Scientists ready for BEC: The Fifth Matter created in space station

A giant leap for scientists as the Fifth Matter is created in the Space Station. It will give the quantum scientists insight into what really happens in the Fifth Matter in the Earth Orbit and studying it in Space.  Technically known as BEC i.e. Bose-Einstein Condensates is made by using ultra low temperatures to increase the density of the gases.  

Almost after 25 years the Fifth Matter was created which is not solid, liquid, gaseous and does not contain any plasma. When it was created for the first time, it changed the path of science and people started believing in quantum science, garnering the creation of a Nobel Prize.  

David Aveline, a member of the Cold Atom Lab science team at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California stated, “Even dating back to when the first Bose-Einstein condensates were made, physicists recognized how working in space could provide big advantages in studying these quantum systems.  

There have been some focused demonstrations in this regard, but now with the continuous operation of Cold Atom Lab, we’re showing there’s a lot to gain by doing these prolonged experiments day after day in orbit.” 

The atoms are exposed to extreme low temperatures (- 273.15 °C) that they start exhibiting quantum properties. The scientists further revealed that the BEC is created in cold chambers with magnetic traps as the atoms are difficult to maintain and the matter is unstable. If they are exposed to Earth’s gravity or there is any change in the condition, the atoms will fall apart.  

Quantum science is gearing up to conduct the coldest experiment in the world with Microgravity. 

 Robert Thompson from the California Institute for Technology explained to AFP in a statement, "Microgravity allows us to confine atoms with much weaker forces since we don't have to support them against gravity." 

With routine BEC production, continuing operations will support long-term investigations of trap topologies unique to microgravity, atom-laser sources, few-body physics and pathfinding techniques for atom-wave interferometry.” 

Only time will tell, what’s stored in the exotic Fifth Matter for the mankind.