The universe might be coordinating itself without sending any signals

Science · Published 25 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: If you roll a die in Las Vegas and your friend's die in Macau instantly shows the exact number needed to total seven, it feels like magic. In quantum mechanics, this is entanglement—a phenomenon so strange that Albert Einstein famously dismissed it as spooky action at a distance.

At its core, quantum entanglement suggests that two particles can act as a single entity rather than separate objects. To grasp this, one must first accept that reality is 'fuzzy' at the quantum scale; particles do not possess distinct properties until the moment they are measured. Before observation, an entangled photon exists in all possible states simultaneously. However, once one particle is measured and forced into a specific state, its partner instantly exhibits the corresponding opposite state, regardless of the physical distance separating them.

This behavior directly challenged Albert Einstein’s worldview. He argued that particles must carry 'hidden' information from the moment they are created—much like two dice pre-programmed to land on certain numbers. If this were true, no instantaneous coordination would be necessary. However, in 1964, physicist John Bell devised a test to determine if these properties were determined locally at birth or if something more radical was happening. The results of these tests conclusively proved that Einstein's local realism was incorrect: the 'spooky action' is real.

The paradox remains: if no signal travels between the particles—and indeed, any signal faster than light would violate the theory of relativity and collapse our current understanding of physics—how do they coordinate? Most scientists agree that no faster-than-light communication occurs. This leaves us with a reality where objects can be linked across space without any physical connection or signal passing between them, suggesting a fundamental structure of the universe that defies our everyday experience of cause and effect.

General information, not professional advice. Spotted an error? Flag the card or see corrections and complaints.

Intellect Plus is a visual educational discovery platform for exploring fascinating facts and ideas. Brain Food, Not Brain Rot. What is Intellect Plus?

Related

• Two particles can share a single existence across the universe
• Particles can share a single existence across the vastness of space
• The spooky reality of particles that share a single existence
• Can light from the edge of the universe finally explain spooky quantum action?
• Quantum entanglement suggests that distance and separation may be illusions
• The hidden engine of growth is an entrepreneurial class
• The most powerful form of energy is the energy we don't use
• Why the market fails to protect nature without a price tag
• From wood to wind: the evolution of human energy
• The way our world functions constitutes the focus of environmental science
• What happens when uterine tissue grows where it shouldn't?
• The Earth is a closed system for matter but an open one for energy

More in Science · Latest · A–Z · All topics