Categories

Investigating the flow of fluids with non-monotonic, ‘S-shaped’ rheology

Water and oil, and some other simple fluids, respond in the same way to all levels of shear stress. These are termed Newtonian fluids, and their viscosity is constant for all stresses although it will vary with temperature. Under different stresses and pressure gradients, other non-Newtonian fluids exhibit patterns of behavior that are much more […]

Room-temperature nonreciprocal Hall effect could heat up future technology development

An old physical phenomenon known as the Hall effect has revealed some new tricks, according to a team co-led by researchers at Penn State and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). They have reported their findings, which they said have potential implications for understanding the fundamental physics of quantum materials and developing applied technologies such […]

Superconductivity researchers solve the mystery of Fermi arcs

High-temperature superconductivity is one of the great mysteries of modern physics: Some materials conduct electrical current without any resistance—but only at very low temperatures. Finding a material that remains superconducting even at room temperature would spark a technological revolution. People all over the world are therefore working on a better, more comprehensive understanding of such […]

Successful experiment paves the way for discovery of a new element

The search for new elements comes from the dream of finding a variant that is sufficiently stable to be long-lived and not prone to immediate decay. There is a theory in nuclear physics about an island of stability of superheavy elements. This is a potential zone in the upper part of the periodic table of […]

Fringe photometric stereo method improves speed and accuracy of 3D surface measurements

Researchers have developed a faster and more accurate method for acquiring and reconstructing high-quality 3D surface measurements. The approach could greatly improve the speed and accuracy of surface measurements used for industrial inspection, medical applications, robotic vision and more.

Go to Source

Ultra-small spectrometer yields the power of a 1,000 times bigger device

Spectrometers are technology for reading light that date back to the era of famed 17th-century physicist Isaac Newton. They work by breaking down light waves into their different colors—or spectra—to provide information about the makeup of the objects being measured.

Go to Source

Superconductivity offers new insights into quantum material MnBi₂Te₄

For the first time since the discovery of the material MnBi2Te4 (MBT), researchers at the University of Twente have successfully made it behave like a superconductor. This marks an important step in understanding MBT and is significant for future technologies, such as new methods of information processing and quantum computing.

Go to Source

[…]

A multi-level breakthrough in optical computing—a faster, more efficient, and robust memory cell

For the first time, an international cadre of electrical engineers has developed a new method for photonic in-memory computing that could make optical computing a reality in the near future.

Go to Source

Scientists successfully increase measurement rate of Raman spectroscopy by 100-fold

Researchers Takuma Nakamura, Kazuki Hashimoto, and Takuro Ideguchi of the Institute for Photon Science and Technology at the University of Tokyo have increased by 100-fold the measurement rate of Raman spectroscopy, a common technique for measuring the “vibrational fingerprint” of molecules in order to identify them.

Go to Source

Tracking down nuclear fission’s elusive scission neutron with a supercomputer

Nuclear fission—when the nucleus of an atom splits in two, releasing energy—may seem like a process that is fully understood. First discovered in 1939 and thoroughly studied ever since, fission is a constant factor in modern life, used in everything from nuclear medicine to power-generating nuclear reactors. However, it is a force of nature that […]

Get a grip: The best thumb position for disc launch speed and spin rate

Disc golf is a sport growing in popularity, but there hasn’t been much research into the best techniques—until now. Researcher Zachary Lindsey and his team studied professional and amateur disc golf players in Georgia to analyze the effect of thumb grip on disc-throwing.

Go to Source

Towards better solar cells: Exploring an anomalous phenomenon of electricity generation

The bulk photovoltaic (BPV) effect is an uncommon phenomenon that may enable certain materials to outperform the conventional p–n junctions used in solar cells.

Go to Source

Optimism meets skepticism at Quantum Summit in Chicago

Pioneers of quantum computing have shared their dreams and skepticism about the fledgling industry, while Gov. JB Pritzker said he thinks it’s already attracting companies to Illinois.

Go to Source

Nuclear fusion energy requires heat- and radiation-resilient materials to be reliable, says nuclear engineer

Fusion energy has the potential to be an effective clean energy source, as its reactions generate incredibly large amounts of energy. Fusion reactors aim to reproduce on Earth what happens in the core of the sun, where very light elements merge and release energy in the process. Engineers can harness this energy to heat water […]

Walk or run in the rain? A physics-based approached to staying dry (or at least drier)

We’ve all been there—caught outside without an umbrella as the sky opens up. Whether it’s a light drizzle or a heavy downpour, instinct tells us that running will minimize how wet we get. But is that really true? Let’s take a scientific look at this common dilemma.

Go to Source