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.
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.