Quantum Foundations Podcast A quantum theory of time with Dr Simone Rijavec
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Nov 19, 2025 Dr. Simone Rijavec, a postdoctoral researcher at Tel Aviv University and former Oxford scholar, dives into the mind-bending concept that time may not be fundamental but rather an emergence from quantum mechanics. She discusses the intriguing Wheeler–DeWitt equation and the Page–Wootters model of relational time, explaining how our perception of time may come from superpositions of quantum states. Additionally, she explores the idea of distinct experiences existing as real branches in a multiverse and emphasizes the operational nature of time through quantum clocks.
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Maria Measures A Three‑Outcome Superposition
- Simone uses a measurement example where Maria starts ready and the measured box is in superposition of three outcomes.
- Unitary evolution yields a superposition of Maria correlated with each outcome, illustrating branching.
Superposed Time Slices Yield Stationarity
- Superposing all clock-person time slices produces a universal wavefunction that is stationary under translation.
- The stationarity arises because shifting each slice forward maps the whole superposition onto itself.
Branches Contain Definite Time Experiences
- Each branch of the stationary universal wavefunction contains an instance of the observer seeing a definite clock reading.
- Those internal correlations explain perceived passage of time despite overall stationarity.