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Randomization can improve quantum computer performance in presence of noise

New research led by a graduating Ph.D. student in The University of New Mexico Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering has shown that randomization can improve quantum computer performance in the presence of noise.

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Rethinking hysteresis—a thermodynamic framework for history-dependent solids

Many solid materials “remember” their past. A piece of metal may respond differently after being stretched, heated, or cooled, and memory materials rely precisely on this kind of history-dependent behavior. This phenomenon, known as hysteresis, is central to technologies such as memory devices, energy conversion materials, and durable structural materials.

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‘Butterfly’ molecule spotted at last, completing a 20-year quantum zoo hunt

For two decades, physicists have predicted the existence of a remarkable family of exotic molecules: giant atoms bound to ordinary atoms, with an electron so distant from its nucleus that it sculpts the pair into bizarre and diverse shapes. Reported in Physical Review Letters, the final member of this “quantum zoo” has been spotted. Led by Herwig Ott at RPTU University Kaiserslautern-Landau in Germany, a team of physicists has created and detected the “butterfly” molecule, completing a 20-year hunt for the elusive structure.

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Supercharging solar cells: Quantum dot-molecule hybrid states enable near-maximum efficiency

Solar panels have become more efficient over the years, but even the best designs still lose a large fraction of the energy they absorb. Scientists around the world have been searching for ways to capture more energy from every ray of sunlight and unlock the true potential of solar technology.

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Visualizing how flutter kick vertical vortices generate propulsion and suppress body sway in swimmers

Researchers at University of Tsukuba used advanced techniques to visualize the water flow generated by flutter kicking during front-crawl swimming. They analyzed how this kicking motion generates propulsive force and contributes to body stabilization, demonstrating that the vertical vortices resulting from the alternating left and right leg movements not only impart forward propulsion but also suppress body sway. These results provide a fluid-dynamical explanation of the functional value of the flutter kick.

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Tuning into quantum sounds: Acoustic devices simplify quantum sensors

When a singer belts out a tune while a guitar player strums along, sound waves travel through the air, driving collective oscillations of the molecules within. Meanwhile, at the quantum level, something similar is going on. Atoms inside materials, everything from our bodies to metals and more, naturally jiggle around, creating tiny vibrational waves that ripple across the material. These vibrations are known as phonons: the quantum version of sound waves.

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Universe’s most distant ‘Hot DOG’ yet may owe extreme infrared glow to polar dust, Webb reveals

New observations from the James Webb Space Telescope have revealed fresh details about one of the most luminous known objects in the universe: the dust-shrouded quasar W2246−0526, seen just 1.2 billion years after the Big Bang. The paper outlining the results was published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society on May 14.

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New material could help NASA melt moon rocks, harness lunar resources

A material recently discovered and tested at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland could help astronauts pack lighter for future missions to the moon. NASA is researching ways explorers could “live off the land” by harnessing lunar resources, including melting moon rocks to extract metals for building infrastructure and oxygen for fuel and life support.

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A beautiful death: How a dying star created the Crystal Ball Nebula

Planetary nebulae like the Crystal Ball Nebula (NGC 1514) are sort of like stellar obituaries. Though crystal balls supposedly reveal the future, the Crystal Ball Nebula tells us more about the past. It shows us how a binary pair of stars met their end. And since NGC 1514 is 1,500 light years away, we’re seeing what it looked like 1,500 years ago.

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BWC: Man shoots Minn. officer in hand before fatal OIS

The Richfield PD officer pursued the suspected prowler on foot before both men fell to the ground; the man produced a gun and shot the officer, prompting another officer to fire shots

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Mars fungi could make red planet regolith fertile for crops

You’re on the fourth human mission to Mars, and you’ve been tasked with establishing the first self-sustaining food crop on a Martian settlement. You’re nervous because you’re using a new type of fungi called beneficial fungi, which you’re told will help enhance the Martian regolith, enabling it to be used for growing crops.

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Updated 911 guidance targets international calls ahead of 2026 FIFA World Cup

Among the updated guidance, NENA said telecommunicators should check the ALI NAM field for international callback numbers rather than rely on ANI

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China launches crewed space flight as part of moon ambitions

China launched its crewed Shenzhou-23 spacecraft and eased it into a successful docking with a space station early Monday as part of Beijing’s ambitions to send humans to the moon by 2030, state media said.

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Study shows how sunspot activity speeds up reentries

It’s getting crowded up there. Over the past few years, the advent of SpaceX’s Starlink and other players in the mega-satellite constellation game are adding an exponential load of satellites and orbital debris to the low Earth orbit environment. But all that goes up, must eventually come down. Now, a new study looks at solar activity over time as a predictor for how reentries trend.

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N.H. trooper uses cruiser to stop wrong-way driver, crashing head-on

The driver of the Nissan was arrested on felony counts of reckless conduct, second-degree assault and criminal mischief, as well as driving under the influence

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