New work with Roger Penrose reconciles Einstein with quantum physics

An experiment involving 95-year-old Nobel laureate Roger Penrose has tested the foundation of general relativity in the quantum world, and both theories held up.

The work touches on the famous dispute between Albert Einstein and quantum theorists, led by Niels Bohr, over how quantum physics should be interpreted and what reality itself means. The story is often told as one in which Bohr ultimately prevailed and experiments undermined Einstein’s convictions.

The experiment instead tested general relativity under quantum conditions. A rubidium atom was dropped toward the ground from a chip, according to the report. The findings described in the article leave both theories standing.