Scientists at Ben-Gurion University have conducted a groundbreaking experiment linking quantum mechanics and gravity. The team, including Ph.D. student Or Dobkowski, used ultracold rubidium atoms cooled to near absolute zero and manipulated them with a specially designed atom chip.

They placed the atoms in a quantum superposition, causing each atom to travel two paths simultaneously. Using magnetic fields, one part of the atomic wave was held stationary against gravity, while the other fell freely. When the two parts were recombined, their interference revealed a quantum phase difference.

This measured phase matched predictions from Einstein's equivalence principle, which states that gravity and acceleration are indistinguishable. The result provides the first direct measurement of the predicted quantum phase for a freely falling object, bridging quantum physics and general relativity.

Lead author Professor Ron Folman called the work unique, combining a challenging experiment with deep theoretical implications. The study offers new insights into how gravity and quantum theory might be unified, addressing one of physics' most fundamental questions.