What on Earth (or Beyond) is a Time Crystal?

Science is a fascinating subject because it tells stories that sound unbelievable at first, invisible forces, teleporting particles, and now, a crystal that dances in time! Every discovery feels like a peek into a new world of possibilities. And the best part? There’s no end to discovery.A crystal that never restsImagine a crystal that moves forever, not in space, but in time. It oscillates endlessly, without using up energy, defying the rules of physics as we know them. It sounds like a plot from a Marvel film, but scientists have actually built one. It’s called a Time Crystal.From idea to realityBack in 2012, Nobel Prize-winning physicist Frank Wilczek first proposed the idea of time crystals. “They’re clocks that never stop,” said the Nobel Laureate.He wondered, if ordinary crystals repeat their patterns in space, could there be something that repeats in time? For years, it sounded impossible. Then, in 2017, scientists at Harvard University and Google’s Quantum AI Lab managed to create one using special systems called quantum computers.Think of it like a pendulum that swings forever without ever slowing down. That’s what a time crystal does, but at an atomic level.The science: Why it breaks the rulesWhat makes time crystals truly mind-bending is how they defy the usual laws of physics.Ordinary crystals, like salt, sugar or diamonds, have atoms arranged in neat, repeating patterns in space. That’s what gives them their beautiful, geometric shapes.Time crystals are different. Instead of repeating in space, they repeat in time. Their atoms flip between two states again and again, creating a rhythm that never stops, almost like a ticking clock that never runs out of battery!This strange behaviour breaks something called “time-translation symmetry.” In simple terms, physics says that if time moves forward, the basic state of a system shouldn’t change. But time crystals do change, continuously and forever, even without using energy.It’s like finding a loophole in time itself!The big hurdle: Beating the rules of natureHere’s the tricky part, according to the Second Law of Thermodynamics, every system should eventually slow down and settle into rest. Think of an ice cube melting or a pendulum that finally stops swinging.But time crystals don’t play by that rule. They never “settle.” They exist in special quantum systems, kept alive by tiny, regular bursts of energy, almost like gentle taps or “kicks” that keep the rhythm going.This delicate balance between motion and stability is what makes time crystals one of the strangest, and most exciting, discoveries in modern physics.Why does it matter?Time crystals aren’t just scientific curiosities. They could help scientists build better quantum computers, make data more stable, and deepen our understanding of how time and energy truly work at the smallest scales.Scientists believe time crystals could one day power super-stable quantum computers or ultra-sensitive sensors that detect tiny changes in gravity or magnetism. For now, they remain a glimpse of what’s possible when science bends the rules of time itself.A crystal from the future?Researchers are still exploring what these time-defying materials can do. Some believe studying them could lead to new technologies, or even new physics. Who knows, maybe one day, someone reading about this now will be the one working on the next great discovery in time crystals! After all, science is full of surprises, and every curious mind has the power to uncover something extraordinary. Published – November 24, 2025 01:32 pm IST