Our perceptions of reality are often distorted, shaped by our senses, societal constructs, and the knowledge we possess. You might want to reconsider the notion that science will always furnish an objective reality, given recent developments in the field of physics.
In 1961, Nobel laureate Eugen Wigner proposed a hypothesis, now known as the "Wigner's Friend" experiment. The experiment entails a quantum system in superposition, implying that its states exist simultaneously until measured. For instance, the polarization (the axis on which a photon spins) can be both horizontal and vertical at the same time.
When this system is measured, it collapses, and the photon assumes one of the two states. Wigner's friend, the person in the lab conducting the experiment, witnesses this. However, for Wigner, who is outside the lab and unaware of the experiment's result, the quantum system, which crucially includes the lab, remains in superposition. This results in a paradox where Wigner's reality and his friend's reality coexist, each accurate in its own right.
Testing this theory was a challenge for a long time, primarily because it was strenuous for Wigner to comprehend the complex quantum mechanics formula after witnessing his friend conduct an experiment. However, recent advancements have enabled scientists to design a quantum mechanics experiment that mirrors this exact scenario.
In a groundbreaking six-photon experiment, four entangled observers within the system demonstrated that while one part of the system registered a measurement, another part indicated that the measurement hadn't taken place. In essence, two realities were measured simultaneously. This experiment supports the assertions made by quantum theories that already consider observer dependence.
The researchers in this study, which is yet to undergo peer review but is available on ArXiv, claim that this finding challenges the objective nature of the facts established by the two observers. The question remains: can their different records be reconciled, or are they fundamentally incompatible?
Science remains our best tool for understanding reality, but we must recognize the influence and limitations of observers. Relativity teaches us that observers may not witness simultaneous events at the same time. Quantum physics shows us that observers can influence their experiments. Now, it appears that two realities can coexist, at least at the quantum level.
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