Atom Split With Quantum Mechanics, Then Put Together Again

Atom Split With Quantum Mechanics, Then Put Together Again

Forget clumsy nuclear fission: researchers have now split an atom into two halves, pulled them apart and put them back together again. The University of Bonn team used quantum mechanics, which allow objects to exist in several states simultaneously, to perform the feat.

Their experiment involved keeping a single atom simultaneously in two places that were more than a hundredth of a millimeter apart – an immense distance for an atom. The scientists say they want to build quantum mechanics bridges by letting the atom touch adjacent atoms while it’s being pulled apart, so that it works like a bridge span between two pillars.