The EPR paradox was caused by the provision that quantum variables must have pre-existing values. This type of “hidden property realism” was later falsified by Bell’s Theorem. Accordingly, the physical basis for action-at-a-distance between entangled quanta was removed. Yet, modern interpretations present Bell’s inequality as a Locality Criterion, as if Bell violations can only happen at the quantum level, and only with remote interactions. This is a questionable practice, considering that classical joint measurements also violate such inequalities for mutually exclusive wave properties. In particular, consecutive measurements of polarization produce the same coefficients of correlation as parallel measurements with entangled quanta, yet they are explicitly local. Furthermore, it is possible to combine parallel and consecutive measurements of Type I polarization-entangled photons in a single experiment, conclusively showing that quantum Bell violations can be local. Surprisingly, classical phenomena also require nonlocal interpretations if pre-existing properties are taken for granted. Hence, the solution is to reject the models with pre-existing properties for both classical and quantum wave-like phenomena.

The phenomenon of quantum erasure exposed a remarkable ambiguity in the interpretation of quantum entanglement. On the one hand, the data is compatible with the possibility of arrow-of-time violations. On the other hand, it is also possible that temporal non-locality is an artifact of post-selection. Twenty years later, this problem can be solved with a quantum monogamy experiment, in which four entangled quanta are measured in a delayed-choice arrangement. If Bell violations can be recovered from a “monogamous” quantum system, then the arrow of time is obeyed at the quantum level.

The concept of correlation appears straightforward: measurement outcomes coincide, and patterns emerge. For any record of events, the coefficients are uniquely determined. Thus, if correlations change spontaneously, as seen in quantum monogamy, then individual behavior must have changed first. Surprisingly, this is not always true. When two observables are mutually exclusive, they cannot coincide objectively and need to be grouped across time. Yet, sectioning the flow of events into “iterations” is not trivial in this case. Even with blind windows of coincidence, the same order of outcomes can produce different coefficients of correlation, depending on the number of joint measurements. Therefore, quantum monogamy can happen with fixed pre-determined events. A new concept (“subjective correlation”) is required to explain this phenomenon.

A classical fluid splitter produces the same patterns of energy redistribution as a Stern–Gerlach quantum device, with rotationally invariant coefficients of correlation between molecular paths. Alternative settings express a cosine squared relationship, leading to Tsirelson-type Bell violations with outcome independence. This result confirms the Correspondence Principle of quantum mechanics, where individual detection events express system-level properties according to Born’s Rule. Kochen–Specker contextuality and Bell Locality are not formally contradicted, but their interpretation is in question. Current definitions of “Local Realism” are limited to intrinsic particle properties. In contrast, quantum-like correlations require the acknowledgement of ensemble effects on dynamically inseparable entities, even when those entities are observed one at a time.

The quantum Randi challenge is an invitation to violate Bell’s inequality with a programmable (transparent and reproducible) sequence of local events. This is widely perceived as impossible, given Bell’s Theorem. However, mathematical proofs can be correct without universal validity, as seen in the case of Euclidean geometry. Is Bell’s Locality Criterion inclusive enough to account for all the local phenomena? It is well known that Bell-type inequalities apply to jointly distributed variables, meaning that they hold for events that can be recorded at the same time. Yet, some physical qualities are mutually exclusive. They only become observable at different times. Accordingly, pairwise detections in a narrow window of coincidence – but not at the same exact time – allow for maximal Bell violations (S=4 for the CHSH inequality), without room for doubt about the local nature of the process.

The EPR paradox was caused by the provision that quantum variables must have pre-existing values. This type of “hidden property realism” was later falsified by Bell’s Theorem. Accordingly, the physical basis for action-at-a-distance between entangled quanta was removed. Yet, modern interpretations present Bell’s inequality as a Locality Criterion, as if Bell violations can only happen at the quantum level, and only with remote interactions. This is a questionable practice, considering that classical joint measurements also violate such inequalities for mutually exclusive wave properties. In particular, consecutive measurements of polarization produce the same coef-ficients of correlation as parallel measurements with entangled quanta, yet they are explicitly local. Furthermore, it is possible to combine parallel and consecutive measurements of Type I polariza-tion-entangled photons in a single experiment, conclusively showing that quantum Bell violations can be local. Surprisingly, classical phenomena also require nonlocal interpretations if pre-existing properties are taken for granted. Hence, the solution is to reject the models with pre-existing properties for both classical and quantum wave-like phenomena.