Einstein’s “spooky action” just survived one of physics’ most extreme tests - ScienceDaily
Science News from research organizations Einstein’s “spooky action” just survived one of physics’ most extreme tests Date: September 20, 2026 Source: University of Oxford Summary: Physicists have detected strong evidence that heavy, fleeting Z bosons can become quantum entangled during Higgs boson decays at CERN’s Large Hadron Collider. The result shows that Einstein’s “spooky action at a distance” survives even under some of the most extreme conditions ever created in a laboratory. Share: Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIN Email FULL STORY Einstein’s “spooky action at a distance” has now been seen at astonishing energies inside some of the most violent particle collisions on Earth. Credit: CERN Physicists at the University of Oxford have helped demonstrate that one of quantum physics' strangest phenomena, quantum entanglement, can persist even among some of the heaviest and shortest-lived particles ever produced. The finding, made with CERN's powerful Large Hadron Collider, has been published in Physical Review Letters. Quantum entanglement occurs when two particles share properties in such a way that measurements of one can reveal information about the other, even when the particles are separated. The connection is one of the most counterintuitive features of quantum mechanics and has challenged physicists' understanding of reality for decades. Albert Einstein famously called entanglement "spooky action at a distance," and scientists have previously observed the effect in systems involving photons, electrons and trapped ions. Entanglement has also become central to several emerging technologies, including quantum computers, ultra-secure quantum communication networks and advanced sensors. In quantum computing, for example, entanglement allows multiple qubits to be manipulated together rather than one at a time, making it possible to carry out multiple calculations simultaneously. Testing Quantum Entanglement at Extreme Energies What remained less clear was whethe