What Happens To Quantum Information Inside A Black Hole?
PBS Space Time・13 minutes read
Alice and Bob, theoretical physicists, explore the connection between spacetime and quantum entanglement by diving into a black hole, revealing insights into a holographic universe and how space may be formed from entanglement, leading to the ER=EPR conjecture and black hole complementarity, challenging quantum mechanics' rules. The experiment unveils a contradiction between Bob's observation of a frozen qubit and Alice's view of it entering the singularity, prompting a week-long wait for a solution regarding unitarity and the no-cloning theorem in the context of black hole complementarity.
Insights
- Quantum entanglement could be the foundation of spacetime, with black holes serving as key elements in exploring this connection, as evidenced by Alice and Bob's experiment involving a black hole, qubits, and gamma rays.
- The experiment conducted by Alice and Bob challenges fundamental principles of quantum mechanics such as unitarity and the no-cloning theorem, highlighting a paradox regarding the fate of information within black holes and the potential existence of a firewall at the event horizon, necessitating further investigation and potentially reshaping our understanding of the universe.
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Recent questions
What is the connection between black holes and quantum entanglement?
The connection between black holes and quantum entanglement suggests that space could be formed from entanglement, leading to the idea of a holographic universe where space is knit together from mutual information. This relationship has given rise to theories like the ER=EPR conjecture and black hole complementarity, exploring how entanglement and black holes are intertwined in the fabric of spacetime.
How does time dilation affect objects near a black hole?
Time dilation near a black hole causes observable effects like redshift of gamma rays and changes in the perception of time. As seen when Alice jumps into the black hole, Bob observes these phenomena, highlighting the impact of gravitational forces on time and the distortion of spacetime near massive objects like black holes.
What happens to objects crossing the event horizon of a black hole?
Objects crossing the event horizon of a black hole, like the qubit box in the experiment, confirm that black holes can swallow quantum bits. This process demonstrates the gravitational pull and the irreversible nature of crossing the point of no return, leading to the disappearance of objects into the singularity at the center of the black hole.
How does the experiment challenge quantum mechanics' principles?
The experiment challenges quantum mechanics' principles by revealing a contradiction between Bob's observation of the qubit freezing and Alice's view of it merging with the singularity. This contradiction challenges rules like unitarity and the no-cloning theorem, highlighting the complexities of quantum behavior near black holes and the need to reconcile these conflicting perspectives.
What is the significance of the paradox involving black hole complementarity?
The paradox involving black hole complementarity raises questions about the nature of spacetime, quantum mechanics, and the behavior of objects near black holes. This paradox, involving the idea of a firewall at the event horizon and the conflicting observations of Alice and Bob, underscores the need to address fundamental principles in physics and the mysteries surrounding the interplay between quantum entanglement and black hole dynamics.
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Summary
00:00
"Quantum Entanglement in Black Holes"
- Alice and Bob are theoretical physicists exploring the connection between spacetime and quantum entanglement by jumping into a black hole.
- Black holes have led to the idea of a holographic universe where space is knit together from mutual information.
- The emergent dimension could be encoded with quantum entanglement, suggesting space is formed from entanglement.
- The connection between entanglement and black holes leads to the ER=EPR conjecture and black hole complementarity.
- Alice jumps into a black hole with a clock emitting gamma rays and a qubit box with a frozen electron spin.
- Bob observes Alice's descent towards the black hole, noticing time dilation and redshift of gamma rays.
- Alice, in freefall towards the black hole, experiences no g-force or tidal forces, feeling like she's floating.
- Alice sees the qubit box cross the event horizon ahead of her, confirming that black holes can swallow quantum bits.
- Bob collects Hawking radiation to find the experimental qubit and recover Alice's information before the black hole evaporates.
- The experiment reveals a contradiction between Bob's observation of the qubit freezing and Alice's view of it merging with the singularity, challenging quantum mechanics' rules like unitarity and the no-cloning theorem.
15:02
Quantum paradox: unitarity, black hole complementarity, firewall
- Probabilities of an object's possible positions must add up to one, not exceeding 100%; breaking unitarity by deleting or duplicating a qubit is not allowed, leading to the need to wait a week to determine the solution to this paradox involving black hole complementarity and the idea of a firewall at the event horizon.
