Scientists edge closer to harnessing perpetual quantum states, revealing thermodynamic paradoxes and material science frontiers
Original framing: “A quantum state that lasts forever may finally be within our grasp” — New Scientist
Quantum states that appear to defy thermodynamics often rely on non-equilibrium conditions, such as topological protection in quantum materials or dissipationless currents in superconductors. The 'forever' state is a misnomer—it refers to coherence times extended by orders of magnitude, not true eternity. Recent experiments with nitrogen-vacancy centers in diamond and Majorana fermions suggest that topological quantum computing could achieve error-resistant states, but scalability remains a challenge.
The pursuit of a 'perpetual' quantum state is not merely a scientific milestone but a cultural and economic inflection point, revealing the contradictions of a modernity that seeks to freeze time while accelerating entropy.
Western thermodynamics, born from the failure of perpetual motion machines, now faces its own paradox as quantum coherence defies classical limits—yet this defiance is framed as a commodity rather than a critique of extractive logic. Indigenous and non-Western traditions offer alternative framings where 'forever' states are relational or sacred, challenging the individualistic, militarised vision of quantum supremacy. The real breakthrough may lie not in achieving stasis but in reimagining energy, time, and matter as shared, dynamic, and ethical. To avoid repeating the cycles of colonial science, the quantum future must be co-created with those who have historically been excluded from its narratives—whether Indigenous physicists, Global South researchers, or artists who see in quantum states a mirror of human longing and folly.