Quantum systems never quite forget where they came from
Even the most chaotic quantum systems keep a permanent mark of their own past—a "quantum birthmark"—that never fades. Researchers from Tampere University, Harvard University and TU Dresden discovered the feature in their recent study. Their findings shed new light on the elusive relationship between classical and quantum mechanics. Looking ahead, these quantum birthmarks, along with related…
Even the most disorganized quantum systems possess a "quantum birthmark" - a permanent imprint of their origins - that remains unchanged over time. Researchers from Tampere University, Harvard University and TU Dresden discovered this feature in a recent study, which could potentially be used to power next-generation nanoelectronics.
Unlike classical systems, quantum systems do not forget their initial states, even in chaotic conditions. This discovery, published in Physical Review X on September 10, 2026, sheds new light on the relationship between classical and quantum mechanics. The team used a ball bouncing around a table with curved walls as a model for their experiments, observing that the ball's movements would eventually become completely random, but quantum systems do not follow this pattern.
The "quantum birthmark" remains even after chaos has taken over, persisting for as long as the system remains quantum.
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