Neutron stars in the universe, ultracold atomic gases in the laboratory, and the quark–gluon plasma created in collisions of atomic nuclei at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC): they may seem totally unrelated but, surprisingly enough, they have something in common. They are all a fluid-like state of matter made up of strongly interacting particles. Insights … Read more
Scientists still are not sure how neurological symptoms arise in COVID-19. Is it because SARS-CoV-2 infects the brain? Or are these symptoms the result of inflammation in the rest of the body? A study by Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin has now produced evidence to support the latter theory. It was published in the journal Nature Neuroscience. Headaches, … Read more
At the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB) at Michigan State University, an international research team has achieved a significant milestone by creating five new isotopes, effectively bringing celestial phenomena closer to Earth. Reported in Physical Review Letters, these isotopes—thulium-182, thulium-183, ytterbium-186, ytterbium-187, and lutetium-190—mark the inaugural batch of new isotopes synthesized at FRIB, a … Read more
An international collaboration between researchers from Innsbruck and Geneva has unveiled a groundbreaking thermometry method tailored for measuring temperatures in low-dimensional quantum gases. Surprisingly, their findings suggest that compressing a gas may lead to cooling—a counterintuitive phenomenon that challenges conventional wisdom. Published in Science Advances, this study marks a significant milestone in our understanding of … Read more
Creating a quantum computer powerful enough to tackle problems we cannot solve with current computers remains a big challenge for quantum physicists. A well-functioning quantum simulator—a specific type of quantum computer—could lead to new discoveries about how the world works at the smallest scales. Quantum scientist Natalia Chepiga from Delft University of Technology has developed … Read more
In a groundbreaking experiment reminiscent of stop-motion photography, scientists have achieved the remarkable feat of isolating the energetic movement of an electron while simultaneously “freezing” the motion of the much larger atom it orbits within a sample of liquid water. Published in the esteemed journal Science, the findings represent a significant leap forward in our … Read more
Organic chemistry is the branch of chemistry that deals with the study of carbon-containing compounds. It is a vast and diverse field with applications ranging from pharmaceuticals and materials science to agriculture and environmental science. The study of organic chemistry dates back centuries, with significant advancements made in understanding the structure, properties, and reactions of … Read more
By better taming the Jekyll-and-Hyde nature of an alternative to the semiconductor—one that transitions from electricity-resisting insulator to current-conducting metal—Nebraska’s Xia Hong and colleagues may have unlocked a new path to smaller, more efficient digital devices. The team reports its findings in the journal Nature Communications. The semiconductor’s ability to conduct electricity in the Goldilocks … Read more
In the intricate landscape of the human body, the lungs and their vasculature resemble a complex network akin to the plumbing system of a building. Within this anatomical framework, the lungs’ blood vessels serve as vital conduits, facilitating the transportation of blood and essential nutrients for oxygenation and carbon dioxide removal. Just as pipes in … Read more
Photonic integrated circuits are an important next-wave technology. These sophisticated microchips hold the potential to substantially decrease costs and increase speed and efficiency for electronic devices across a wide range of application areas, including automotive technology, communications, health care, data storage, and computing for artificial intelligence. Photonic circuits use photons, fundamental particles of light, to … Read more
Prof. Polshettiwar’s group at Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Mumbai has developed a novel “plasmonic reduction catalyst stable in air,” defying the common instability of reduction catalysts in the presence of air. The catalyst merges platinum-doped ruthenium clusters, with “plasmonic black gold.” This black gold efficiently harvests visible light and generates numerous hot spots … Read more
In a new study published in Science today, JILA and NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) Fellow Jun Ye and his research team have taken a significant step in understanding the intricate and collective light-atom interactions within atomic clocks, the most precise clocks in the universe. Using a cubic lattice, the researchers measured specific … Read more
Meteor showers, celestial spectacles that captivate observers around the world, are one of the most enchanting and accessible phenomena in astronomy. These displays of cosmic fireworks, characterized by the appearance of numerous meteors streaking across the night sky, offer a glimpse into the dynamic and ever-changing nature of our solar system. In this exploration, we … Read more
Solar flares, captivating displays of immense energy and magnetic activity erupting from the Sun’s surface, are among the most dynamic and consequential phenomena in our solar system. These eruptions unleash torrents of radiation and charged particles into space, influencing the Earth’s atmosphere, magnetic field, and technological infrastructure. Understanding the nature and impact of solar flares … Read more
Researchers from the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI), in collaboration with colleagues from the University of Fribourg, Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, and the Institute of Polar Sciences of the Italian National Research Council (CNR), undertook an analysis of ice cores extracted in 2018 and 2020 from the Corbassière glacier located at Grand Combin in the … Read more
Fusion energy stands as a beacon of hope amidst the global energy crisis, offering a sustainable solution to humanity’s growing demand for power. Among the various methods of achieving fusion, magnetic confinement stands out as the most advanced and promising approach. Here, ultra-high temperature plasma, the fuel for fusion, is corralled by magnetic fields within … Read more
A groundbreaking study has unveiled significant revelations about the earliest life forms ever discovered on Earth. Within rock samples extracted from Barberton, Republic of South Africa, scientists have unearthed compelling evidence of an exceptionally diverse biological carbon cycle that dates back 3.42 billion years. This groundbreaking discovery indicates that even in antiquity, ecosystems were teeming … Read more
The science fiction author Arthur C. Clarke selected his own seven wonders of the world in a BBC television series in 1997. The only astronomical object he included was SS 433. It had attracted attention already in the late 1970s due to its X-ray emission and was later discovered to be at the center of … Read more
A team of scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory and Columbia University has demonstrated a way to produce large quantities of the receptor that SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, binds to on the surface of human cells. That binding between the now-infamous viral spike protein and the human “ACE2” … Read more
Cilia, slender hair-like structures protruding from the surface of cells, play a crucial and diverse role in various biological processes across different organisms. These microscopic organelles are involved in cellular motility, sensory perception, and the coordination of signaling pathways. Understanding the intricate functions of cilia sheds light on their significance in maintaining cellular homeostasis and … Read more