How quantum fog tests the laws of gravity ⚡ экспресс
Researchers compared Bose-Einstein condensates (quantum droplets of ultracold atoms) in a regular Newtonian trap and in a potential inspired by MOND theory, which modifies gravity on large scales. In the deep MOND regime, the condensate swells significantly, and its radius grows in proportion to the cube root of the repulsive force between atoms. The frequency of collective oscillations of this cloud drops as repulsion increases. These clear laws pave the way for simulating exotic gravity on quantum simulators.
An ultracold atomic cloud, resembling fog, hints that gravity might not work as Newton said. On the outskirts of galaxies stars move faster than expected, and MOND theory tweaks the law of gravitation over large distances, removing the need for dark matter. When such a fog was placed in a MOND trap, it puffed up more and wobbled slower. A simple pattern emerged: if the repulsion between atoms increases 8-fold, the cloud's size grows only twofold (cube root). The oscillation frequency drops similarly. In a Newtonian trap, there's no such clear pattern. The lab fog unexpectedly became a mini proving ground for testing the standard model of cosmology. Turns out, to study galaxies, you don't need a telescope — just a droplet on a table.
🎯 The temperature of such a fog is one of the lowest in the Universe: billions of times colder than deep space.