Chinese scientists have achieved a remarkable milestone in physics by cooling a cloud of atoms to an equivalent temperature of just 9.7 picokelvins aboard the country’s Tiangong space station. The achievement represents the lowest equivalent temperature ever measured in an experiment, bringing researchers closer to the theoretical limit known as absolute zero. The result was achieved using approximately 20,000 rubidium atoms inside a specialised laboratory module operating in space.
The experiment produced a Bose-Einstein condensate, an unusual state of matter in which atoms begin behaving collectively like a single quantum object. The reported temperature is approximately 280 billion times lower than the 2.7-kelvin cosmic microwave background temperature of the Universe. Published in the scientific journal Science on November 6, 2026, the research could support future advances in quantum simulation, precision measurement and space-based scientific instruments. <Cite refs={[“turn158522search0″,”turn158522search1″,”turn158522search8”]}/>
Chinese Scientists Break the Previous Cold-Temperature Record
The experiment was conducted aboard China’s <Entity value=”Tiangong Space Station” category=”other” disambig=”Chinese orbital space station”/> using an advanced research facility called the Cold Atom Physics Rack.
A research team involving scientists from Peking University, the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Shanghai Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, and the Technology and Engineering Center for Space Utilization carried out the experiment.
They cooled a cloud of approximately 20,000 rubidium-87 atoms to create a Bose-Einstein condensate before pushing the system to an even lower equivalent temperature.
The final measurement reached 9.7 picokelvins, breaking the previous record of 38 picokelvins achieved by researchers in Germany in 2021.
| Scientific milestone | Temperature |
|---|---|
| New Chinese record | 9.7 picokelvins |
| Previous record (2021) | 38 picokelvins |
| Cosmic microwave background | Approximately 2.7 kelvins |
| Absolute zero | 0 kelvins |
One picokelvin equals one-trillionth of a kelvin. The new measurement is therefore equivalent to just 0.0000000000097 kelvins.
The researchers described it as the lowest equivalent temperature ever measured, to their knowledge. <Cite refs={[“turn158522search1″,”turn158522search8”]}/>
Why Is the Experiment 280 Billion Times Colder Than the Universe?
The headline comparison refers to the temperature of the cosmic microwave background, rather than the temperature of every object or region in the Universe.
The cosmic microwave background is radiation left over from the early Universe. It fills space and has an average temperature of approximately 2.7 kelvins, equivalent to around minus 270.45 degrees Celsius.
The Chinese experiment produced an atomic cloud with an equivalent temperature of 9.7 picokelvins.
This is approximately 280 billion times lower than the cosmic microwave background temperature when both are expressed in kelvins.
However, there is an important scientific distinction. The 9.7-picokelvin figure is an equivalent temperature calculated from the expansion of the atomic cloud after its trapping potential was switched off. It is not a conventional measurement of an ordinary object cooled to that temperature.
The researchers measured how slowly the cloud expanded and used its motion to calculate the energy associated with that expansion.
This distinction does not diminish the achievement. It describes the specific physical measurement used to establish the record. <Cite refs={[“turn158522search1″,”turn158522news5”]}/>
What Is Absolute Zero?
Absolute zero is the lowest theoretical temperature permitted by the laws of thermodynamics.
It corresponds to zero kelvins, or minus 273.15 degrees Celsius.
At this limit, a system has reached its lowest possible thermal-energy state. However, scientists cannot actually reach absolute zero through a finite cooling process.
As matter gets colder, removing the remaining thermal energy becomes increasingly difficult.
The pursuit of absolute zero has been an important area of physics research for more than a century. Scientists study matter at extremely low temperatures because atoms behave differently under these conditions.
Ordinary thermal motion becomes dramatically reduced, allowing quantum effects to become visible on a much larger scale.
The latest Chinese experiment demonstrates how advances in cooling technology and space-based laboratories are pushing the boundaries of what researchers can observe.
Bose-Einstein Condensate: The Fifth State of Matter
The experiment also produced a Bose-Einstein condensate, often described as the fifth state of matter.
The concept was theoretically developed in 1924 by Indian physicist Satyendra Nath Bose and Albert Einstein.
A Bose-Einstein condensate forms when certain atoms are cooled to extremely low temperatures. Under these conditions, individual atoms begin occupying the same quantum state and behave collectively.
Instead of acting like separate particles, the atoms can function almost like one large quantum object.
This makes the condensate particularly valuable for studying quantum physics.
Scientists can use it to investigate phenomena that are normally difficult to observe because quantum effects are often extremely small and easily disrupted.
The condensate also provides opportunities to develop highly sensitive instruments capable of detecting subtle changes in motion, gravity and other physical properties. <Cite refs={[“turn158522search1″,”turn158522search0”]}/>
Why Did Scientists Conduct the Experiment in Space?
One of the biggest challenges in creating extremely cold atomic clouds on Earth is gravity.
Gravity pulls atoms downward, making it harder to keep them suspended and stable while scientists attempt to cool them to increasingly lower temperatures.
The microgravity environment aboard China’s Tiangong space station reduces this problem.
Researchers can keep atomic clouds in controlled conditions for longer periods, allowing them to investigate extremely low temperatures and quantum behaviour that are more difficult to study in ground-based laboratories.
The experiment used an instrument housed inside the Mengtian laboratory module.
The research team combined laser cooling, optical trapping and evaporative cooling to reduce the energy of the rubidium atoms.
During evaporative cooling, the most energetic atoms are allowed to escape, leaving behind a colder collection of particles.
In the microgravity environment, the team also used a magnetic-field gradient to help remove the most energetic atoms.
The resulting condensate was transferred into a wider optical trap before the researchers gradually weakened the trap and released the atomic cloud.
The team could continue detecting the expanding cloud for approximately seven seconds.
That extended observation period helped researchers calculate its exceptionally low equivalent temperature. <Cite refs={[“turn158522search1″,”turn158522search8”]}/>
How the Breakthrough Could Advance Quantum Technology
The significance of the experiment extends beyond setting a new temperature record.
One promising application is atom interferometry, a technique that uses the wave-like properties of atoms to make highly precise measurements.
Atom interferometers can detect extremely small changes in acceleration, rotation and gravitational fields.
By cooling atoms to lower temperatures, researchers can potentially observe and manipulate their quantum behaviour for longer periods.
This could improve the sensitivity of future scientific instruments.
Potential applications include:
- Precision measurement: Developing instruments capable of detecting extremely small changes in physical conditions.
- Quantum simulation: Recreating complex quantum systems in controlled laboratory environments.
- Gravity research: Testing fundamental principles of gravity with increasingly sensitive instruments.
- Space-based sensors: Developing advanced navigation and measurement technologies.
- Fundamental physics: Investigating the behaviour of matter under extreme quantum conditions.
The research team said the all-optical ultracold platform could meet demanding requirements for future quantum simulation and precision measurement experiments in space. <Cite refs={[“turn158522search1″,”turn158522search8”]}/>
China’s Growing Investment in Space-Based Scientific Research
The experiment also demonstrates the expanding scientific capabilities of China’s space programme.
The Tiangong space station is being used not only for human spaceflight but also for research involving biology, materials science, fluid physics and quantum technologies.
Its Mengtian laboratory module houses specialised scientific equipment designed to conduct experiments that benefit from the microgravity environment.
The Cold Atom Physics Rack is one such facility. It was developed to conduct experiments involving ultracold atoms and quantum phenomena.
According to China’s Academy of Sciences, the laboratory equipment was engineered to fit within a compact space-based system, allowing sophisticated experiments to be performed aboard the station.
Researchers expect this platform to support future work involving quantum phase transitions, quantum vortices, atom interferometers and precision sensors.
These technologies could eventually contribute to scientific research as well as practical applications in navigation and space exploration. <Cite refs={[“turn158522search8”]}/>
The Bigger Picture
The achievement highlights how space-based laboratories are opening new possibilities for fundamental physics. Experiments involving ultracold atoms are particularly sensitive to environmental disturbances, and microgravity can provide conditions that are difficult to reproduce on Earth. By producing a 9.7-picokelvin atomic cloud, Chinese researchers have demonstrated how specialised space infrastructure can push the limits of experimental science.
The broader opportunity lies in what scientists can learn from these unusual quantum systems. Extremely cold atoms can help researchers investigate gravity, quantum behaviour and the fundamental properties of matter with greater precision. While the experiment does not immediately translate into a commercial technology, it could provide the scientific foundation for more advanced sensors, quantum simulations and space-based measurement systems.
Looking Ahead
Researchers will continue investigating how ultracold atomic clouds behave in microgravity and whether longer observation periods can improve the accuracy of future experiments. The next steps could involve developing more sensitive atom interferometers and using Bose-Einstein condensates to test fundamental principles of physics. The latest record provides a new platform for exploring these possibilities.
For China, the breakthrough represents another milestone in its expanding space-based research programme. For the global scientific community, it demonstrates the value of conducting experiments beyond Earth, where microgravity can help scientists explore conditions that are difficult to achieve in conventional laboratories. The most important outcome may not be the temperature record itself, but the new research opportunities it creates.
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SEO Title: Chinese Scientists Create Coldest-Ever Matter at 9.7 Picokelvin
Meta Description: Chinese researchers cooled 20,000 rubidium atoms to 9.7 picokelvins aboard the Tiangong space station, setting a new record for the lowest equivalent temperature.
URL Slug: chinese-scientists-coldest-temperature-9-7-picokelvin
Focus Keyphrase: Chinese scientists coldest temperature
Secondary Keywords: 9.7 picokelvin, coldest temperature ever recorded, Tiangong space station, Bose-Einstein condensate, absolute zero, ultracold atoms, quantum physics research, China space experiment, rubidium atoms
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