults said the U.S. government was putting too much money toward assistance to other countries. About 9 in 10 Republicans and 55% of Democrats agreed that the country was overspending on foreign aid. At the time, about 6 in 10 U.S. adults said the government was spending “too little” on domestic issues that included education, health care, infrastructure, Social Security and Medicare.

Polling has shown that U.S. adults tend to overestimate the share of the federal budget that is spent on foreign aid. Surveys from KFF have found that on average, Americans say spending on foreign aid makes up 31% of the federal budget rather than closer to 1% or less [it amounted to ~0.65% in 2023].

Once again, one see mass public ignorance. The public's ignorance void is filled, as usual in the US these days, with radical right authoritarian lies intended to undermine good government and democracy. My guess is that the benefits to the US outweigh the cost of foreign aid, but that is a point that critics never mention or reject by calling it wasteful. Having a US public that falsely believing that about 31% of all government spending is foreign aid greatly helps to kill US foreign aid and the benefits that flow from it. 

Arguments that supporters of foreign aid spending don't seem to resonate much. That includes (i) spreading American influence and enhancing the US's reputation and good will abroad, an intangible but real benefit, and (ii) building markets in countries like South Korea that were once recipients of U.S. aid, but are now significant trading partners, which contributes to the U.S. economy. Guess that's too complicated.