Scientists have made a groundbreaking discovery by observing quantum Kelvin–Helmholtz instability (KHI)—an effect previously only seen in classical fluids—in a Bose–Einstein condensate (BEC), a state of matter that exhibits quantum fluid behaviors. In their experiment, researchers cooled lithium atoms near absolute zero and created two overlapping atom flows that moved at different velocities. At the interface, they observed rippling patterns remarkably similar to classical fluid turbulence.

What truly captivated researchers was the emergence of unusual crescent-shaped vortices—called eccentric fractional skyrmions (EFSs)—within this quantum fluid. Unlike typical skyrmions, which are symmetric, these new defects are asymmetrical and contain singularities in their spin patterns—resembling the crescent-form shapes in Van Gogh’s iconic painting, The Starry Night. The resemblance was so striking that one scientist noted the painting’s moon looks like a quantum vortex.

This discovery not only bridges classical and quantum turbulence but also reveals deep, universal dynamics in fluid behavior across regimes. It opens new avenues in topological quantum science and may reshape future understanding of nonlinear dynamics in quantum systems.