TANGLED UP IN GLUONS
Two things to think about. Then a question.
First, I have read that every time we shake hands with someone there is an intermingling of sub-atomic particles that goes on at the point of contact.
Second, there is a property in physics called entanglement, which posits that once two subatomic particles exchange information with each other they are aware of changes in each other no matter how far apart they are.
Question: If two people shake hands are they at some level intertwined -- entangled if you will -- forever, even after their dead? For all eternity?
January 2009
ScienceSECOND THOUGHTS
"Our current understanding is that all the matter around us is built up from just two types of subatomic particle. And all possible interactions between this matter, be it two people shaking hands, or two distant galaxies orbiting one another, are described by just three forces. With just two types of particles, and three types of force that can act between them, one can let the Universe run its course, and stars, galaxies, rainforests, rainbows, dinosaurs, kangaroos, haiku and hip-hop all naturally emerge, after a wait of a few billion years. As many have noted, if the mass of these particles had been just slightly different, or if the strength of one of these forces had been just marginally stronger or weaker, then stars would not form, DNA could not replicate, and we would not be here to ask our questions of the night sky. "