A groundbreaking proposal suggests the existence of a new type of quantum particle, dubbed paraparticles, which could revolutionize our understanding of matter and energy.
A new proposal suggests that paraparticles—a novel category of quantum particle—could be created in exotic materials.
Paraparticles are hypothetical particles that have been proposed to explain certain phenomena in quantum mechanics.
They are thought to be related to the concept of dark matter, which is a type of matter that does not interact with light and has yet to be directly observed.
Some theories suggest that paraparticles could be responsible for the behavior of particles at very small distances, such as in atomic nuclei.
However, these ideas are still purely theoretical and require further research to confirm their existence.
On a quiet pandemic afternoon in 2021, ‘I was just working on this peculiar mathematical problem,’ said Zhiyuan Wang, then a graduate student at Rice University. After finding an exotic solution, he began to wonder if the math could be interpreted physically. He realized that it seemed to describe a new type of particle: one that’s neither a matter particle nor a force-carrying particle.
Wang shared his idea with Kaden Hazzard, his academic adviser. ‘I was skeptical at first,’ said Hazzard, but encouraged Wang to develop the theory further. The pair refined their work and published their results in the journal Nature in January 2025.
According to quantum mechanics, an object or observer can be in multiple locations at once. “This is a fundamental aspect of quantum mechanics,” said Markus Müller, a physicist at the Institute for Quantum Optics and Quantum Information in Vienna, who was exploring this concept. He realized that switching between the perspectives of observers in coexisting ‘branches’ of reality imposed new constraints on the possibility of paraparticles.
Müller’s team considered the fact that quantum systems can exist in multiple possible states at once, known as a superposition. They imagined switching between the perspectives of observers who exist in these superposed states, each describing their branch of reality slightly differently.
A quantum system is a physical system where 'quantum mechanics' plays a crucial role.
It can be a microscopic object, such as an electron or photon, or a macroscopic object, like a superconducting circuit.
Quantum systems exhibit unique properties like wave-particle duality and superposition.
They are governed by the principles of 'quantum mechanics' , including the Schrödinger equation and Heisenberg's uncertainty principle.
Quantum systems have numerous applications in fields like computing, cryptography, and metrology.
The researchers found that paraparticles are impossible under strict definitions of indistinguishability in the context of superpositions. When these assumptions hold, they concluded that particles must be either bosons or fermions to be truly indistinguishable by measurement.
However, “our model rejects Müller’s starting assumption,” said Wang and Hazzard‘s model. The particles are not indistinguishable in the full sense required in the context of quantum superpositions. This leads to a new possibility for paraparticles.
If paraparticles exist, they may manifest as emergent particles called quasiparticles, appearing as energetic vibrations in certain quantum materials. Researchers believe that paraparticles could enable new states of matter by packing just a few particles into the same state before forcing others into new states.
Physicist “I’m optimistic about the potential for experimental realization,” said Bryce Gadway at Pennsylvania State University, using Rydberg atoms, which are energized atoms with electrons that roam far from their nuclei. These atoms are sensitive to electric fields and can be used to build quantum computers.
While the existence of paraparticles remains theoretical, researchers are cautiously optimistic about the potential implications for our understanding of quantum particles and the development of new materials.
Quantum particles, also known as quantum objects, are the smallest units of matter and energy that exhibit wave-particle duality.
They can display both particle-like and wave-like behavior depending on how they are observed.
Examples include electrons, photons, and quarks.
Quantum particles play a crucial role in understanding various phenomena, such as superconductivity, superfluidity, and quantum computing.
