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Neutron-rich nuclei yield beta-decay clues that could refine heavy-element origin models

How are heavy elements formed in the universe? Extremely neutron-rich atomic nuclei and their beta-decay rates play an important role in this process. Until now, it has been very difficult to determine these rates experimentally. Researchers at TU Darmstadt have developed theoretical predictions for such processes and successfully compared them with experimental data, where they […]

Physicists observe synchronized quantum dance of excitons and phonons

An international team of researchers has reported a major advance in understanding quantum dynamics in semiconductor materials. They directly observed how excitons and phonons evolve together in perovskite nanocrystals, revealing a fully coherent quantum dance between light-induced electronic excitations and crystal lattice vibrations. They published their findings in Nature Communications.

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Hardy ice plant’s optical innovation inspires reflective design possibilities

Nature is filled with remarkable visual phenomena created by microscopic surface structures that interact with light in fascinating ways. The iridescent wings of butterflies, the shimmering feathers of birds and the glossy surfaces of flower petals are all examples of how living organisms control the reflection, absorption and scattering of light. These optical effects are […]

Precision measurement under impact—when the balance itself becomes the object of measurement

How do you take measurements using one of the most sensitive scales in the world? Researchers at TU Wien have demonstrated how the measurement process affects not only the object being measured but also the scale itself, and where the absolute limits of precision lie.

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Dino-killing asteroid may have fueled underground life for 8 million years

The asteroid that caused the extinction of the dinosaurs also created an underground environment suited to supporting new life, and new research suggests it lasted for millions of years longer than previously suspected.

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New buried-growth process enables 2D arrays of position- and orientation-controlled diamond qubits

Researchers at Kanazawa University, in collaboration with Diamond and Carbon Applications (Germany), have developed a buried-growth process for nitrogen–vacancy (NV) centers in diamond using microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition (MPCVD). By employing nitrogen-radical selective etching, which simultaneously enhances metal-mask durability through nitridation, the team enabled a continuous etching–growth sequence within a single MPCVD process.

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MeerKAT reveals three electron acceleration sites in one solar flare

Solar flares are the most explosive energy-release events in the solar corona, leading to intense particle acceleration, plasma heating and bulk plasma motions on short timescales. Core questions during solar flares remain unresolved, including how and where particle acceleration occurs, and how energized electrons propagate through coronal magnetic structures.

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SpaceX’s hold over orbit matches East India Company’s grip on maritime trade

Elon Musk’s SpaceX holds sway over the emerging space economy in a way that has more in common with notorious colonial-era trading companies than the competitive markets of today’s textbooks, according to a new study.

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Italian Luca Parmitano to be first European to join an Artemis mission: NASA

Luca Parmitano, an Italian astronaut, will be the pilot of NASA’s Artemis 3 mission, the first European to join one of the program’s missions, the U.S. space agency announced Tuesday.

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‘Miracle’: Boy ejected from crash lands on hood of Ga. police cruiser, walks away with scratches

The Gwinnett County Police Department warned drivers to make sure everyone in the vehicle is properly restrained; the officer helped the boy to safety after the crash

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‘It’s coming’: Border czar warns of ICE surge in NYC

The proposed surge follows New York’s approval of legislation limiting ICE operations and restricting agents from wearing masks during enforcement actions

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‘Time is your biggest tactic’: ‘Shots Fired’ podcast details lessons from Bakersfield hostage standoff

A 16-hour hostage standoff involving 10 hostages, suspected explosives and a medical emergency highlights lessons on containment, negotiations and tactical patience

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BWC: Suspect attacked by alligator while fleeing from La. deputies through swamp

The man continued to flee from St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office deputies after the attack; he was later found using a drone

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Possible dark matter-deficient twins discovered in the Fornax Cluster

Astronomers have identified a possible new example of one of the universe’s strangest galaxy types: galaxies that appear to contain little or no dark matter. The newly studied pair, FCC 224 and FCC 240, on the outskirts of the Fornax Cluster, share several unusual traits with the only known pair of controversial dark-matter-deficient galaxies. The […]

Space telescopes are now overwhelmed by satellite trails

Unfortunately, there’s more bad news to report on the clear skies front. A new paper, available on the arXiv preprint server from researchers at NASA’s Ames Research Center, reports that 73.3% of images the agency’s new SPHEREx space telescope collected between May and September of last year were contaminated by at least one artificial satellite […]