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The physics of random stacking: Perspectives on stability and chaos

Pile up blocks until the tower collapses. But why does the tower always end up collapsing? Is it possible that it can be built ad infinitum? A study published in the International Journal of Solids and Structures explores the fascinating and complex dynamics of the stacking of blocks subjected to hazards. Carried out by Vincent […]

Explaining physical reality: Physicists ‘bootstrap’ validity of string theory

String theory, conceptualized more than 50 years ago as a framework to explain the formation of matter, remains elusive as a “provable” phenomenon. But a team of physicists has now taken a significant step forward in validating string theory by using an innovative mathematical method that points to its “inevitability.”

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Very cold detectors reveal very hot universe and kick off a new era in X-ray astronomy

X-rays are radiated by matter hotter than one million Kelvin, and high-resolution X-ray spectroscopy can tell us about the composition of the matter and how fast and in what direction it is moving. Quantum calorimeters are opening this new window on the universe. First promised four decades ago, the quantum-calorimeter era of X-ray astronomy has […]

Current generated by the quantum Hall effect found to have additional magnetic properties

The quantum Hall effect, a fundamental effect in quantum mechanics, not only generates an electric but also a magnetic current. It arises from the motion of electrons on an orbit around the nuclei of atoms. This has been demonstrated by the calculations of a team from Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU), which are now published […]

Physics and emote design: Quantifying clarity in digital images

When analyzing artworks, understanding the visual clarity of compositions is crucial. Inspired by digital artists, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) researchers from the Mechanics and Materials Unit have created a metric to quantify clarity in digital images. As a result, scientists can accurately capture changes in structure during artistic processes and physical transformations. […]

LHCb sheds light on two pieces of the matter–antimatter puzzle: Baryon and beauty hadron decays

In the Big Bang, matter and antimatter should have been created in equal amounts. But fast forward 13.8 billion years to the present day, and the universe is made almost entirely of matter, so something must have happened to create this imbalance.

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How do you make a kilogram? Gravity can provide new answers

Claus Lämmerzahl, Professor of Gravitational Physics at the University of Bremen, and Dr. Sebastian Ulbricht, scientist at the Natural Metrology Institute, have proposed in a new article that gravity could be the basis for the quantum-physical realization of quantities.

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Physicists uncover strong light-matter interactions in quantum spin liquids

Physicists have long theorized the existence of a unique state of matter known as a quantum spin liquid. In this state, magnetic particles do not settle into an orderly pattern, even at absolute zero temperature. Instead, they remain in a constantly fluctuating, entangled state.

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Bringing the power of tabletop precision lasers for quantum science to the chip scale

For experiments that require ultra-precise measurements and control over atoms—think two-photon atomic clocks, cold-atom interferometer sensors and quantum gates—lasers are the technology of choice, the more spectrally pure (emitting a single color/frequency), the better. Conventional lab-scale laser technology currently achieves this ultra low-noise, stable light via bulky, costly tabletop systems designed to generate, harness and […]

Infrared quantum ghost imaging illuminates—but doesn’t disturb—living plants

A study published in the journal Optica demonstrates live plant imaging of several representative plant samples, including the biofuel crop sorghum. By employing a novel detector, researchers obtained clear images of living sorghum plants with a light far dimmer than starlight. This advance enables imaging of delicate, light-sensitive samples, such as biofuel crops, without disturbing […]

Scientists achieve nuclear spin coherence in levitating microparticles

A new study in Physical Review Letters demonstrates the levitation of a microparticle using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), having potential implications from biology to quantum computing.

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Tilted magnetic materials offer fresh path for thermoelectric applications

A research team from NIMS and UTokyo has proposed and demonstrated that the transverse magneto-thermoelectric conversion in magnetic materials can be utilized with much higher performance than previously by developing artificial materials comprising alternately and obliquely stacked multilayers of a magnetic metal and semiconductor.

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Time-symmetry concept boosts accuracy of radar and LiDAR systems

An international research team has developed a new technology that helps to improve the accuracy of radar applications and LiDAR systems. Among its possible uses, it could contribute to implementing autonomous cars and optimize environmental monitoring.

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Theory-based approach gives access to quarks’ tiny transverse motion within protons

Nuclear theorists at Brookhaven National Laboratory and Argonne National Laboratory have successfully employed a new theoretical approach to calculate the Collins-Soper kernel, a quantity that describes how the distribution of quarks’ transverse momentum inside a proton changes with the collision energy.

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Exploiting optical materials to capture hidden data through new imaging approach

In an era where autonomous navigation, medical diagnostics and remote sensing are rapidly evolving, traditional cameras—limited to capturing only the red, green, and blue (RGB) light intensities—are falling short of data demands. These cameras often miss essential spectral and polarization details crucial for identifying materials, distinguishing healthy from diseased tissue, providing unique 3D situational awareness […]