More than 100,000 people join unique worldwide quantum physics experiment
On November 30, for the first time, the world had the opportunity to participate in and contribute to the Big Bell Test - a unique worldwide experiment which aimed to test the laws of quantum physics.
More than 100,000 people participated in the BIG Bell Test. Participants were able to complete more than half a million levels of the video game that generated more than 90 million bits, a number that tripled the initial expectations of the scientific team leading the project.
The project, coordinated by ICFO-The Institute of Photonic Sciences, consisted of twelve laboratories from around the world including our Quantum Technology lab at the University of Queensland.
Each lab ran quantum experiments powered by human randomness, with the aim of demonstrating experimentally that the microscopic world is in fact as strange as quantum physics predicts.
Participants across the world contributed to the initiative by generating sequences of zeros and ones through a video game in order to create sequences of numbers that were as random as possible. Each of these bits was used to control in experiments in real time. They moved mirrors, polarizing filters, waveplates ... elements located on optical tables and that affect the type of measurements that are made on the different quantum systems in each lab.
Our team at the Quantum Technology lab used the human-generated random numbers to test quantum entanglement in time.
Find out more about our experiment in the video below
Major funding support
The Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Engineered Quantum Systems (EQUS) acknowledges the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and their continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respects to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders past and present.