New article: WSU physicists create a superfluid with negative mass read more at here http://www.spinonews.com/index.php/science/item/3294-wsu-physicists-create-a-superfluid-with-negative-mass

Washington state university scientists have created a superfluid with negative mass. Means, when you push this fluid it accelerates backwards rather forward. Scientists said, the strange behavior that happens within black holes and neutron stars.

Michael Forbes, assistant professor of physics and astronomy, said, we clearly show that the existence of lasers can be used to design systems in which cold atoms behave as if they have a negative mass, means if you push or pull them, they accelerate in the wrong direction.

To create this fluid, the research team used lasers to reduce the temperature of rubidium atoms to almost absolute zero, at which molecules start to behave more like waves. This state speculated by Bose-Einstein condensate.

In this state, particles move extremely slowly and follow the strange principles of quantum mechanics, rather than classical physics which means they start to behave like waves, with a location that can't be precisely pinpointed.

Using lasers researchers kept the superfluid at icy temperatures, but also to trap it in a tiny bowl-like field measuring less than 100 microns across.

 

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While, the superfluid remains contained in that space it had regular mass and, as far as Bose-Einstein condensates go, was pretty normal. But then the team forced the superfluid to escape.

Using a second set of lasers, researchers succeeded the atoms back and forth to change their spin, breaking the 'bowl' and allowing the rubidium to come rushing out so fast that it behaved as if it had negative mass.

Forbes said, the field of cold atoms is advancing at an extremely rapid pace. Many of cutting-edge experimental techniques quickly find practical application in quantum technologies.

 

These systems which are extremely difficult to study experimentally, but could be simulated in a lab using cold atoms. The results may help refine theories related to nuclear physics. 

More information: [Physical Review Letters]