NYU Scientists Create Time Crystals You Can Hold

Scientists just made physics look like magic, using nothing more than styrofoam beads and sound waves to create "time crystals" you can see with your own eyes.

Researchers at New York University discovered a breakthrough type of time crystal that floats in mid-air on a cushion of sound inside a device small enough to hold in your hand. Unlike previous time crystals that required extreme conditions and specialized equipment, this one uses materials similar to packing peanuts suspended by carefully arranged sound waves.

Time crystals are collections of particles that move back and forth in repeating patterns, like a clock that ticks forever without winding down. Scientists first theorized about them a decade ago, and they hold enormous promise for quantum computing and advanced data storage.

What makes this discovery special is how the floating beads interact with each other. When suspended in the sound field, larger beads push smaller beads around more than small beads push large ones back. This breaks Newton's Third Law of Motion, which says every action has an equal and opposite reaction.

"Time crystals are fascinating not only because of the possibilities, but also because they seem so exotic and complicated," says Physics Professor David Grier, who led the research team at NYU's Center for Soft Matter Research. "Our system is remarkable because it's incredibly simple."

The team compared the effect to two ferries of different sizes approaching a dock. Each creates waves that push the other around, but the larger ferry makes bigger waves that have more influence.

Why This Inspires

This discovery shows that groundbreaking science doesn't always require billion-dollar equipment or conditions found only in specialized labs. The NYU team built their time crystal using a one-foot-tall device with speakers, 3D-printed parts, and foam beads.

The research, published in Physical Review Letters, also connects to something deeply human: our circadian rhythms. The way these beads interact nonreciprocally mirrors how biochemical networks in our bodies work, including the processes that break down food. Understanding these simple physical systems could help scientists better understand the complex biological clocks that govern our sleep, energy, and health.

Graduate student Mia Morrell and undergraduate Leela Elliott worked alongside Grier to develop the acoustic levitator that holds the beads motionless in mid-air before they begin their synchronized dance.

The possibilities extend far beyond the lab, with potential applications in quantum computing, data storage, and other technologies that could transform how we process and preserve information.

Sometimes the most profound scientific breakthroughs come from looking at simple materials in entirely new ways.