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Chemists overturn 40-year assumption about a key class of superconductor

Researchers used 3D imaging to explore cuprate superconductors, finding a patchwork of different crystal structures throughout their bulk, with boundaries hundreds of times wider than expected. This discovery may explain why some materials perform better than others and requires reinterpretation of existing bulk measurements.

SourceUniversity of Warwick·JournalPhysical Review Letters·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 17, 2026

First bulk ferromagnetic icosahedral quasicrystals synthesized without rapid quenching

Researchers develop annealable ferromagnetic icosahedral quasicrystals with unprecedented structural quality, revealing intrinsic magnetic properties and magnetic criticality. The discovery enables the first systematic investigations of quasiperiodic magnetism and magnetic criticality in QCs.

SourceTokyo University of Science·JournalJournal of the American Chemical Society·TypeExperimental study·DateJul 7, 2026

Millisecond electric pulse makes titanium stronger and tougher

Researchers from Kumamoto University and partners discovered a method to enhance titanium alloys using high-density pulsed electric current, achieving improved strength and toughness. The technique harnesses an electron wind force to reorganize the internal crystal structure, producing nanoscale martensitic phases that disperse stress ...

SourceKumamoto University·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateApr 16, 2026

Towards tailor-made heat expansion-free materials for precision technology

Researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University have discovered a hydrogen-absorbing material with negative thermal expansion properties, which can be tuned by adjusting the amount of hydrogen. This finding promises custom high-precision ingredients for precision nanotechnology, addressing volume changes in materials under heating.

SourceTokyo Metropolitan University·JournalJournal of the American Chemical Society·DateMar 7, 2026

Quantum physics: new state of matter discovered

Scientists have found a way to describe topological states in materials where the particle picture breaks down. The discovery sheds light on a new type of behavior, exhibiting spontaneous Hall effect and quantum-critical fluctuations. This finding opens up possibilities for storing quantum information and developing novel sensors.

SourceVienna University of Technology·JournalNature Physics·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 14, 2026

Supercritical fluids once thought uniform found to contain liquid clusters

Researchers at Pohang University of Science & Technology experimentally demonstrated the existence of nanometer-sized liquid clusters in supercritical fluids, overturning the prevailing notion of a single phase. These clusters persisted for up to an hour and have significant implications for industrial processes and natural environments.

SourcePohang University of Science & Technology (POSTECH)·JournalCommunications Physics·DateSep 30, 2025

Common feature between forest fires and neural networks reveals the universal framework underneath

Researchers found that deep neural networks exhibit absorbing phase transitions, a phenomenon observed in physical systems like forest fires. This discovery provides a unified framework describing how the signal propagates between layers of neurons, enabling prediction of trainability and generalizability.

SourceSchool of Science, The University of Tokyo·JournalPhysical Review Research·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateJul 18, 2025

Human-AI ‘collaboration’ makes it simpler to solve quantum physics problems

Scientists use human-AI collaboration to tackle complex questions in condensed matter physics, leveraging machine learning algorithms to identify patterns in simulation data. This approach successfully models the behavior of frustrated magnets and sheds light on quantum computing and gravity.

SourceOkinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) Graduate University·JournalPhysical Review Research·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateJul 16, 2025

Why the sun is so good at evaporating water

Researchers discovered that sunlight's oscillating electric field plays a crucial role in enhancing interfacial water evaporation. The stronger the electric field, the faster water evaporates. This finding has implications for engineering more efficient water-evaporation technologies.

SourceNorth Carolina State University·JournalMaterials Horizons·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateJun 24, 2025

Dark matter formed when fast particles slowed down and got heavy, new theory says

Researchers at Dartmouth College propose a new theory on the origin of dark matter, suggesting it could have formed from high-energy massless particles that rapidly condensed into cold, heavy particles. The theory can be tested using existing observational data, including the Cosmic Microwave Background radiation.

SourceDartmouth College·JournalPhysical Review Letters·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateMay 14, 2025

Results of the INHALE-3 extension study: inhaled technosphere insulin plus insulin degludec in T1D

The INHALE-3 extension study found that a regimen of inhaled technosphere insulin and insulin degludec reduced post-meal hyperglycemia in adults with type 1 diabetes. The treatment showed significant improvements in mean time in range, with 43% of participants expressing interest in continuing the regimen.

SourceMary Ann Liebert, Inc./Genetic Engineering News·JournalDiabetes Technology & Therapeutics·TypeRandomized controlled/clinical trial·DateMar 22, 2025

Study finds universality in moving cells – a discovery that could impact health and robotics

Researchers found that collective cell movement exhibits robust invariance across diverse systems, including cancer cells and bacteria. This discovery could lead to improved understanding of oncological diseases and tissue engineering, as well as applications in robot navigation and artificial intelligence.

SourceFaculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon·JournalNature Physics·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 19, 2025

Flexible COF-based porous liquid with “breathing effect”for enhancing CO2 adsorption and catalysis

Researchers have developed a COF-based porous liquid that can dynamically adjust its pore size in response to pressure change, significantly enhancing CO2 capture and catalytic conversion. This innovative material boasts a 24-fold higher efficiency for the reaction of CO₂ with propylene oxide compared to conventional methods.

SourceScience China Press·JournalNational Science Review·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 27, 2025

Exotic observations with neutrons at the ILL

The study reveals three distinct phases: liquid, solid, and plastic ice, with the latter exhibiting picosecond rotational motion. The implementation of state-of-the-art spectrometers and sample environments enabled the first experimental observation of plastic ice VII at high temperatures and pressures.

SourceInstitut Laue-Langevin·JournalNature·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 12, 2025

Photonic topological phase transition achieved by material phase transition

A team of researchers from NTT Corporation and Tokyo Institute of Technology has successfully achieved photonic topological phase transition by material phase transition. This breakthrough demonstrates the possibility to change the photonic topological phase in a reconfigurable manner, paving the way for novel research fields and promi...

SourceTokyo Institute of Technology·JournalScience Advances·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 6, 2024

Lehigh University researchers dig deeper into stability challenges of nuclear fusion—with mayonnaise

Researchers at Lehigh University use mayonnaise to simulate the phases of Rayleigh-Taylor instability in nuclear fusion, which could inform the design of future inertial confinement fusion processes. The team found that understanding the transition between elastic and stable plastic phases is critical for controlling the instability.

SourceLehigh University·JournalPhysical Review E·DateAug 6, 2024

Understanding the origin of superconductivity in high-temperature copper oxide superconductors

A team of researchers has discovered a long-range charge-density wave order in a high-temperature superconductor induced by tensile-compressive strain, challenging conventional beliefs about magnetism as the primary driver. The findings have immense promise for elucidating the underlying mechanisms of high-temperature superconductivity.

SourceOkayama University·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateJul 11, 2024

The unexpected connection between brewing coffee and understanding turbulence

A team of researchers led by Nigel Goldenfeld and Björn Hof used statistical mechanics to study turbulence in fluid flows. They discovered that the transitions between laminar and turbulent flows occur through a non-equilibrium phase transition, known as directed percolation, at the critical point of the transition.

SourceUniversity of California - San Diego·JournalNature Physics·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateJun 3, 2024