Bose-Einstein Condensates: The Fifth State of Matter

A Bose-Einstein Condensate (BEC) is called the fifth state of matter, beyond solids, liquids, gases, and plasmas.
It forms when atoms are cooled to near absolute zero, just billionths of a degree above it.
At this temperature, particles lose individuality and act as one “super-atom.”
Predicted by Satyendra Nath Bose and Albert Einstein in the 1920s, BECs were first created in labs in 1995.
In a BEC, matter behaves more like a wave than a collection of particles.
It reveals quantum effects—like superposition—on a scale visible to the eye.
BECs help scientists study phenomena like superconductivity and superfluidity.
They’re fragile, disappearing quickly if warmed even slightly.
Experiments with BECs are now even conducted on the International Space Station.
Bose-Einstein Condensates give us a window into the strange world of quantum physics made macroscopic.