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Testing the speed of ‘spooky action at a distance’

Author

Listed:
  • Daniel Salart

    (Group of Applied Physics, University of Geneva, 20 Rue de l’Ecole de Médecine, CH-1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland)

  • Augustin Baas

    (Group of Applied Physics, University of Geneva, 20 Rue de l’Ecole de Médecine, CH-1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland)

  • Cyril Branciard

    (Group of Applied Physics, University of Geneva, 20 Rue de l’Ecole de Médecine, CH-1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland)

  • Nicolas Gisin

    (Group of Applied Physics, University of Geneva, 20 Rue de l’Ecole de Médecine, CH-1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland)

  • Hugo Zbinden

    (Group of Applied Physics, University of Geneva, 20 Rue de l’Ecole de Médecine, CH-1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland)

Abstract

Spooky action: setting a speed limit Einstein called entanglement, a type of correlation found only in quantum physics, 'spooky action at a distance'. Experimental tests known as Bell inequalities have all but ruled out a classical explanation for such correlations, but the possibility remains that a first event could influence a second one, if the influence occurs faster than the speed of light. An impressive new experiment has been performed with a view to establishing a lower limit for the speed of such hypothetical influences. The experiment involved a Bell inequality test lasting more than 24 hours between two Swiss villages 18 km apart and approximately east–west oriented, with the source located precisely in the middle. Taking advantage of the Earth's rotation, the experiment allowed the determination of a lower bound for the speed of any such influence. The conclusion was that the minimal speed of hypothetical spooky action at a distance, under plausible assumptions for this experiment, is at least 10,000 times greater than the speed of light. The existence in nature of a real spooky action at a distance is therefore deemed implausible.

Suggested Citation

  • Daniel Salart & Augustin Baas & Cyril Branciard & Nicolas Gisin & Hugo Zbinden, 2008. "Testing the speed of ‘spooky action at a distance’," Nature, Nature, vol. 454(7206), pages 861-864, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:454:y:2008:i:7206:d:10.1038_nature07121
    DOI: 10.1038/nature07121
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    Cited by:

    1. Thomas Holtfort & Andreas Horsch, 2023. "Social science goes quantum: explaining human decision-making, cognitive biases and Darwinian selection from a quantum perspective," Journal of Bioeconomics, Springer, vol. 25(2), pages 99-116, August.
    2. Holtfort, Thomas, 2023. "Quantenökonomie: Einfluss der Quantenphysik auf ökonomische Entscheidungsprozesse," Arbeitspapiere der FOM 88, FOM Hochschule für Oekonomie & Management.

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