Infrared detectors created for viper-like night vision
Much like some snakes use infrared to 'see' at night, researchers are working to create similar viper vision to improve the sensitivity of night-vision cameras.
Read morePhysics
Achieving quantum supremacy
Researchers have made good on their claim to quantum supremacy. Using 53 entangled quantum bits ('qubits'), their Sycamore computer has taken on — and solved — a problem considered intractable for classical computers.
Read moreFirst identification of a heavy element born from neutron star collision
For the first time, a freshly made heavy element, strontium, has been detected in space, in the aftermath of a merger of two neutron stars. The detection confirms that the heavier elements in the Universe can form in neutron star mergers, providing a missing piece of the puzzle of chemical element formation.
Read moreMachine-learning analysis of X-ray data picks out key catalytic properties
Scientists seeking to design new catalysts to convert carbon dioxide (CO2) to methane have used a novel artificial intelligence (AI) approach to identify key catalytic properties. By using this method to track the size, structure, and chemistry of catalytic particles under real reaction conditions, the scientists can identify which properties correspond to the best catalytic performance, and then use that information to guide the design of more efficient catalysts.
Read moreTradeoffs between commute time, safety
Urban commuters may be less likely to encounter automobile accidents if they are willing to increase trip time, researchers report. A new study introduces a tool that helps quantify the connection between traffic accidents and city road networks.
Read moreMix master: Modeling magnetic reconnection in partially ionized plasma
Many of the most dramatic events in the solar system — the spectacle of the Northern Lights, the explosiveness of solar flares, and the destructive impact of geomagnetic storms that can disrupt communication and electrical grids on Earth — are driven in part by a common phenomenon: fast magnetic reconnection. In this process the magnetic field lines in plasma — the gas-like state of matter consisting of free electrons and atomic nuclei, or ions — tear, come back together and release large amounts of energy.
Read moreElusive atomic-scale magnetic 'signal' in a Mott insulator revealed
Spin-polarizing scanning tunneling microscopy allowed researchers to detect an elusive atomic-scale magnetic signal in a Mott insulator, reports a team of scientists.
Read moreMagneto-inertial fusion experiment nears completion
The Plasma Liner Experiment will soon test the potential for a novel plasma fusion concept, while offering insights into the physics of colliding plasma jets.
Read moreA star is born: Using lasers to study how star stuff is made
On a typical day at the world's biggest laser you can find scientists casually making star-like conditions using 192 high-powered lasers. Stars in the universe are formed through a process called nucleosynthesis, which fuses lighter atoms to create new heavier atomic nuclei. Natural elements found here on Earth, such as helium and aluminum, were formed through this process inside of a star not unlike our own sun.
Read moreNew insights could help tame speedy ions in fusion plasmas
To create a practical fusion energy reactor, researchers need to control particles known as fast ions. These speedy ions, which are electrically charged hydrogen atoms, provide much of the self-heating ability of the reactor as they collide with other ions. But they can also quickly escape the powerful magnetic fields used to confine them and overheat the walls of the containment vessel, causing damage.
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