Dense galaxies are carving out a bubble in the early universe

When JWST’s first science results started rolling in, it was a triumph for scientific vision and persistence. For years, the fate of the powerful space telescope was uncertain. It went way over budget, and for 25 years, troubling conversations accompanied its ongoing development. Several times, it seemed like it would be canceled, and in 2011, Congress came close to ending the program.

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A new design for a plasma engine fuels on only thin air

Choosing an orbit for a satellite always comes with trade-offs. Very low Earth orbit (VLEO), between 100–450 km (62–280 miles), has distinct advantages. Remote-sensing cameras can take better pictures, communications and radar require less power, and atmospheric drag automatically cleans up dead satellites.

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Active black holes reveal star-forming rings and shock waves in nine nearby galaxies

A new study of nine nearby galaxies has shown that actively growing supermassive black holes may contribute to, rather than prevent, star formation in their host galaxies.

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Series of reactions reveals how complex carbon chemistry can begin in frigid space

Before there was Earth, there was chemistry. In the unimaginable cold, dark clouds where stars and planets are born, carbon molecules assemble into more complex forms—starting a chemical journey that could eventually deliver some of life’s basic ingredients to young planets. There’s only one problem: These molecules need heat to form. At least that’s what scientists have long believed. But new research from FIU chemist Alexander Mebel reveals such chemistry can actually happen at temperatures nearing absolute zero, which is -460°F (-273°C).

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How the 2024 solar superstorm drained Earth’s radiation belt

In May 2024, Earth experienced its most intense geomagnetic storm since the Halloween storms of 2003. This “superstorm” filled night skies in many parts of the world with colorful aurorae, and it disrupted some infrastructure, such as GPS signals used by agricultural equipment.

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From atomic vibrations to laboratory mechanics: Bridging 20 orders of magnitude in time

How can we predict the way a real material, such as a polymer, responds mechanically over timescales ranging from the ultrafast motion of atoms to the slow deformations measured in a laboratory? This is a deceptively difficult problem.

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BWC: Man shoots bystanders in passing vehicles before Houston PD OIS

Three Houston PD officers and a Texas DPS trooper opened fire on the man after he ignored repeated commands to drop the rifle and raised it toward them, according to police

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Speedy electrons for brilliant laser light: Research paves the way for compact, inexpensive free-electron lasers

Extremely short, intense light flashes are in high demand to investigate atoms, molecules and new materials. Free-electron lasers (FELs) produce these flashes. But around the world, beam time available at large-scale user facilities is in short supply, and waiting times are long.

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Getting photons into shape for reliable quantum communication

The vast majority of modern quantum technologies—from quantum cryptography to the quantum internet to the quantum computer—rely on one essential element: the transmission of photons. Two qubits (two atoms, for example) exchange information: One qubit emits a photon, and the other qubit absorbs it.

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Physicists help uncover ‘spooky’ quantum effect in the Large Hadron Collider

Physicists at the University of Oxford have helped confirm that one of the strangest phenomena in physics—quantum entanglement—occurs even among some of the heaviest and most fleeting particles ever created. The discovery, made using the world’s most powerful particle collider at CERN, has been published in Physical Review Letters.

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Ultracold cesium atoms reveal Bethe strings predicted nearly a century ago

In 1931, physicist Hans Bethe predicted that, in certain one-dimensional quantum systems, particles can bind together to form multi-particle states known as Bethe strings. Unlike ordinary molecules, which are held together by chemical bonds, Bethe strings arise purely from interactions between particles and exist only in one dimension. For decades, Bethe strings remained primarily a theoretical concept.

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Unified framework shows thermoelectric performance depends on more than the material itself

Thermoelectric materials can directly convert heat into electricity, making them promising for recovering waste heat from factories, vehicles and other sources. They can also transport heat when an electric current is applied through a phenomenon known as the Peltier effect. These properties have attracted considerable interest in energy-saving technologies and thermal management.

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Mo. city furloughs all police officers due to ‘financial crisis’

The Riverview Police Department has been “temporarily disbanded” amid the city’s financial crisis, officials stated; all of its officers have been furloughed for an estimated three months

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Wash. officers injured after stolen tractor-trailer strikes 5 cruisers

The suspect stole the truck and attempted to flee, hitting Everett PD and Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office cruisers; four police officers and one deputy were taken to a hospital

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Video: Calif. officer fatally shoots man stabbing women in alleged random attack

The suspect reportedly attacked the women after stabbing himself repeatedly; a Sacramento County Deputy fired shots after witnessing the suspect stabbing one of the victims

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