Chapter 798: The Quantum Eraser Experiment

On the top floor of the Allyn magic tower, in the studio that had temporarily been arranged into a laboratory, other than Douglas and Lucien, who was working as his assistant this time, all the members of the Highest Council who could come were gathered. Samantha, Louise, and the other personnel of the Sky Television Channel were also waiting attentively and uneasily.

Although they were not clear about the experiment that was to be publicly streamed, they had guessed a thing or two seeing that the big shots of the Highest Council were both wary and tempted, and that “Brain Eater” Lucien Evans was personally involved in the experiment. Was it a decisive and disruptive experiment in the microscopic domain? Was it one of the thought experiments that the Excellencies proposed earlier?

Faced with the camera, Douglas tried to make himself look less grave. He said kindly and peacefully, “Everyone, I believe that you’ve already known that I became a demigod.”

In the generic schools and the noble school, Ali, Longman, Jane, and all the other students nodded in excitement, as if they were communicating with the Emperor of Arcana face to face. The unusual phenomenon that day was too eye-catching and glorious. Nobody could’ve missed it!

In the Holy City, Viken thought to himself, Is he using the experiment as an excuse to officially announce his advancement into the demigod level, in order to increase the morale and confidence of the supporters of the Congress of Magic?

He did not think that any experiment was a threat to himself. After all, he did not have a cognitive world anymore, and the heart of faith was completely under his control and would not be shaken. Therefore, he received the signals without worries and drew a wall in his library to display the image.

After learning the way to steal the power of faith and gather godhood from Viken, the Grand Cardinals had a deeper understanding of the “God of Truth” too. They believed that nothing could shake their heart of faith easily. Therefore, they were also watching the stream in various ways, hoping to figure out the Congress of Magic’s purpose as soon as possible so that they could take countermeasures.

The red robes, on the other hand, were mostly in a dilemma. They were curious about what the experiment was and why it was streamed, but they were too scared to watch it directly. They could still see their partners who were swallowed by the holy light and turned into torches or fireworks!

“The celestial bodies’ motion system… Advancing because of the sun… Perhaps you are the real ‘Sun King’…” After hearing Douglas’ announcement, Rudolf II looked at the screen in self-mockery. “I should focus on the path of the ‘God of Truth’.”

His talk to himself seemed to be a full stop for his identity as a sorcerer in the past.

On the stream screen, Douglas said with a smile, “It’s indeed important to have become a demigod, but for me, the most delightful thing is that I am now able to explore the realms that I couldn’t with the capabilities of a demigod. For example, I would like to know if there’s another planet that has intelligent lives in this boundless universe. Another example, the two thought experiments that Evans, I, and other arcanists devised can be accomplished now.”

Ali was so captivated that he really felt the heart of exploration that was full of passion about the unknown and the faith in arcana that did not change because of one’s strength.

Now that a demigod talked so calmly and casually, he had an even deeper understanding of the charm and the vision of grand arcanists!

As for the other arcanists, knights, and ordinary people who admired the demigod, they also somehow felt that the universe was too vast for any demigod under Douglas’ casual narration.

“Two thought experiments?” Viken knocked on the table, speculating which two thought experiments they might have been. It was not because he was not smart and keen enough, but because the grand arcanists like Lucien had proposed far too many thought experiments.

Douglas pointed at Lucien who was next to him. “The stream experiment this time will be completed by Evans and me together so that you will truly see the wonder of the microscopic domain. Honestly speaking, I do not know what the results will be like either. We will face any possible situation together with all of you.”

“The microscopic domain?”

“The microscopic domain!”

The demigods like Viken, Rudolf II, and the Lord of Hell all became solemn. After Lucien proposed the quantum superposition state and the notions like dispersion and collapse, they realized that it had a lot of similarities to their own existence and dedicated all their attention to the microscopic domain. It was also the reason why they neglected Douglas previously.

They looked at the screen carefully and confirmed whether or not the experiments were affected by other factors through various methods. They vaguely guessed what the thought experiments would be.

“Firstly, Evans will demonstrate the double-slit experiment with electrons.” Douglas slightly backed off and gave the stage to Lucien.

Lucien took off his top hat and put it on the shelf, as casual as if he were at home. Such an attitude gradually calmed the scared and anxious arcanists.

Then, Lucien began to repeat the double-slit experiment with electrons that he did a few years ago.

When the electrons passed through the two slits and formed the classic interferometric fringes on the screen behind, both the ordinary people like Ali, Longman, and Jane, as well as the arcanists like Heidi and Annick, exclaimed in amazement. Although they had known the result through personal experiments or newspapers, they were still shocked that the electron, which had a mass, momentum, and trajectory, could behave as pure waves.

After Lucien installed an alarm next to the slits, confirming exactly which slit the electrons passed through, the interferometric fringes on the screen were gone, and the electrons behaved as pure particles.

“Well…” Even though they had read the record about the double-slit experiment from Arcana Voice and newspapers, ordinary people like Ali, Longman, and Jane never had the opportunity to witness the experiment in person. The experiment was so simple and easy to understand, but the result was too unbelievable. So, they all shook their heads in confusion and disbelief, unconvinced that the interferometric fringes were gone just because they observed which slit the electrons passed through!

Was the electron more marvelous than magic?

Inside the Atom Institution, Heidi, Katrina and the other arcanists watched their teacher conduct the experiment solemnly. What was most scary about the experiment was not the phenomenon but how to explain it!

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Annick grabbed a cup nervously, trying to calm him down by drinking water. Sprint, on the other hand, held his hands tightly and stuck them to the experiment table before him, not revealing his feelings. They had both guessed which two thought experiments would be done next!

What would the result be like?

After interpreting and demonstrating the double-slit experiment, Lucien said with a smile, “Next, we are going to transform the experiment to minimize the interferences while keeping the mechanism the same.”

Then, Lucien deployed a new experiment. Through a demonstration, he proved that it was equal to the double-slit experiment just now.

“They’re indeed equal. There’s no problem at all…” Fernando nodded.

The demigods like Viken and Rudolf II did not have a profound understanding of arcana, but as demigods, it was fairly easy for them to decide whether or not the two experiments were equal.

“Next, we will conduct the quantum eraser experiment, which is a variant of the experiment just now. Just now, you must’ve seen that when the two ‘alarms’ next to the slits recorded the electrons as they passed through the slits and sent out alarms, the interferometric fringes were gone, and the particle properties were manifested.

“Now, we will only make the alarms record but not let them send out any alarms, and they will erase the records immediately after they record the information. What will we see then? Will the interferometric fringes be gone?”

Lucien lucidly explained the mechanism of the experiment instead of the real experiment process.

“Of course, the interferometric fringes will be gone, and the particle properties will be revealed. It’s essentially the same as the previous experiment. The only difference is that we cannot know which slit the electrons used to pass through the alarms now, but can our knowledge affect the experiment result at all?” Having studied the basics of arcana for years, Longman had a few guesses about the experiment, which seemed rather “simple”.

The ordinary students like Ali and Jane and most magic apprentices and arcanists thought the same. The only difference between this experiment and the previous one was whether or not the “experimenter” knew the trajectory of the electrons. However, whether or not the experimenter knew it shouldn’t affect the objectivity of an actual experiment.

Annick did not put down his cup because he had been completely devoted to the experiment. Sprint, Heidi, and the others also held their breath and waited for the result, which would either suggest that the world was normal or prove that the world was so unbelievable and illusionary. Which would it be?

Would it be normal or abnormal?

Viken, Maltimus, and the other demigods were even more solemn because it also concerned their understanding of the world. Did Douglas and Lucien really not know the result?

Douglas walked to the experiment table. He demonstrated the “erasion” effect with the newly-added experiment devices. After everybody saw it clearly, he chuckled. “I’m rather curious about the result myself. Let’s begin now.”

All the people who watched the live stream held their breath and focused their eyes on the screen, waiting for the result of the experiment.

Douglas activated the experiment. At first, it was the regular procedure, and the interferometric fringes appeared. Then, the quantum eraser experiment was begun.

Would the interferometric fringes disappear, and would the particle features be displayed this time?

The alarms had caused such a result previously!

Time went by one second after another, but the interferometric fringes on the screen were still so clear, so beautiful, and so classic!

The ordinary people like Ali and Longman and most of the magic apprentices and arcanists could barely close their mouths, and they couldn’t have looked more hilarious. The only difference between the current experiment and the previous one was whether or not they knew the trajectory of the electrons, but how could their knowledge affect the result of the experiment?

This was too illogical!

There was nothing but quietness in the studio, except for the heavy and hasty breath.

Crack!

The cup in Annick’s hands fell on the ground and broke into pieces, and water splashed everywhere. He kept murmuring to himself, “The observer effect…”

Boom!

Before he knew it, Sprint pushed down the experiment table before him.

Pope Viken seemed to be both delighted and surprised by the result. He said to himself in a low voice, “The observer effect!”