Physicists say quantum mechanics may not need imaginary numbers after all
Researchers from Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf and the German Aerospace Center have demonstrated that quantum mechanics can be formulated using real numbers instead of imaginary ones. This finding challenges the long-held assumption that complex numbers are an absolute requirement for the the
Physicists from Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf (HHU), in collaboration with the German Aerospace Center (DLR), have investigated a fundamental property of quantum mechanics regarding its mathematical representation. Their study, published in Physical Review Letters, suggests that the theory does not strictly require imaginary numbers for its formulation.
While traditional quantum mechanics relies heavily on complex numbers—which include both real and imaginary components—the researchers demonstrated that real numbers can be used to describe the same quantum phenomena. This development provides a different mathematical perspective on how quantum states and interactions are calculated.
The American Physical Society has recognized the significance of this work by featuring it as a highlight in Physics Magazine. The findings suggest that the use of imaginary numbers may be a formal convenience rather than an indispensable physical necessity. Source: Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf.
