We just got the first real evidence of a strange quantum distortion in empty space

For the first time, astronomers have observed a strange quantum phenomenon in action, where a neutron star is surrounded by a magnetic field so intense, it’s given rise to a region in empty space where matter spontaneously pops in and out of existence.

Called vacuum birefringence, this bizarre phenomenon was first predicted back in the 1930s, but had only ever been observed on the atomic scale. Now scientists have finally seen it occur in nature, and it goes against everything that Newton and Einstein had mapped out.

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There have been suggestions in the past that the magnetic fields in the vicinity of magnetars ought to be strong enough to distort the quantum vacuum itself. But until now that has just been a theoretical possibility.

CrazyNeutrino said:

and it goes against everything that Newton and Einstein had mapped out.

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I wonder if it does really.

I’ll have a look later.

I wonder if the universe could create a phenomena that “breaks it” locally, one would hope it couldn’t break it everywhere

The Rev Dodgson said:

CrazyNeutrino said:

and it goes against everything that Newton and Einstein had mapped out.

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I’ll have a look later. I wonder if it does really.

Difficult to find a good web source on this, but one thing I’ve seen so far is that in the strong magnetic field around magnetars, a photon is no longer a stable subatomic particle, it can decay into a pair of photons moving in opposite directions.

The Rev Dodgson said:

CrazyNeutrino said:

and it goes against everything that Newton and Einstein had mapped out.

More…

I wonder if it does really.

I’ll have a look later.

This paper goes into detail about the physics of magnetars, but I’d be lying if I said I understand it.
http://arxiv.org/pdf/astro-ph/0606674

Cymek said:

I wonder if the universe could create a phenomena that “breaks it” locally, one would hope it couldn’t break it everywhere

Yes.

The Rev Dodgson said:

CrazyNeutrino said:

and it goes against everything that Newton and Einstein had mapped out.

More…

I wonder if it does really.

I’ll have a look later.

Seems like a sound bite to me.