The theory, published February 15, 2023 in the journal Physical Review Letters, suggests that the properties of waves are determined by the objects and structures that they interact with. This means that waves can carry information about their surroundings, even if they do not directly touch the objects or structures.
The researchers tested their theory by sending waves through a series of obstacles and measuring how the waves were affected. They found that the waves were indeed carrying information about the obstacles, even though they did not directly touch them.
This new framework could have a wide range of applications, from understanding how cells sense their environment to designing new medical imaging technologies.
Key findings:
The theory developed by the UC San Diego physicists provides a new framework for understanding how waves carry information about their surroundings.
The framework could be useful for understanding how cells sense their environment, how we see the world around us, and how engineered devices could be designed to sense their surroundings.
The researchers tested their theory by sending waves through a series of obstacles and measuring how the waves were affected.
They found that the waves were indeed carrying information about the obstacles, even though they did not directly touch them.
This new framework could have a wide range of applications, from understanding how cells sense their environment to designing new medical imaging technologies.
