Quantum entanglement is a phenomenon in quantum physics where two or more particles become linked and instantaneously affect each other’s state, no matter the distance between them. Even if one was on one side of the universe and another millions of lightyears in the other direction, one particle’s state would still be directly connected to the other’s.
It was famously described by Albert Einstein as “spooky action at a distance,” because it seemed to completely contradict our classical understanding of the universe, in which nothing could travel faster than light. Despite its counterintuitive nature, quantum entanglement has been confirmed experimentally many times.
An example in the context of quantum entanglement would be two particles entangled in such a way that their spins are correlated. If you, the observer, measured the spin of one particle then instantly the spin of the other particle would be determined also.
This doesn’t mean the information is being transmitted faster than the speed of light, but rather the two particles are somehow in a single quantum superposition that then collapses into a single state when they’re observed. This suggests that the act of observation plays a crucial role in determining the properties of particles, which is a radical departure from classical physics and has huge implications on what reality is that we’ll be diving into.
Also, it’s worth noting that this phenomenon has also been experimentally confirmed many times, most notably in tests of Bell’s theorem. These experiments have shown that quantum mechanics, with its observer effect and entanglement, accurately describes the behaviour of particles at the quantum level.
The observer effect, particularly when considered alongside phenomena like quantum entanglement, infers a deep level of interconnectedness in the universe. Not only can actions in one place have immediate effects on another, regardless of distance, but also the mere observation of something can affect the result.
This would suggest that we are not just passive observers of the universe, as many seem to believe, but in actuality, we are active participants. We already know that if we touch a ball then it will roll, that’s us actively participating in the universe. However, now we can simply measure the state of a particle and have it affect the state of another millions of lightyears away in a predictable fashion.
It raises deep questions about the nature of reality. Imagine a universe where there is no life, the laws it abides by remain the same. Gravity still exists, the speed of light is still a set value, quantum entanglement is still possible.
Then consider the fact that the observer effect exists. When the big bang occurred and the universe was created, one of those fundamental rules that were miraculously established was the observer effect. The possible involvement of an observer was established from the beginning, before we even existed.
Does the observer effect prove our existence wasn’t coincidental? Was the universe always meant to harbour life? Perhaps consciousness is more than just electrical impulses and chemical reactions. If our pure observation of something can determine its result, I certainly believe so.
