While it is true that macroscopic objects are generally considered to be incapable of quantum tunneling due to their emergent properties, it is important to note that the field of physics is vast, and there may be differing opinions among physicists on this topic. However, I can provide some insights into the prevailing understanding.
Quantum tunneling is a phenomenon that occurs on the microscopic scale and is a fundamental concept in quantum mechanics. It refers to the ability of particles to pass through energy barriers that would be classically impossible to overcome. This phenomenon is well-established and has been experimentally observed in various systems, such as electrons tunneling through potential barriers.
On the other hand, macroscopic objects, like everyday objects in our observable world, are composed of an enormous number of particles (atoms and molecules) and exhibit emergent properties that arise from the collective behavior of these particles. These emergent properties, such as classical mechanics and thermodynamics, are typically described by classical physics rather than quantum mechanics.
The macroscopic world follows classical mechanics because the wave functions of the constituent particles of macroscopic objects are highly spread out, leading to a significant suppression of quantum effects. This spreading out of wave functions is known as decoherence, which occurs due to interactions with the environment.
Decoherence causes the quantum behavior of individual particles to "wash out" as they interact with their surroundings, effectively erasing the delicate quantum correlations required for tunneling to occur. As a result, macroscopic objects behave classically and do not exhibit quantum tunneling on observable scales.
It's worth mentioning that there are ongoing efforts to explore quantum phenomena in larger systems, such as studying quantum effects in superconducting circuits or nanomechanical oscillators. However, even in these cases, the scale at which quantum behavior becomes dominant is typically still on the order of nanometers or micrometers, rather than macroscopic scales.
While there may be alternative viewpoints or exceptions within the field of physics, the prevailing understanding is that macroscopic objects do not exhibit quantum tunneling due to their emergent properties and the phenomenon of decoherence.