Tweaked Schrodinger Equation Bridges Gap Between Relativity and Quantum Mechanics

Physicists have long grappled with the perplexing divide between the bizarre laws of quantum mechanics and the classical principles of Einstein's theory of relativity. Now, a team of theoretical physicists may have taken a significant step towards reconciling these two seemingly incompatible theories by proposing modifications to the infamous Schrödinger's cat paradox.

The core tenet of quantum mechanics suggests that physical objects can exist in a superposition of multiple states until they are observed, at which point their state collapses into a definite value. This idea was famously encapsulated in Schrödinger's cat paradox, where a hypothetical cat inside a sealed box is considered both alive and dead until the box is opened and its fate is observed.

However, applying these quantum rules to the macroscopic world faces challenges. While quantum laws hold true for elementary particles, larger objects adhere to classical physics and are never observed in a superposition of states. This stark contrast between quantum and classical behavior presents a fundamental paradox in our understanding of the universe.

To address this conundrum, Matteo Carlesso and his colleagues proposed modifications to the Schrödinger equation, the cornerstone of quantum mechanics. By introducing terms that account for self-interaction within systems, they found that superposition breaks down more readily in larger systems, leading to spontaneous collapses of their states.

In this revised framework, there is no longer a distinction between objects being measured and measuring devices. Instead, all systems undergo spontaneous collapse at regular intervals, rendering large objects classical in appearance. Subatomic interactions with these systems contribute to the collapse process, leading to the acquisition of definite values for their attributes.

This modified approach offers insights into why our universe appears to follow classical laws of physics and lacks observable superposition. By describing a quantum universe that undergoes spontaneous collapse, the model explains the emergence of classical space-time geometry in our observable universe.

While the theory doesn't make new predictions about large-scale physical processes, it provides a framework for understanding atomic and molecular behaviour with minor deviations from standard quantum mechanics. Testing these modifications poses challenges, but ongoing efforts aim to explore their implications experimentally.