MIT Researchers Advance Quantum Gravity Studies with Laser-Cooled Torsional Oscillator

MIT researchers have introduced a novel experimental technique that could significantly impact the study of gravity's quantum nature. Led by PhD candidate Dongchel Shin from the Department of Mechanical Engineering, the team has successfully applied laser cooling to a centimeter-scale torsional oscillator—a first in the field. (MIT News)

Torsional oscillators, which twist rather than move linearly, have been instrumental in gravity research since the 18th century. By cooling these oscillators using lasers, the researchers aim to create mechanical systems that are both massive enough to experience gravitational effects and sufficiently isolated to exhibit quantum behaviors. (MIT News)

This advancement bridges the gap between classical gravitational experiments and quantum mechanics, potentially enabling new experiments to test whether gravity itself exhibits quantum properties. The research has been published in the journal Optica, marking a significant step toward understanding one of physics' most profound questions. (MIT News)