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Spin squeezing for all

Researchers have successfully achieved spin squeezing in a more accessible way, enabling precise measurements with quantum-enhanced metrology. This breakthrough may lead to new portable sensors for biomedical imaging and atomic clocks.

SourceHarvard University·JournalNature Physics·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateAug 26, 2024

Researchers make breakthrough in fight against COVID-19

Researchers at Rice University and Northeastern University have made a discovery in the fight against COVID-19, uncovering new insights into how the virus infects human cells and can be neutralized. They found that antibodies targeting a specific part of the spike protein can bind to it and prevent the virus from entering human cells.

SourceRice University·JournalScience·DateAug 16, 2024

Physicists use light to probe deeper into the ‘invisible’ energy states of molecules

Researchers at the University of Bath have discovered a new optical phenomenon called hyper-Raman, which can penetrate deeper into living tissue and yield images with better contrast. This effect has significant potential applications in pharmaceutical science, security, forensics, environmental science, art conservation, and medicine.

SourceUniversity of Bath·JournalNature Photonics·TypeExperimental study·DateJul 31, 2024

Can a computer chip have zero energy loss in 1.58 dimensions?

Theoretical physicists at Utrecht University have discovered that fractals might hold the key to making electric currents flow without energy loss. By growing fractal structures on top of semiconductors, scientists have created materials with zero-dimensional corner modes and lossless one-dimensional edge states.

SourceUtrecht University, Faculty of Science·JournalNature Physics·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateJul 1, 2024

Customised thermal radiation

A team of researchers from TU Wien and the University of Manchester demonstrated the control of thermal radiation by manipulating its topological properties. They created a coating with varying metal layer thickness along the coastline of the British Isles, allowing for localized heat emission at specific points.

SourceVienna University of Technology·JournalScience·TypeExperimental study·DateJun 13, 2024

What waves know about their surroundings

Researchers at TU Wien have developed a theory to extract information from waves, allowing for precise measurements of objects in space. The theory reveals that the information content of a wave depends on its interaction with the object's properties, enabling customised waves to be generated for optimal information transfer.

SourceVienna University of Technology·JournalNature Physics·TypeExperimental study·DateJun 12, 2024

From burns to the wave nature of heat – via the telegraph equation

Researchers from the Polish Academy of Sciences find that wave phenomena, like sound waves, may be responsible for heat transport in complex systems. The study uses the telegraph equation to describe how electric current propagates with attenuation along one spatial dimension.

SourceThe Henryk Niewodniczanski Institute of Nuclear Physics Polish Academy of Sciences·JournalInternational Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer·DateMay 23, 2024

What is "time" for quantum particles?

Physicists from TU Darmstadt propose a new approach to define and measure the time required for quantum tunneling. They suggest using Ramsey clocks, which utilize the oscillation of atoms to determine the elapsed time. The proposed method may correct previous experiments that observed particles moving faster than light during tunneling.

SourceTechnische Universitat Darmstadt·JournalScience Advances·TypeExperimental study·DateMay 16, 2024

UTA scientists test for quantum nature of gravity

Researchers at UTA used ultra-high energy neutrino particles to search for signatures of quantum gravity, but found no evidence of expected quantum gravitational effects. This non-observation represents a powerful statement about the still-unknown physics operating at the interface of quantum physics and general relativity.

SourceUniversity of Texas at Arlington·JournalNature Physics·TypeObservational study·DateMay 2, 2024

From disorder to order: flocking birds and “spinning” particles

Scientists have found a new way to create ordered states in quantum systems by increasing particle motility, leading to potential breakthroughs in quantum computing and magnetic memory. This discovery extends the concept of active matter to the quantum realm and has far-reaching implications for technology development.

SourceSchool of Science, The University of Tokyo·JournalPhysical Review Research·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateApr 26, 2024

New image of the center of our Milky Way: Spiral magnetic fields surround black hole Sagittarius A*

Researchers analyze data from another series of observations to study Sgr A*, finding that strong and ordered magnetic fields are critical to how black holes interact with gas and matter around them. The discovery enhances theoretical models and simulations, refining our understanding of black hole dynamics near the event horizon.

SourceGoethe University Frankfurt·JournalThe Astrophysical Journal Letters·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateMar 27, 2024

Rice’s Nai-Hui Chia wins NSF CAREER Award

Nai-Hui Chia, an assistant professor of computer science at Rice University, has received a National Science Foundation CAREER Award to develop a new theoretical framework for efficient quantum algorithms. The grant aims to enhance the security of quantum cryptography and tackle complex problems in physics and machine learning.

Under pressure

Scientists have created a novel instrument that enables the precise measurement of superconductors under extreme pressure, overcoming existing limitations. The new tool uses quantum sensors integrated into a standard pressure-inducing device, allowing for direct imaging of the material's behavior.

SourceHarvard University·JournalNature·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 28, 2024

Physicists discover a quantum state with a new type of emergent particles: six-flux composite fermions

Researchers at Purdue University have discovered a new type of emergent particle, the six-flux composite fermion, which explains rare quantum states in host materials. This discovery expands our understanding of topological electron physics and has significant implications for the ordering of known fractional quantum Hall states.

SourcePurdue University·JournalNature Communications·DateFeb 21, 2024