The virus can be simultaneously alive and dead

For a long time is no surprise that the electrons can simultaneously be in two places, the atoms have a range of energy values, and microscopic tops swirling in two directions - for example, clockwise and anti-clockwise at the same time. The very least, most people interested in science, and accustomed to the idea that even the usual electric current can flow through the circuit at the same time on both sides, although realistically it could be seen only in this sverhprovodnikah.Vse Unbelievable possible due to the superposition principle, under which if a quantum object can be either this or that kind, it may turn out to be an arbitrary mixture of such and such. The principle works, although from the standpoint of common sense go hand left and right can not be, but is simultaneously in Moscow and Magadan could not be any Emil Kio, no Houdini with Copperfield. Create a meaningful analogue of quantum mechanics without the superposition principle, seems to be, and physicists seem to have to continue to tolerate this shizofreniey.Koty, noses and mozgiChtoby once and for all prove that the micro-and macrocosm are different laws , one of the founders of quantum mechanics, Erwin Schrodinger in the early 1930's, when only just realized the whole essence of the phenomenon of quantum entanglement, invented his famous cat. This is a thought experiment, in which the animal was both alive and mertvym.Shredinger offered to take a large box, isolated from the outside world, and shove the cat there. In the box put a vial of hydrocyanic acid, a hammer, which is triggered by a Geiger counter, and bits of radioactive material. When an unstable atom splits, alpha-particle will pass through the Geiger counter, hammer smashes a vial, and the cat would die. While the atom is not broke - the cat is alive. The trouble is that, according to quantum mechanics, the state of the atom (up to the moment of measurement, see below) is a mixture of dissolved and nondecomposed conditions: a mixture in which the proportion of the dissolved state is steadily increasing, and nondecomposed - falls. But the cat's life is rigidly connected to the atom. He at that time, too, both living and dead? "If we believe the standard Copenhagen interpretation of quantum mechanics, the answer is positive. Open the box, we will always find the cat either alive or dead - but it is linked directly to our measurement. While the box is closed, there is a superposition of states. When they opened - are, as physicists say, "collapse" the wave function of one of two states, which distinguishes our measuring apparatus (eyes, ears, nose, and so on, plus gyrus). If we are organized differently, we could find cat more notable states - such as "live plus dead" or "minus the dead alive." Why we are organized this way, what distinguishes a classical living and dead, and we might be arranged in another way - a separate question, the answers to which one curious others. What specifically is the collapse - another subject of fierce disputes. But in reality, no doubt about the existence of superposition stoit.Kvantovy karantinSam Schrodinger, who never in his life half dead cats are not seen, felt that his speculative construction proves the reality of the physical boundary between the quantum and classical worlds. One of the fathers of quantum mechanics was quite sure that in nature there must be a law that prohibits quantum phenomena manifest themselves in the classical mire.Seychas similar view is shared by a minority of physicists. However, none of the majority has not demonstrated the experiment with half alive cat. It is not compassion for animals: the cat just from the standpoint of physics - the insanely complex, isolated from external influences that can not. And these effects cause the wave function collapsed in one of the classical states are much faster than we had the courage, foresight to pinch their noses and vskroem yaschik.Poka absolute majority of experiments studying the superposition of states, relates to a purely quantum objects, and most of them - just purely quantum properties these objects, which have no classical analogues. Only recently the first time were able to demonstrate quantum entanglement states of mechanical motion of two ions. It could not take place, not whether each of the particles in the state at the same time and rest and movement - besides the clear-cut, pre-defined proportsiyah.Virus in lovushkeTeper situation might change. A group of German and Spanish physicists led by Oriol Romero-Isarta of the Institute of Quantum Optics germanskogo Society, the Max Planck came up with a way to carry out a similar experiment with viruses. If their idea become reality, it will be possible to obtain firm evidence that these creatures are in a state of quantum superposition of two classical states - the same movement and pokoya.Fiziki (so far only theoretically) have shown how one can keep the microscopic, but large enough transparent objects in light traps, and most importantly - how to connect the state of motion - such as the amplitude of oscillations - those objects with the properties of light quanta, photons. Then you can just run into the trap of photons in a state of superposition of two classical states, and you can be sure: in the corresponding superposition and is our object. Check how to move an object, can reverse the process (to measure the state of the photons, in contrast to the microscopic fluctuations, good at physics). The beauty is that the role of such objects are fully suitable many viruses. Scientists estimate that under these requirements are suitable to all the familiar flu virus, and even very big tobacco mosaic virus - the first virus known to science, which at the end of the XIX century, opened our compatriot Dmitry I. Ivanovskiy.S larger organisms trick until you pass - objects in the trap must be smaller than the wavelength of the laser, which it is fed (as well as have certain optical properties). Nevertheless, according to the authors of the article, which can be found in the archives of electronic preprints, Cornell University, they already have concerns about the proliferation of techniques and larger organisms. Among them are mentioned, even small invertebrates - Tardigrada, are able to survive after several days in an open kosmose.O soznaniiPo view Isarty Romero and his colleagues, a real demonstration of the quantum properties of "live" viruses could be a major breakthrough for the understanding of quantum mechanics and its checking Copenhagen interpretation. Before the authors of the work loomed fundamental questions about the relationship between physics and life and the role of consciousness in quantum mehanike.Vprochem than a tiny flicker of viruses (and we are talking about the amplitude significantly smaller than the size of viruses themselves) differ from the movement of ions, the Germans and the Spaniards did not specify. It is not clear, and what has all this to life. Even among biologists are still unable to agree as to whether viruses are living organisms or not. What really mind here.