News

As a launch event for the partnership between RIKEN Interdisciplinary Theoretical and Mathematical Sciences Program iTHEMS and KEK-IPNS Theory Center, the joint workshop “High Energy Physics in the Quantum Era” was held at the KEK Tsukuba campus from December 2–4, 2024. The workshop focused on quantum technology and particle physics and sparked a wide range of discussions. These included how advances in quantum computing, which enable the manipulation of quantum states, could bring new insights into particle theory and how methodologies developed in particle physics could be applied to quantum technologies.

A key topic of interest was how to utilize quantum computers to calculate physical quantities in gauge theories, which form the foundation of particle theory. Many talks addressed this question, and simulation results were presented including the ones obtained on actual quantum devices, demonstrating tangible progress in the field. Quantum computers, with their ability to calculate the time evolution of quantum states, hold the potential to answer fundamental questions such as how the Universe was formed and how particles are produced in collider experiments.

The event also featured intriguing talks on innovative approaches to quantum field theory, such as “resurgence” and “bootstrap.”　There were also pretty surprising presentations proposing modifications to quantum mechanics itself. Notable ideas included the possibility of receiving messages from parallel worlds in the many-worlds interpretation.

There were also interesting talks on generating wormholes connecting two black holes through entanglement as well as discovering dark matter using quantum computers. These imaginative proposals pushed the boundaries of conventional thought and left a strong impression on attendees. The workshop featured numerous emerging research topics, leaving participants excited about future developments in the field.