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Tiny particles of glass spun by a laser are the fastest spinning objects we’ve ever seen, at over 1 billion turns per second. Studying them could help us learn more about quantum physics and the big bang.
Two research teams used circularly polarised light to set charged silicon dioxide particles spinning. As a light wave travels, it oscillates up and down, moving in one direction, but this polarised light wave rotates a bit like the hands of a clock.
“It looks like a spinning helix, a little …