In a materials science article published in the journal Science, researchers discuss the creation of a new type of metal alloy, in which the electrons move between atoms in an organized way rather than acting independently as we’re used to. When cooled to close to absolute zero, this mixture of electron-rich elements, including ytterbium, rhodium, and silicon, undergoes an odd transition, and the team observed what appears to be quantum entanglement among billions of electrons. While this story isn’t one of astronomy, it is one that could someday change how we do astronomy. Historically, the world’s most powerful computers have often been developed for astronomical research, or at least used for astronomical research, and this thin film of quantum entangled electrons might be the kind of material needed to advance quantum computing. According to researcher Qimiao Si of Rice University, “Quantum entanglement is the basis for storage and processing of quantum information.” This may be the material leap forward needed to advance our computational game beyond Moore’s law.

For more information, head to:

• Scientists Create “Strange Metal” Packed With Entangled Electrons (Futurism)
• Study finds billions of quantum entangled electrons in ‘strange metal’ (Rice)