×îÐÂÂ鶹ÊÓƵ

Physics

Knots made in a weird quantum fluid can last forever

Shapes created by vortices in water often fall apart, but an odd quantum fluid made from ultracold atoms could support vortex knots that never lose their knottiness

By Karmela Padavic-Callaghan

6 November 2024

Certain knots, like this trefoil, can be formed from vortices in a quantum fluid

Login/Shutterstock

By manipulating a quantum fluid, researchers could form liquid knots that never unravel. These could help us shed light on odd quantum objects from the dawn of the universe.

When tiny whirlpools called vortices form in a fluid, they can make loops that can then be knotted like a loop of string. But while a string can form knots that won’t unravel without the help of scissors, knotted vortices in a fluid break free more easily. They can explode into a diffuse swarm of…

Sign up to our weekly newsletter

Receive a weekly dose of discovery in your inbox! We'll also keep you up to date with ×îÐÂÂ鶹ÊÓƵ events and special offers.

Sign up

To continue reading, today with our introductory offers

or

Existing subscribers

Sign in to your account