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DOE/Los Alamos National Laboratory


New findings point to an Earth-like environment on ancient Mars

Research team finds evidence of habitable conditions on ancient Mars using ChemCam instrument on NASA's Curiosity rover, highlighting the presence of manganese-rich sandstones and a shoreline deposit. The discovery suggests larger processes occurred in the Martian atmosphere or surface water, pointing to the need for further study.

SourceDOE/Los Alamos National Laboratory·JournalJournal of Geophysical Research Planets·TypeImaging analysis·DateMay 1, 2024

Atmospheric pressure changes could be driving Mars’ elusive methane pulses

Researchers simulated how methane travels through underground fractures and is released into the atmosphere, predicting pulses just before Martian sunrise in the northern summer season. This corroborates previous rover data suggesting daily methane level fluctuations. The study informs the Curiosity rover's ongoing sampling campaign.

SourceDOE/Los Alamos National Laboratory·JournalJournal of Geophysical Research Planets·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateJan 24, 2024

New AI makes better permafrost maps

A new AI model has improved permafrost mapping by creating high-resolution maps of Arctic thawing, providing a tool for protecting infrastructure. The model achieved 83% accuracy in matching field data with its predictions, outperforming the widely used pan-arctic model.

SourceDOE/Los Alamos National Laboratory·JournalEarth and Space Science·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateJan 17, 2024

Pinpointing HIV immune response

A new study reveals that CD8+ T cells control HIV infection by both cytolytic effects and non-cytolytic suppression of virus production. The research team used computer modeling and experiments with macaques to understand the immune system's mechanism in controlling HIV infections.

SourceDOE/Los Alamos National Laboratory·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateNov 1, 2023

Breakthrough boosts quantum AI

A new theoretical proof shows that overparametrization enhances performance in quantum machine learning, allowing for enhanced learning and classification tasks. The Los Alamos team developed a framework to predict the critical number of parameters at which a quantum machine learning model becomes overparametrized.

SourceDOE/Los Alamos National Laboratory·JournalNature Computational Science·TypeExperimental study·DateJun 26, 2023

Qubits put new spin on magnetism: Boosting applications of quantum computers

Research using a quantum computer has designed and characterized tailor-made magnetic objects using qubits, opening up new approaches to develop materials and robust quantum computing. The study demonstrates the ability to create magnetic quasicrystal lattices that can host states beyond classical information technology.

SourceDOE/Los Alamos National Laboratory·JournalScience Advances·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 17, 2023

Unusual gamma-ray burst reveals previously undetected hybrid neutron-star merger event

A recent astronomical observation supports theoretical modeling, revealing a new observational fingerprint of neutron-star mergers that may shed light on the production of heavy elements throughout the universe. The detection pushes our understanding of gamma-ray bursts to the limits and breaks the standard idea of these events.

SourceDOE/Los Alamos National Laboratory·JournalNature·TypeObservational study·DateDec 7, 2022

Wildfire-smoke observations fill gap in estimating soot’s role in climate change

Scientists have developed a new method to estimate the impact of black carbon from wildfires on climate change, using measurements of light absorption by coated soot particles. The study provides a more accurate way to forecast global climate change and resolves a long-standing uncertainty in earth system models.

SourceDOE/Los Alamos National Laboratory·JournalGeophysical Research Letters·TypeObservational study·DateJul 21, 2022

Experiment results confirm anomaly suggesting new physics possibility

The Baksan Experiment on Sterile Transitions (BEST) has confirmed an anomaly in previous experiments, which may point to the existence of a sterile neutrino or indicate a need for reworking fundamental nuclear physics. The results were recently published in Physical Review Letters and Physical Review C, sparking debate among scientists.

SourceDOE/Los Alamos National Laboratory·JournalPhysical Review Letters·TypeExperimental study·DateJun 16, 2022

Quantum computer programming for dummies

The guide introduces quantum algorithms and their implementation on existing hardware, providing a thorough introduction for would-be programmers. It surveys 20 quantum algorithms and guides readers through implementing them on IBM's 5-qubit quantum computer, covering the basics of quantum programming and in-depth algorithm explanations.

SourceDOE/Los Alamos National Laboratory·JournalACM Transactions on Quantum Computing·TypeSurvey·DateJun 14, 2022