Atoms Reach Record Temperature, Colder than Absolute Zero

[yxz]

Absolute zero is often thought to be the coldest temperature possible. But now researchers show they can achieve even lower temperatures for a strange realm of "negative temperatures."

Oddly, another way to look at these negative temperatures is to consider them hotter than infinity, researchers added.

This unusual advance could lead to new engines that could technically be more than 100 percent efficient, and shed light on mysteries such as dark energy, the mysterious substance that is apparently pulling our universe apart.

http://www.space.com...olute-zero.html

:cat:

[mudslag]

Bizarro bizarro

[Lord Method Man]

[Osiris]

"Hotter than infinity" I don't understand that but **** yeah well done atoms!!

[ramzorz]

I don't get the "infinity" aspect either, but this is truly amazing. I never thought I would live to see the day when absolute zero is achieved. This is amazing.

[+Xinok Subscriber²]

As you should have guessed, it's not quite as it suggests.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Negative_temperature

[starbearer]

Goes round and round in circles. If the temperature becomes negative on an absolute scale, then it's "hotter" than anything with a positive temperature.

Energy will flow from the body with the Negative temperature to the one having the positive.

Like PacMan...you disappear off one side - boundary, and emerge from the other.

[argonite]

They haven't actually gone past absolute zero.

[-Himanshu-]

Misleading title. As a user posted, they have not gone past the absolute zero, as it is impossible. Negative temperature is actually hotter than positive temperature.

[+Xinok Subscriber²]

Misleading title. As a user posted, they have not gone past the absolute zero, as it is impossible. Negative temperature is actually hotter than positive temperature.

It's more a matter of how you define temperature. For most people, temperature is a measure of heat (i.e. energy). But for the scientists / physicists, it's a measure of energy and entropy.

[+Warwagon MVC]

[Detection]

Does that mean that Netbooks now have the ability to beat the current CPU overclocking world record ?

[Phouchg]

[-Himanshu-]

It's more a matter of how you define temperature. For most people, temperature is a measure of heat (i.e. energy). But for the scientists / physicists, it's a measure of energy and entropy.

Yeah, I know they are using the energy-entropy relation. That's why I mentioned that the title "colder than absolute zero" is misleading. Because in the scale of coldness to hotness, negative temps come after infinite positive temperature.