Pioneering experiments have cast doubt on a founding idea of the branch of physics called quantum mechanics. The Heisenberg uncertainty principle is in part an embodiment of the idea that in the quantum world, the mere act of observing an event changes it. But the idea had never been put to the test, and a team writing in Physical Review Letters says "weak measurements" prove the rule was never quite right.
So, while the uncertainty coming from the disturbing influence of the measurement is smaller than Heisenberg's original formulation , the uncertainty principle itself remains valid (e.g. there is an intrinsic uncertainty any quantum system must possess).The modern version of the uncertainty principle proved in our textbooks today, however, deals not with the precision of a measurement and the disturbance it introduces, but with the intrinsic uncertainty any quantum state must possess, regardless of what measurement (if any) is performed. These two readings of the uncertainty principle are typically taught side-by-side, although only the modern one is given rigorous proof. It has been shown that the original formulation is not only less general than the modern oneit is in fact mathematically incorrect...
Our work conclusively shows that, although correct for uncertainties in states, the form of Heisenberg's precision limit is incorrect if naively applied to measurement. Our work highlights an important fundamental difference between uncertainties in states and the limitations of measurement in quantum mechanics.
The BBC News story is about a recent study that claims to have found evidence contradicting the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle (HUP), a fundamental principle in quantum mechanics.
The HUP is a principle in quantum mechanics that states that it is impossible to know both the position and momentum of a particle with absolute certainty. This is due to the inherent uncertainty and randomness of quantum particles.
The study argues that by using a new measurement technique, they were able to measure the position and momentum of a particle simultaneously, which goes against the HUP. However, many experts in the field have questioned the validity of the study's results and methodology.
The scientific community has largely rejected the study's findings and continues to uphold the HUP as a fundamental principle in quantum mechanics. Many experts have pointed out flaws in the study's methodology and argue that the results are not reproducible.
While the study may have sparked some debate, it does not significantly challenge our understanding of quantum mechanics. The HUP has been extensively tested and confirmed by numerous experiments, and the scientific community continues to use it as a fundamental principle in their research.