The Quantum Experiment That Breaks Time

Sign Up on Patreon to get access to the Space Time Discord! https://www.patreon.com/pbsspacetime Modern physics is weird. In quantum mechanics we have the Schrodinger’s cat thought experiment, a cat in a quantum superposition of being simultaneously alive and dead. And in relativity the twin paradox thought experiment, a space-faring twin ages less than her stay-at-home sibling. But what if we could combine these and send our quantum twin around the galaxy. Could we be simultaneously old and young? What would that tell us about the quantum nature of time? And would we need schrodinger birthday candles? Check out the Space Time Merch Store https://www.pbsspacetime.com/shop Sign up for the mailing list to get episode notifications and hear special announcements! https://mailchi.mp/1a6eb8f2717d/spacetime Search the Entire Space Time Library Here: https://search.pbsspacetime.com/ Hosted by Matt O'Dowd Written by Richard Dyer & Matt O'Dowd Post Production by Leonardo Scholzer Directed by Andrew Kornhaber Associate Producer: Bahar Gholipour Executive Producer: Andrew Kornhaber Executive in Charge for PBS: Maribel Lopez Director of Programming for PBS: Gabrielle Ewing Assistant Director of Programming for PBS: Mike Martin Spacetime is a production of Kornhaber Brown for PBS Digital Studios. This program is produced by Kornhaber Brown, which is solely responsible for its content. © 2026 PBS. All rights reserved. End Credits Music by J.R.S. Schattenberg: https://www.youtube.com/user/MultiDroideka Space Time Was Made Possible In Part By: Big Bang Alexander Tamas Filip Rolenec Juan Benet Kenneth See Mark Rosenthal MATTHEW OCKO Morgan Hough Peter Barrett Vinnie Falco Supernova Ethan Cohen Glenn Sugden Grace Biaelcki Justin Lloyd Mark Heising Rad Antonov Shaun Williams Stephen Wilcox Tristan Lucian Claudius Aurelius Tyacke Hypernova Daniel Muzquiz Alex Kern Ben Delo Chuck Zegar Dean Galvin Donal Botkin Gregory Forfa Jeff White John R. Slavik Massimiliano Pala PAUL