What Happens During a Quantum Jump?

PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like you. To support your local station, go to: http://to.pbs.org/DonateSPACE ↓ More info below ↓ Uploaded 12-01-21 Erratum: Figures in episode should be Minev et al. (2019), not Minney et al. (2009). Our apologies to the authors! This is the experiment we talk about: To Catch and Reverse a Quantum Jump Mid-Flight Minev, Mundhada, Shankar, Reinhold, Gutiérrez-Jáuregui, Schoelkopf, Mirrahimi, Carmichael and Devoret (2019), Nature, v.570, p.200 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-019-1287-z Sign Up on Patreon to get access to the Space Time Discord! https://www.patreon.com/pbsspacetime Since the very beginning of quantum mechanics, a debate has raged about how to interpret its bizarre predictions. And at the heart and origin of that debate is the quantum jump or quantum leap - the seemingly miraculous and instantaneous transitions of quantum systems that have always defied observation or prediction. At least, until now. Check out the Space Time Merch Store https://pbsspacetime.com/ Sign up for the mailing list to get episode notifications and hear special announcements! https://mailchi.mp/1a6eb8f2717d/spacetime Hosted by Matt O'Dowd Written by Katie McCormick and Matt O'Dowd Graphics by Leonardo Scholzer, Yago Ballarini, Pedro Osinski, Adriano Leal and Stephanie Faria Directed by Andrew Kornhaber Assistant Producer: Setare Gholipour Executive Producers: Eric Brown and Andrew Kornhaber End Credits Music by J.R.S. Schattenberg: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRl6-nb4iOnsij-vnpAjp0Q Special Thanks to Our Patreon Supporters Big Bang Supporeters Matthew Miller Clinton Robinson Sean Maddox Brodie Rao Scott Gray Ahmad Jodeh Radu Negulescu Alexander Tamas Morgan Hough Juan Benet Fabrice Eap Mark Rosenthal David Nicklas Quasar Supporters Hank S Christina Oegren Mark Heising Vinnie Falco Hypernova Supporters william bryan Sean Mehra Ben Delo L. Wayne Ausbrooks Nicholas Newlin Mark Matthew Bosko Justin Jermyn Jason Finn Антон Кочков Alec S-L Julian Tyacke John R. Slavik Mathew Danton Spivey Donal Botkin John Pollock Edmund Fokschaner Joseph Salomone Matthew O'Connor chuck zegar Jordan Young m0nk John Hofmann Timothy McCulloch Gamma Ray Burst Supporters Alex Edwards Nick Ádám Kettinger Sylvain Leduc Matthew Harlow Robert C Schupp Anthony Kahng MD3 Endre Pech Daniel Jennings Cameron Sampson Pratik Mukherjee Geoffrey Clarion Astronauticist Nate Darren Duncan Lily kawaii Russ Creech Jeremy Reed Magistrala Хемус [Kybrit] Derek Davis Bill Blair Eric Webster Steven Sartore DrJYou David Johnston J. King Michael Barton Christopher Barron James Ramsey Mr T Andrew Mann Jeremiah Johnson fieldsa eleanory Peter Mertz Kevin O'Connell Richard Deighton Isaac Suttell Devon Rosenthal Oliver Flanagan Dawn M Fink Bleys Goodson Darryl J Lyle Robert Walter Bruce B Ismael Montecel Andrew Richmond Simon Oliphant Mirik Gogri David Hughes Mark Daniel Cohen Brandon Lattin Yannick Weyns Nickolas Andrew Freeman Brian Blanchard Shane Calimlim Tybie Fitzhugh Robert Ilardi Astaurus Eric Kiebler Craig Stonaha Martin Skans Michael Conroy Graydon Goss Frederic Simon Greg Smith Tonyface John Robinson A G Kevin Lee Adrian Hatch Yurii Konovaliuk John Funai Cass Costello Geoffrey Short Bradley Jenkins Kyle Hofer Tim Stephani Luaan AlecZero Cody Malte Ubl Nick Virtue Scott Gossett Martin J Lollar Dan Warren Patrick Sutton John Griffith Daniel Lyons DFaulk Kevin Warne Andreas Nautsch Brandon labonte Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices