Can Time Be Reversed? Scientists Say Quantum System Could Be the Answer

A global scientific team has claimed that they have discovered a way to slow down, speed up, and even turn around a particular system's clock.

Quantum Rewind Protocol

Spanish news outlet El País reports that the scientists think that this is possible by making the most of quantum systems. In a series covering six studies, the team, comprising researchers from the Austrian Academy of Sciences and the University of Vienna, has relayed their findings.

As per Futurism, the known laws of physics do not intuitively look into the world of subatoms comprising quantum particles known as qubits. These particles can, technically, simultaneously exist in more than one state. This phenomenon is also referred to as quantum entanglement.

The researchers now claim that they have discovered how to turn the clocks of these particles backward and forward. According to researcher Miguel Navascués from the Institute of Quantum Optics and Quantum Information at the Austrian Academy of Sciences, within a theater, a move is shown from its start to the end regardless of whether the audience likes it or not. However, in the world of quantum systems, he notes that there is a remote control of some sort that may manipulate this movie. Navascués reports the possibilities of moving back to prior scenes or skipping several ones.

The team says that they successfully reverted an electron back to its prior state by coming up with a rewind protocol. The scientists note that within their experiments, they were able to demonstrate using a quantum switch to make a photon go back to its original state before routing a crystal.

Can You Turn Back Time?

Futurism notes that, though the prospect is exciting, further scaling up the approach is remarkably hard or even impossible.

Navascués says that such a notion is theoretically possible if one can be locked inside a box without any external influences at play. However, with existing protocols, the chances of success are extremely low.

He further notes that the required time for completing the process largely depends on the quantity of data that the system is capable of storing. Considering how humans handle vast amounts of information, it may take millions of years for a person to be rejuvenated for such a remarkably short period. Hence, this does not make sense.

Futurism also notes how the quantum system is capable of reverting a particle's state. The same cannot be said for the manipulation of time.

Navascués explains that they have discovered that one can transfer evolutionary time between physical systems that are identical. In an experiment that covers ten systems for a whole year, one may steam a year from the nine first systems and then give it to the tenth one.

Futurism notes that rather than creating time turning, the scientists are looking into more mundane applications of their findings. For example, a quantum processor's qubit states may be reversed. This may enable researchers to undo mistakes in the course of their own development.

Check out more news and information on Quantum Physics in Science Times.