Laser stability method advances precision control of electrons with light

Researchers at the University of Oldenburg’s Institute of Physics are working on techniques for precision control of electric fields of light, which allow the dynamics of individual electrons to be manipulated in experiments. Now a team from the Attosecond Microscopy research group, led by Dr. Jan Vogelsang, has taken a decisive step toward this goal. […]

Krypton gas emerges as a new ingredient for quantum computing

To commercialize quantum computing, manufacturers need high-quality superconducting materials for microchips, but they also require a reliable, sustainable nanofabrication process. Tantalum is a corrosion-resistant metal that meets the first criterion but not the second. That’s because it has to be deposited on a substrate at temperatures that typically exceed 400°C (752°F)—too hot for many semiconductor […]

Mars attacks: How much dust from the red planet is safe to breathe?

NASA has released a report recommending an initial health standard for the Martian dust that astronauts could inhale during future missions. Although sending people to Mars is still years away, NASA needs to establish safety limits now. Spacecraft, spacesuits and crew habitats take years to design and test, and engineers need a measurable target for […]

Dying radio galaxies suggest a shorter, more dynamic afterlife for black hole jets

Astronomers have uncovered a previously underexplored population of faint, rapidly fading remnant radio galaxies, offering new insights into what happens after supermassive black holes stop powering their enormous radio jets.

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A single asteroid impact may explain the appearance of Mars’ moon Deimos

Deimos, the smaller and outermost of Mars’ two moons, is roughly oval in shape and has a deep depression at its south pole. Unlike its heavily scarred sister moon, Phobos, Deimos is covered by a loose layer of dust and rubble—a so-called regolith layer—which gives it a smoother, dustier appearance. Although numerous space probes have […]

NASA’s LRO images Falcon 9 crater on moon, learns new details

Between Aug. 11–12, NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) captured a series of images of a new crater on the moon. The crater formed Aug. 5, when a SpaceX Falcon 9 upper stage impacted the surface following its Jan. 2025 launch of the Firefly Blue Ghost 1 mission.

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Curved surfaces reshape active materials, localizing vibrations near defects

Many materials, both living and engineered, are powered from within. Scientists have thoroughly investigated how such ‘active’ materials operate, but so far, mostly in circumstances where the curvature of the environment does not play a role. In research published in Physical Review Letters this week, a team of physicists proposes a framework to describe how […]

New photonic crystal method improves single-photon sources for quantum networks

Quantum communication promises many advantages over today’s standard technologies, including absolutely secure transmission of large amounts of data. However, it requires single photons—and generating them is very difficult. Researchers at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and the Munich Center for Quantum Science and Technology (MCQST) have developed a new method that overcomes the problems […]

Mass. police seek Blue H.E.L.P. co-founder after off-duty officer found dead

Karen Solomon, a co-founder of law enforcement mental health organization Blue H.E.L.P., is wanted for questioning in the death of a 30-year Worcester PD officer

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‘Hidden stars’ suggest that distant galaxies are much more massive than they appear

Astronomers have discovered that the most massive galaxies in the early universe contain far more small stars than expected. As a result, these early galaxies were likely much more massive than initial measurements suggested. This discovery challenges current understanding about how the first galaxies formed. The results are published today in Nature Astronomy.

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Sound-based traps reveal how fragile biomolecular droplets move, merge and change stiffness

Being able to measure something plays a vital role in our ability to understand many phenomena. But measuring can often affect what we are trying to measure. This is particularly the case when measuring substances that are very small, soft or fragile. In a recent study published in PRX Life, a research team led by […]

The global race to make a practical quantum computer just took a big leap forward

In the global race to build bigger and better quantum computers, researchers have taken a step forward. A new machine called Helios is radically different from other quantum computers.

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Physicists entangle quantum memories across a record-breaking 420 km

Optical fibers are already the backbone of global communication systems. Recently, however, physicists have started to explore how their functionality could be boosted further by conveying information via entangled quantum particles—potentially enabling instantaneous exchanges of information across vast distances. Such a system could eventually be the basis of a future ‘quantum internet,’ offering a level […]

Century-old Pa. PD disbanded over budgetary concerns

The move to close the Oxford Borough PD was protested by community members; borough councilmembers cited financial concerns as reasons for the closure

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NASA’s SkyFall Mars helicopters will feature a revolutionary antenna design

From 2021 to 2024, NASA’s Ingenuity helicopter became the first vehicle of its kind to explore the Martian atmosphere and surface. With that proof of concept complete, NASA is preparing to send a trio of helicopters to search for the most precious resource for future astronaut missions: water. Known as the SkyFall trio, these helicopters […]