"Unveiling Light Waves: Physicists Harness 350-Year-Old Theorem for New Insights"

Physicists at Stevens Institute of Technology have used a 350-year-old mechanical theorem to reveal new properties of light waves. By applying a theorem originally used to describe the movement of physical objects, such as pendulums and planets, the researchers found a connection between wave and particle concepts in light. They discovered that the degree of non-quantum entanglement in a light wave is directly related to its degree of polarization. This relationship allows for the inference of difficult-to-measure optical properties from easier-to-measure properties like light intensity. The findings could have practical implications for understanding optical and quantum systems and may lead to the use of mechanical systems to simulate and better understand quantum wave behaviors.