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Chemists design chemical probe for detecting minute temperature shifts in the body

Researchers at Colorado State University have developed a cobalt-based molecule that can detect extremely subtle temperature shifts inside the body, opening up new possibilities for medical imaging and therapy. The noninvasive probe uses radiofrequency waves to read out temperature signals from the body.

SourceColorado State University·JournalJournal of the American Chemical Society·TypeExperimental study·DateJun 6, 2022

Quantum systems and the flight of the bee

A team of scientists used a quantum simulator to study the behavior of a complex quantum system, finding that it exhibits characteristics similar to fluid dynamics. The research also showed that this phenomenon can be observed in the flights of bees, as well as in unusual stock market movements.

SourceUniversity of Innsbruck·JournalScience·TypeExperimental study·DateMay 12, 2022

Glimpse inside a graphene sandwich

Researchers studied twisted trilayer graphene, discovering a phase diagram that decouples into product states of graphene and bilayer graphene. The system exhibits unique insulating and semi-metallic phases in the presence of an electric field.

SourceUniversity of Innsbruck·JournalPhysical Review X·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateApr 27, 2022

The proton's innate charm may trouble astronomers

Physicists from Cracow-based Institute of Nuclear Physics found that the proton's charm structure might affect our understanding of cosmic neutrinos. Recent LHCb detector measurements support a model with a higher charm quark contribution, which could mislead astronomers about high-energy neutrino origins.

A new way to control atomic interactions

The researchers created treelike shapes, a Möbius strip, and other patterns by controlling atomic interactions without physically moving the atoms. They demonstrated nonlocal interactions, where atoms at distant ends interact just as strongly as those near each other.

SourceStanford University·JournalNature·DateFeb 28, 2022

Strong magnets put new twist on phonons

Rice University scientists discovered that strong magnetic fields can manipulate the material's optical phonon mode, a phenomenon previously unseen. The effects were much stronger than expected by theory, revealing a new way of controlling phonons.

SourceRice University·JournalPhysical Review Letters·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 15, 2022

Quantum tech in space?

Physicists at the University of Sussex have developed a remote monitoring system for quantum devices, allowing for real-time control and issue resolution. This system enables researchers to monitor environmental factors such as temperature, pressure, and laser beams in ultracold quantum laboratories.

SourceUniversity of Sussex·JournalQuantum Science and Technology·DateFeb 11, 2022

From matter to antimatter, to and fro – trillions of times a second

Physicists have measured the oscillation frequency of Bs0 mesons with unprece­dented accuracy, revealing that they oscillate between matter and antimatter three trillion times per second. This measurement agrees with quantum mechanics predictions and narrows search areas for particles undescribed by the Standard Model.

New insight into unconventional superconductivity

Researchers at PSI's Laboratory for Muon Spin Spectroscopy have discovered strong evidence of exotic charge order and orbital currents in a correlated kagome superconductor. The findings provide a new insight into unconventional superconductivity and its relationship with the quantum anomalous Hall effect.

SourcePaul Scherrer Institute·JournalNature·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 9, 2022

Strobe light for 5G: NIST imaging system spotlights the tiny mechanical hearts at the core of every cellphone

Researchers at NIST developed an instrument to image acoustic waves over a wide range of frequencies with unprecedented detail. The new instrument captures these waves by relying on an optical interferometer, allowing for the creation of three-dimensional movies of microresonators' vibrational modes.

SourceNational Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 4, 2022

Biomolecular explosion

Scientists have observed that ionizing radiation can cause intermolecular Coulombic decay in organic molecules, leading to damage in DNA and proteins. This new understanding could lead to the development of more effective substances for radiation therapy and improve knowledge of how radiation damages healthy tissue.

SourceMax-Planck-Gesellschaft·JournalNature Chemistry·DateDec 27, 2021

Negative capacitance in topological transistors could reduce computing’s unsustainable energy load

Researchers have discovered that negative capacitance in topological transistors can switch at lower voltage, potentially reducing energy losses. This new design could help alleviate the unsustainable energy load of computing, which consumes about 8% of global electricity supply.

Quantum Physics in Proteins

A new analytical technique combines quantum physics and molecular biology to track biomolecule changes in less than a trillionth of a second. By analyzing the collective movement of atoms, researchers were able to reduce 6000 dimensions to four and characterize conical intersections of quantum states in complex molecules.

Three-channel Kondo effect discovered in cubic holmium compound

Researchers have discovered a three-channel Kondo effect in a cubic holmium compound using numerical methods, predicting an exotic quantum ground state and potential applications. The study found a residual entropy value at ultra-low temperatures, matching the predicted value by the three-channel Kondo effect.

SourceTokyo Metropolitan University·JournalJournal of the Physical Society of Japan·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateOct 30, 2021