Observation of Quantum Free Fall and the Consistency with the Equivalence Principle

[luisenrique-arch]

Observation of Quantum Free Fall and the Consistency with the Equivalence Principle
https://arxiv.org/abs/2502.14535?utm_source=chatgpt.com

I'd like to hear your thoughts on this newly published paper.

[HanDeBruijn]

Consensus AI says:

A Theory of Everything (ToE) is a hypothetical framework in physics that unites general relativity and quantum mechanics to explain all physical aspects of the universe. [ .. ] There is still no proven or widely accepted Theory of Everything.

After a century (1915/1925 - 2026) of fruitless research, why not simply give up and admit that such a unification is impossible.

Quote from the Abstract:

The unification of quantum theory and the general theory of relativity - describing gravity, is one of the most important challenges in science.

Denied !! According to (my version of) the Variable Mass theory (VM) there is a strict distinction between Quantum and Gravity that will never be resolved. The reason is that there are two time scales in VM: Atomic time and Orbital time. The two are related but they are definitely not the same. At least four other authors essentially share this view with me, even with their formulas. As exemplified in the table below.

[luisenrique-arch]

After a century (1915/1925 - 2026) of fruitless research, why not simply give up and admit that such a unification is impossible.

I completely agree, albeit for different reasons. Personally, I think the unification of General Relativity and Quantum Mechanics is impossible because there's probably something wrong with Einstein's version of Relativity to begin with. And I don't exclude the possibility that there might be something wrong with Quantum Mechanics as well.

[Francois-Zinserling]

After a century (1915/1925 - 2026) of fruitless research, why not simply give up and admit that such a unification is impossible.

Nope.
Every identification of 'something wrong' is one dead-end branch of the maze that has been cleared. And our physics and history books are not filled with people who 'gave up'.
Our biggest problems don't seem to be 'giving up' but the inability to decide when something is wrong.

I totally think QED and GR are reconcilable. At the moment totally incompatible but both will need adjustment but it doesn't need to start over.

[HanDeBruijn]

@Francois-Zinserling .

And our physics and history books are not filled with people who 'gave up'.

Oh yes, they gave up on the Phlogiston theory, they gave up on epicycles ...

I totally think QED and GR are reconcilable.

Didn’t expect otherwise, because it appears to be your core business.

[RedshiftDrift]

That experiment is done with an atom interferometer, just like the one I work with at York U. They claim the phase they measure has something to do with gravity, but what about the phase of the atoms held in the magnetic gradient? The phase could come from that as well... TL;DR perhaps they discuss that aspect of their measurement.

Their result is not that exciting (to me anyway), I see this phase every day in the lab.