Schrödinger's anthill: Quantum entanglement found in a crystal large enough to hold

VIENNA, July 7 (ScienceDaily) A centimeter-sized crystal has revealed clear signs of quantum entanglement, showing that large, everyday objects can display surprisingly deep quantum behavior. Scientists at the Vienna University of Technology uncovered surprisingly strong quantum entanglement inside a hand-sized crystal. The measurements provide direct evidence of strong multipartite quantum entanglement inside a solid crystal that is large enough to fit comfortably in the palm of your hand. The data indicate that groups of at least nine quantum-entangled entities act collectively. Rather than thinking of Schrödinger's cat, researchers say the experiment is more like an anthill. When it is disturbed, it is not a single ant that reacts, but the entire colony as a collective. The work was carried out by experimentalists at TU Wien on a crystal of a so-called strange metal. The findings were reported by the Vienna University of Technology.