Researchers uncovered the secrets behind snapping shrimp's ability to break water, attributing it to millions of years of evolution and adaptation. The study reveals a series of small changes in claw form led to the development of ultrafast movements.
Scientists have discovered a 'chiral spin mode' - a sea of electrons spinning in opposing circles that can transport information with little energy dissipation. This breakthrough paves the way for building novel electronic devices such as computers and processors with reduced energy loss.
Scientists have discovered correlated flow of particles emerging from even the lowest energy collisions at RHIC, exhibiting behavior associated with quark-gluon plasma formation. The findings suggest that these small-scale collisions might be producing tiny, short-lived specks of matter mimicking the early universe.
A team led by a Princeton University graduate student has developed a unique simulation of magnetic reconnection in space plasmas, which could lead to improved forecasts of space weather events. The new model approximates kinetic effects using fluid equations and agrees better with kinetic models than traditional simulations.
PPPL physicists lead crucial experiments on Wendelstein 7-X, a magnetic confinement fusion experiment in Germany. The facility aims to create steady state plasmas and model a future power plant for limitless clean energy.
A team of researchers from the University of Utah has investigated the bond dissociation energy property in transition metal silicides, including precise values for six specific compounds. The new method provides an accurate means of estimating bond dissociation energies, with smaller uncertainties than previous approaches.
The Department of Energy's Office of Science Early Career Research Program has awarded funding to four Oak Ridge National Laboratory researchers. The selected researchers will study exotic nuclei, simulate magnetically confined fusion plasmas and investigate the role of symbiotic relationships between plants and microbes.
Physicists at Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory have modeled how recycled neutral atoms enhance turbulence driven by the ion temperature gradient, cooling plasma and reducing rotation rates. The results could lead to improved understanding of plasma performance in future tokamaks and international fusion facilities like ITER.
Researchers developed self-disposing supramolecular materials with tunable lifetimes, mimicking biological processes. These materials autonomously degrade after added energy is exhausted, enabling reusable cycles and diverse applications such as drug delivery and tissue stabilization.
A new machine learning technique can help identify plasma behavior that precedes disruptions in tokamaks, allowing scientists to steer the plasma towards stability. By analyzing past experiments and predicting disruption precursors, researchers can implement a system to monitor the plasma for signs of instability.
The US-China collaboration has made excellent progress in using lithium to control ultra-hot plasma in fusion reactions. The use of lithium powder, granules, and liquid form has shown promising results in eliminating instabilities and improving energy confinement.
Researchers developed a novel approach to solve difficult computational problems using statistical mechanics and reversible logic gates, avoiding phase transitions that slow down the process. The vertex model can be applied to machine learning, circuit optimization, and other major computational challenges.
Researchers at University at Buffalo have discovered a new way to split energy levels between electron valleys in 2D semiconductors, increasing separation by a factor of 10. This could lead to more efficient computer chips and extend Moore's Law, predicting the end of transistor density increase
Researchers at Argonne National Laboratory developed a new way to mathematically describe non-equilibrium phase transitions in physics, shedding light on key technologies for next-generation electronics. By combining quantum mechanics and topology, they created a mathematical tool to understand out-of-equilibrium processes.
Researchers found nonlocal correlations in natural systems, which are incompatible with principles of information and energy transfer. The study proposes a new method to detect these correlations, shedding light on the fascinating problem of nonlocality in quantum many-body systems.
Researchers investigate how wall materials and structures impact secondary electron emission, which can affect plasma confinement and efficiency. They find that lithium oxide linings release more secondary electrons than other materials, highlighting the need to account for reactivity in fusion models.
Researchers demonstrate that clocks placed next to each other necessarily disturb each other, causing a universal limitation on measuring time. This effect is independent of clock mechanism or material, highlighting the need to re-examine our ideas about time in both quantum mechanics and general relativity.
Louis Taillefer, a Canadian quantum physicist and CIFAR's Director of Quantum Materials program, has made groundbreaking discoveries in experimental low-temperature physics. He was awarded the Simon Memorial Prize for his contributions to understanding quantum materials.
Researchers have discovered a key link between plasma flow and turbulent transport in toroidal fusion plasmas. This understanding has led to improved confinement regimes and reduced the prospects of fusion.
Researchers used an STM to study changes in single-molecule shape and found that the tip's position impacts energy requirements and entropy. The team observed changes in energy barriers and attempt rates at low temperatures, linking entropy to fundamental physical parameters.
Scientists from Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet Munich have successfully measured the lifetime of an excited state in an unstable element, paving the way for the development of nuclear clocks. The research team has characterized the energy transition in the 229Th nucleus and achieved a breakthrough in this field.
Physicist Igor Kaganovich and collaborators discovered the physics driving plasma etching, a technique powering electronic devices. The research found that electrically charged gas plasma enhances etching efficiency by creating strong plasma waves.
A PPPL physicist has discovered that motion in nearby magnetic fields can trigger magnetic reconnection, a process releasing energy when magnetic field lines snap together. This research may aid fusion reactions and better understand solar phenomena.
Researchers at Forschungszentrum Jülich have developed a simpler method to characterize magnetic nanovortices, also known as skyrmions. This new technique uses X-rays to identify suitable materials with the topological charge necessary for these tiny structures.
Researchers provide a major perspective on four key problems in magnetic reconnection, including the rate problem, trigger problem, energetics problem, and interplay of scales problem. The study advances understanding of these puzzles using data from satellite sightings, laboratory experiments, and computer simulations.
Physicists can now accelerate radioactive beams to explore the unique duality in nuclear freedom, pushing back nuclear physics research boundaries. The HIE-ISOLDE project enables design of experimental tools for both single-particle and collective degrees of freedom.
Goldston's paper presented a new model for estimating scrape-off layer width, which depends on plasma drift rate across closed surfaces, and has been largely confirmed by experiments worldwide.
The University of Geneva team tested a scenario proposed by Anthony Leggett, finding it contradicts experimental results. The study reveals the importance of chemical doping in understanding high Tc superconductivity.
Physicist M. Cristina Marchetti is using the grant to characterize the physics of organization in nature, from flocking behavior of birds to coordinated motion of cells. She aims to provide a mathematical framework for describing aggregation of Myxococcus xanthus under starvation conditions.
The NOvA collaboration has made a groundbreaking discovery that suggests the flavor and mass correlation of neutrinos may be more complex than previously thought. The data collected by the NOvA experiment indicates that one of the three neutrino mass states might not include equal parts of muon and tau flavor, as previously assumed.
A Stanford-led team has devised a way to visualize the fundamental building blocks of lithium-ion batteries, revealing a complex process that was previously understood in average terms. The study could lead to better battery designs and longer lifetimes by improving uniformity and reducing mechanical stress.
Researchers at OU are developing novel technologies for next-generation solar cells with potential to increase global energy capacity and reduce fossil fuel dependence. They aim to control thermal losses and harness more of the sun's energy using 'hot' carrier solar cells.
NIST's N4 watt balance conducts its first measurement of Planck's constant, achieving accuracy of 34 parts per billion. This result is consistent with other countries' measurements and sets the stage for a new kilogram definition by 2018.
Scientists detect and quantify metastability induced by disorder in granular materials for the first time. The team uses a parameter from liquid crystal physics to measure force chain orientation, confirming the relationship between disorder and metastable energy states.
UCI researchers demonstrate that machine sounds can carry information about precise movements of a printer's nozzle, enabling the reverse engineering of objects being printed. This new kind of cyberattack presents significant security risks for companies, particularly during prototyping phases.
Theorists have shown that particles of different energies sense slightly modified versions of spacetime, leading to a phenomenon similar to a rainbow. This discovery suggests that the structure of spacetime sensed by individual particles depends on their energy.
PPPL's role in the W7-X stellarator experiment marks a significant achievement in fusion research. The US collaboration has successfully created and maintained a hot plasma for up to 30 minutes, a crucial milestone in developing sustainable fusion energy.
Researchers found a helix-shaped whirlpool of plasma that acts as a dynamo, creating electric and magnetic fields to prevent current from peaking. The conditions for this behavior include specific pressure and current gradients.
The DFG is establishing 16 new Research Training Groups to support early career researchers in Germany. The groups will focus on topics such as the mechanisms of aging, cultures of critique, and the neurobiology of aggression and impulsivity. Funding for the programs is approximately €72 million over a four-and-a-half-year period.
Researchers found a swirling plasma dynamo that generates electric and magnetic fields to stabilize plasma, prevent 'sawtooth cycle' instabilities. The dynamo behavior occurs under specific conditions with rotating magnetic field lines and pressure gradients.
NYU researchers found that fish and birds can move in two distinct speeds when swimming in groups, with one speed conserving energy and the other allowing for faster escapes from predators. The study's innovative methodology mimics infinitely large schools using robotic wings and water tank, offering insights into air and water flows.
A team of researchers has experimentally connected classical and quantum mechanics by observing a dynamic Mott transition in a superconductor. The discovery sheds light on non-equilibrium physics and could lead to more efficient electronics.
Researchers at PPPL have developed a detailed model of the source of the density limit, a puzzling limitation on fusion reactions. The findings suggest that a runaway growth of bubble-like islands can cause the plasma gas to cool and spiral apart, disrupting the reaction.
Scientists have developed a new method to control plasma rotation, a crucial aspect of fusion energy. The technique, which manipulates the intrinsic rotation of hot plasma gas within fusion facilities, has the potential to improve tokamaks' performance and reduce operating costs.
Researchers discovered a way to prevent dendrite formation in lithium metal batteries by adding chemicals to the electrolyte, improving safety and performance. The new approach could lead to more efficient and longer-lasting batteries with potential applications in electric vehicles and energy storage.
Dr. Hiroo Kanamori received the Marcus Milling Legendary Geoscientist Medal for his pioneering discoveries in understanding large earthquakes and developing scaling relations between earthquake parameters. His work has allowed geoscientists to better predict tsunami-prone communities.
Researchers have created a novel plasma diagnostics method by studying the pressure change at the inner walls of energy-saving light bulbs. The technique measures the force exerted on a solid surface by plasma, providing insights into processes that conventional probes can't detect.
Scientists at PPPL identified how magnetic reconnection transforms magnetic energy into particle energy, with 50% conversion rate. The process involves electron energization and creation of electrically charged field that powers ions.
The UT Arlington particle physics team has been awarded a $2.5 million, three-year Department of Energy grant to continue their work on the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider. The grant represents a 25% increase in funding and recognizes the team's innovative ideas and research.
The US Department of Energy has recognized six exceptional scientists and engineers with the 2013 Ernest Orlando Lawrence Award for their contributions to research and development supporting energy, science, and national security missions. The award recipients have made significant advances in various scientific fields.
The CEBAF accelerator successfully delivered its first data of the 12 GeV era, achieving 6.11 GeV electrons at 2 nanoAmps average current for over an hour. The milestone marks a major step in the commissioning process and demonstrates the ability to deliver high-energy beams beyond the original operational energy.
Researchers have predicted that a single layer of tin atoms, dubbed 'stanene,' will exhibit 100% electrical conductivity at room temperature. This breakthrough has the potential to significantly reduce power consumption and heat production in future computer chips.
Researchers suggest the Higgs boson could help resolve the cosmological constant problem by introducing another background field that contributes an energy density matching the observed dark energy. This advance provides new insights into understanding dark energy's mysterious nature.
Physicists propose a unified framework for understanding matter, energy, space, and time. The report highlights pressing questions, such as the nature of dark matter and neutrinos, and outlines 20-year research priorities.
Researchers found that pyrrole molecule movement is affected by quantum laws, changing the energy landscape and impacting the whole molecule. The study's results suggest that 'zero-point energy' plays a crucial role in the molecule's diffusion on metal surfaces.
Female leaders in clean energy were honored at the Women in Clean Energy Symposium, including C3E award winners who made significant contributions to policy, innovation, education, and corporate implementation. The event highlighted the importance of local initiatives in advancing national energy plans.
Researchers at Brookhaven National Laboratory use RHIC to study the transition from quark-gluon plasma to nuclear matter, with initial hints of a phase boundary revealed. The experiment varies energy and ion types to explore the properties of primordial plasma.
Research by physics professor Victor Yakovenko links income inequality with bursting financial bubbles. He models income distribution using statistical physics, finding a long tail in the upper 3% of incomes that correlates with investment downturns.
Scientists at PPPL have discovered a new process that releases magnetic energy faster than expected by classical theories. The 3-D process involves the formation of high current ropes called flux ropes, which are ejected out of the reconnection region, leading to a sudden decrease in current density.
Physicists are being called on to take action against climate change by reducing their own carbon footprints. By changing behavior at the individual level and carefully planning future experiments, physicists can contribute to a more sustainable energy supply.