Scientific clockmakers have crafted a prototype of a nuclear clock, hinting at future possibilities for using atomic nuclei to perform precise measurements of time and make new tests of fundamental physics theories. While the definition of a “clock” is scientifically hazy, the prototype is not yet used to measure time. So it technically should be … Read more
Mayonnaise’s texture inspires love and loathing. Either way, it’s perfect for physics experiments. The classic condiment is useful for understanding how materials behave, not only when smeared on sandwiches or plopped in potato salads, but also when deployed in nuclear fusion experiments. Mechanical engineer Arindam Banerjee of Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pa., and colleagues are … Read more
At age 12, Tracy Slatyer felt sorry for a book. She read a newspaper article about how lots of people were buying A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking. “But then … nobody was actually reading it,” she says. “People were just leaving it on their coffee tables.” Determined to rectify this wrong, Slatyer … Read more
The neutrino “fog” has begun to materialize. Light subatomic particles called neutrinos are starting to make their way into the data of experiments not designed to detect them. Two experiments designed to detect dark matter particles have captured the first glimpses of neutrinos born in the Sun, physicists report. “This is a triumph,” says neutrino … Read more
Extreme Climate Survey Scientific news is collecting readers’ questions about how to navigate our planet’s changing climate. What do you want to know about extreme heat and how it can lead to extreme weather events? Most “radiant cooling” designs involve roofs designed to receive and then emit the sun’s energy in infrared wavelengths that radiate … Read more
The motion of moving electrons is captured like never before. Researchers have developed a laser-based microscope that produces images at speeds of attoseconds – or one billionth of one billionth of a second. Called “attomicroscopy,” the technique can capture the sharp movement of electrons inside a molecule with far greater precision than was previously possible, … Read more
Scientists have just narrowed down the possible hiding spaces for dark matter particles. The LUX-ZEPLIN, or LZ, experiment has searched for and ruled out the existence of dark matter particles with a wide range of properties, researchers report Aug. 26 at two conferences. Dark matter is a substance whose influence can be seen on the … Read more
For the first time, a quantum computer has improved its results by continuously correcting its own miscalculations with a technique called quantum error correction. Scientists have long known that quantum computers need error correction to fulfill their potential to solve the problems that hinder standard, “classic” computers (SN: 22.6.20). Quantum computers compute with quantum bits, … Read more
Quantum entanglement has made its way to the top. Scientists have measured the strange quantum phenomenon of entanglement in top quarks, the heaviest fundamental subatomic particles known. It is the first detection of entanglement between pairs of quarks – a class of subatomic particles that make up larger particles, including protons and neutrons. Particles that … Read more
Bhavin Shastri still gets excited when he sees a laser pointer and has been fascinated by them since he was about 10 years old. “I was amazed that a beam of light could retain its brightness, concentrated in a small spot even after traveling a great distance,” says Shastri. “A laser pointer in my hand … Read more