Emily Chan
“We’re certain this experiment would work,” said Thomas Beitel, a co-author of the study and a theoretical physicist.
“Now that we know that gravitons can be detected, it’s added motivation to further develop the appropriate quantum-sensing technology. With some luck, one will be able to capture single gravitons soon.”
Gravity is one of the four fundamental forces of physics that most people are familiar with, but at the same time, it is also the most mysterious.
However, since experts know that electromagnetism has the photon, the weak interaction has W and Z bosons, and the strong interaction has the gluon, some believe that gravity should have its own mediating particle, the graviton.
Looking back at some of the earliest experiments in the field of physics can help inform the new experiment.
For instance, in the 1960s, physicist Joseph Weber used solid aluminum cylinders to try to find gravitational waves. The cylinders were hung from steel wire to eliminate background noise.
If gravitational waves went past the cylinders, they would trigger vibrations that could be converted into measurable electrical signals, much like the design of the new experiment.
Weber claimed he detected gravitational waves as early as 1969. However, his results could not be replicated. It wasn’t until 2015 that the phenomenon was detected.
With an upgrade to Weber’s experiment, it might be possible to detect gravitons. The final piece of the puzzle is the quantum sensors. The researchers believe the technology will become available soon.
The study was published in the journal Nature Communications.
