By Devin Powell
Calling forth light from the void was once an act of biblical proportions. Now all it takes is a bit of smoke and mirrors provided by the laws of quantum mechanics.
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By creating particles of light from seeming nothingness, an international team of researchers has confirmed an idea first proposed in 1970.
According to quantum physics, empty space isn’t actually empty. Even a vacuum contains energy, tiny fluctuations that can be thought of as virtual waves or virtual particles flitting in and out of existence.