The experiment addresses a long-standing question in physics — in some theories of the universe, there is no built‑in clock so how do you tell what comes ‘before’ and ‘after’ without external time?

Professor Barontini showed that the system follows the standard equations of quantum physics and demonstrates that deep questions about the nature of time — usually discussed only in theories about the universe as a whole — can be tested in controlled laboratory experiments.

The experiment provides a powerful testbed for ideas in quantum cosmology and gravity, meaning that ideas relating to the early universe can now be tested experimentally in the lab.