I saw an article talking about the discovery of Time Crystals, a new form of matter that has a crystal lattice across both time AND space!
So as I understand it, if we graphed the location of the atoms in the crystalline structure over time, we would see a regular lattice pattern - strut, gap, strut, gap, etc. Basically, it’s oscillating in place, without any energy input. I take that to mean that the oscillation is not “movement” in the traditional sense? From a physics standpoint, it’s literally just a static crystalline structure, which happens to span time and so there’s no way to harness that movement?
Would it still be able to do things like divert photons in different directions if you kept shining a beam through it? What other things would you be able to do with an energy free oscillating crystal?
(They really need to change the name, though. It sounds like something from a bad 60s sci-fi comic.)