Bose-Einstein Condensate: The Fifth State

Atoms can merge into a single quantum wave when cooled to almost absolute zero.

This bizarre phenomenon is called a Bose-Einstein Condensate, first predicted back in 1924 by

physicists who imagined what would happen if you could freeze matter to its coldest possible state.

Here's how it works. When you cool atoms down to nearly absolute zero, they lose almost

all their energy and slow to a near halt. At these extreme temperatures,

something mind-blowing happens. The atoms stop behaving as separate particles and start overlapping

with each other. They merge into one giant quantum wave that moves in perfect sync.

In this state, matter can flow without any friction whatsoever and acts like a single massive