Below absolute zero

Posted on January 9th, 2013 by James Higham

Indeed:

There’s been a lot of buzz lately in the science blogosphere about a recent experiment where physicists created a gas of quantum particles with a negative temperature – negative as in, below absolute zero.

Here’s the short answer. It is possible to create negative temperatures. It was actually first done in 1951. But it’s not what it sounds like – these temperatures aren’t colder than absolute zero.

For instance, you can’t keep cooling something down to make its temperature drop below absolute zero. In fact, as I’ll try to explain, objects at a negative temperature actually behave as if they’re HOTTER than objects that are at any positive temperature.

I put Andromeda and the Higgs boson in the same category, plus throw in exceeding the speed of light.   And in that very scepticism is affirmation of the physical laws and science in general.   Scepticism about the new hypotheses only means belief in the former.

H/T Chuckles

Filed under: Earth and cosmos, Technology & ideas

3 Responses to “Below absolute zero”

  1. Ian Hills, on January 9th, 2013 at 06:39 Said:

    I hear the Earth’s getting hotter too ;)


  2. angus dei, on January 9th, 2013 at 08:31 Said:

    Isn’t absolute zero cold enough for some people then?


  3. James Higham, on January 9th, 2013 at 08:47 Said:

    Ian – not in this neck of the woods, it’s gone down to 5 degrees again.

    Angus – imagine being in that.


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