Bose-Einstein Condensates: Exotic States of Matter in Space

A Bose–Einstein condensate (BEC) is a state of matter where atoms act as a single “super-atom.”
It was first predicted in the 1920s by Satyendra Nath Bose and Albert Einstein.
BECs occur at temperatures just billionths of a degree above absolute zero.
In this state, quantum effects become visible on a macroscopic scale.
Atoms in a BEC overlap and share the same quantum wavefunction.
BECs help scientists study fundamental physics, like superfluidity and quantum mechanics.
In 1995, the first BEC was created in a lab using rubidium atoms.
NASA’s Cold Atom Lab on the International Space Station creates BECs in microgravity.
Space experiments allow BECs to last longer, giving researchers more time to study them.
BECs may one day unlock new technologies in sensors, computing, and quantum science.