this post was submitted on 19 Mar 2024
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Science Memes

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double slit (mander.xyz)
submitted 8 months ago by fossilesque@mander.xyz to c/science_memes@mander.xyz
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[–] jlh@lemmy.jlh.name 6 points 8 months ago (2 children)

No, the electron only understands sentient thoughts, if a camera or an animal looks at it, it won't work.

[–] kuhore@lemmy.world 12 points 8 months ago (1 children)

Well that's not right

Physicists have found that observation of quantum phenomena by a detector or an instrument can change the measured results of this experiment. Despite the "observer effect" in the double-slit experiment being caused by the presence of an electronic detector, the experiment's results have been interpreted by some to suggest that a conscious mind can directly affect reality.[3] However, the need for the "observer" to be conscious (versus merely existent, as in a unicellular microorganism) is not supported by scientific research, and has been pointed out as a misconception rooted in a poor understanding of the quantum wave function ψ and the quantum measurement process.[4][5][6]>

Source

[–] sudoreboot@slrpnk.net 5 points 8 months ago (1 children)

I suspect it was a joke. Can't be sure though.

[–] Cethin@lemmy.zip 4 points 8 months ago

I'm pretty confident it's a joke, but clearly from other comments people may actually believe something like that. It's best someone corrects it, even if not for the sake of the poster.

[–] Blue_Morpho@lemmy.world 6 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

Not just sentient, but intelligent thought. I proved it in university. When I setup the lab, I got no interference pattern. When my more intelligent labmate did the setup there were fringes.

Wait! That means I was the sentient one! I was cheated! (Or maybe I just sucked at lab.)