Density fluctuations in amorphous silicon discovered For the first time, a team at HZB has identified the atomic substructure of amorphous silicon with a resolution of 0.8 nanometres using X-ray and neutron scattering at BESSY II and BER II. Such a-Si:H …
Assessing the viability of small modular nuclear reactors Small modular nuclear reactors could provide nuclear power to small communities and rural areas currently served by environmentally damaging fossil fuel energy-sources. Assessing the potential of thes …
Researchers form ultra-strong coupling between photons and atoms ITMO University researchers have demonstrated that individual atoms can be transformed into polaritons—quantum particles that are a mixture of matter and light, which are transmitted via optical fiber …
Identifying biomolecule fragments in ionising radiation When living cells are bombarded with fast, heavy ions, their interactions with water molecules can produce randomly scattered 'secondary' electrons with a wide range of energies. These elect …
Bumper crop of black holes in new gravitational wave paper Only a few years ago, scientists the world over celebrated as the first-ever gravitational waves were detected—confirming a long-held scientific theory and opening up an entirely new field of research …
Infrared light antenna powers molecular motor Light-controlled molecular motors can be used to create functional materials to provide autonomous motion, or in systems that can respond on command. For biological applications, this requires the mot …
Weak equivalence principle violated in gravitational waves The Weak equivalence principle (WEP) is a key aspect of classical physics. It states that when particles are in freefall, the trajectories they follow are entirely independent of their masses. However …
Knotting semimetals in topological electrical circuits Invented more than 15,000 years ago, knots represent one of the earliest technological breakthroughs at the dawn of human history that kick-started the subsequent rise of human civilisation. Even toda …
First-ever evidence of exotic particles in cobalt monosilicide Anew study provides the first evidence of exotic particles, known as fourfold topological quasiparticles, in the metallic alloy cobalt monosilicide. Published in the Proceedings of the National Academ …
Record neutron numbers at Sandia Labs' Z machine fusion experiments A relatively new method to control nuclear fusion that combines a massive jolt of electricity with strong magnetic fields and a powerful laser beam has achieved its own record output of neutrons—a key …
Random effects key to containing epidemics To control an epidemic, authorities will often impose varying degrees of lockdown. In a paper in the journal Chaos, scientists have discovered, using mathematics and computer simulations, why dividing …
A major milestone for an underground dark matter search experiment Crews working on the largest U.S. experiment designed to directly detect dark matter completed a major milestone last month, and are now turning their sights toward startup after experiencing some del …
Solid-state technology for big data in particle physics At CERN's Large Hadron Collider, as many as 40 million particle collisions occur within the span of a single second inside the CMS particle detector's more than 80 million detection channels …
Exploring the source of stars and planets in a laboratory A new method for verifying a widely held but unproven theoretical explanation of the formation of stars and planets has been proposed by researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Princ …
Quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) exhibit extreme pulses Extreme events occur in many observable contexts. Nature is a prolific source: rogue water waves surging high above the swell, monsoon rains, wildfire, etc. From climate science to optics, physicists …
Time crystals lead researchers to future computational work Time crystals sound like something out of science fiction, but they may be the next major leap in quantum network research. A team based in Japan has proposed a method to use time crystals to simulate …
Precision metrology closes in on dark matter Optical clocks are so accurate that it would take an estimated 20 billion years—longer than the age of the universe—to lose or gain a second. Now, researchers in the U.S. led by Jun Ye's group at …
Pump down the volume: Study finds noise-cancelling formula Noisy, open-plan offices full of workers hunched over desks while wearing noise canceling headphones could soon be a thing of the past, thanks to new research from The Australian National University ( …