91av - Physics 91av - Physics / 91av - Physics /build/images/ns-logo-scaled.ed2dc11a.png daily 1 We may be about to solve the greatest riddle of electromagnetism /article/mg26435190-100-we-may-be-about-to-solve-the-greatest-riddle-of-electromagnetism/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 27 Nov 2024 16:00:00 +0000 Physicists have long wondered why particles can only have an electric charge of +1, -2 or any whole number. Now we increasingly suspect that, actually, that's not true after all mg26435190-100-we-may-be-about-to-solve-the-greatest-riddle-of-electromagnetism|2457380 The universe could vanish at any moment – why hasn’t it? /article/mg26435180-800-the-universe-could-vanish-at-any-moment-why-hasnt-it/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Tue, 19 Nov 2024 16:00:00 +0000 A cataclysmic quantum fluctuation could wipe out everything at any moment. The fact that we’re still here is revealing hidden cosmic realities mg26435180-800-the-universe-could-vanish-at-any-moment-why-hasnt-it|2456472 Quantum time crystals could be used to store energy /article/2456433-quantum-time-crystals-could-be-used-to-store-energy/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Mon, 18 Nov 2024 19:59:47 +0000 The weird thermodynamics found in time crystals could be harnessed to store energy in a quantum battery-like device 2456433-quantum-time-crystals-could-be-used-to-store-energy|2456433 Bizarre test shows light can actually cast its own shadow /article/2456023-bizarre-test-shows-light-can-actually-cast-its-own-shadow/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Thu, 14 Nov 2024 15:00:52 +0000 With the help of a ruby cube and two laser beams, researchers made one ray of light cast a shadow when illuminated by the other 2456023-bizarre-test-shows-light-can-actually-cast-its-own-shadow|2456023 You can't put a price on the sense of awe particle physics inspires /article/mg26435170-100-you-cant-put-a-price-on-the-sense-of-awe-particle-physics-inspires/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 13 Nov 2024 18:00:00 +0000 Astronomy and particle physics are no longer seen as vital by the US establishment, so funding has fallen. But our work creates a sense of wonder, and wonder matters, says Chanda Prescod-Weinstein mg26435170-100-you-cant-put-a-price-on-the-sense-of-awe-particle-physics-inspires|2455446 Jets of liquid bounce off hot surfaces without ever touching them /article/2455811-jets-of-liquid-bounce-off-hot-surfaces-without-ever-touching-them/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Tue, 12 Nov 2024 18:51:32 +0000 Droplets of fluid have been known to hover above a hot surface, but a new experiment suggests the same can happen to tiny jets of liquid too 2455811-jets-of-liquid-bounce-off-hot-surfaces-without-ever-touching-them|2455811 Quantum Rubik's cube has infinite patterns but is still solvable /article/2455266-quantum-rubiks-cube-has-infinite-patterns-but-is-still-solvable/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Fri, 08 Nov 2024 15:30:22 +0000 Allowing for moves that create quantum superpositions makes a quantum version of a Rubik’s cube incredibly complex, but not impossible to solve 2455266-quantum-rubiks-cube-has-infinite-patterns-but-is-still-solvable|2455266 Knots made in a weird quantum fluid can last forever /article/2455058-knots-made-in-a-weird-quantum-fluid-can-last-forever/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 06 Nov 2024 20:15:51 +0000 Shapes created by vortices in water often fall apart, but an odd quantum fluid made from ultracold atoms could support vortex knots that never lose their knottiness 2455058-knots-made-in-a-weird-quantum-fluid-can-last-forever|2455058 What is the price of genius, asks biography of Roger Penrose /article/mg26435162-400-what-is-the-price-of-genius-asks-biography-of-roger-penrose/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 06 Nov 2024 18:00:00 +0000 The Impossible Man by Patchen Barss salutes Roger Penrose's groundbreaking work in physics and mathematics while challenging the idea that a genius should be exempt from ordinary obligations mg26435162-400-what-is-the-price-of-genius-asks-biography-of-roger-penrose|2454622 Heat can flow backwards in a gas so thin its particles never touch /article/2454717-heat-can-flow-backwards-in-a-gas-so-thin-its-particles-never-touch/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Mon, 04 Nov 2024 21:45:20 +0000 A surprising reversal of our usual understanding of the second law of thermodynamics shows that it may be possible for heat to move in the “wrong” direction, flowing from a cold area to a warm one 2454717-heat-can-flow-backwards-in-a-gas-so-thin-its-particles-never-touch|2454717 We've seen particles that are massless only when moving one direction /article/2454508-weve-seen-particles-that-are-massless-only-when-moving-one-direction/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Fri, 01 Nov 2024 20:08:49 +0000 Inside a hunk of a material called a semimetal, scientists have uncovered signatures of bizarre particles that sometimes move like they have no mass, but at other times move just like a very massive particle 2454508-weve-seen-particles-that-are-massless-only-when-moving-one-direction|2454508 There may be a cosmic speed limit on how fast anything can grow /article/2454024-there-may-be-a-cosmic-speed-limit-on-how-fast-anything-can-grow/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Fri, 01 Nov 2024 14:28:25 +0000 Alan Turing's theories about computation seem to have a startling consequence, placing hard limits on how fast or slow any physical process in the universe can grow 2454024-there-may-be-a-cosmic-speed-limit-on-how-fast-anything-can-grow|2454024 Cloud-inspired material can bend light around corners /article/2454183-cloud-inspired-material-can-bend-light-around-corners/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Fri, 01 Nov 2024 10:00:21 +0000 Light can be directed and steered around bends using a method similar to the way clouds scatter photons, which could lead to advances in medical imaging, cooling systems and even nuclear reactors 2454183-cloud-inspired-material-can-bend-light-around-corners|2454183 Quantum batteries could give off more energy than they store /article/2453767-quantum-batteries-could-give-off-more-energy-than-they-store/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Tue, 29 Oct 2024 19:15:33 +0000 Simulations suggest that when a quantum battery shares a quantum state with the device it is powering, the device can gain more charge than was stored in the battery to begin with 2453767-quantum-batteries-could-give-off-more-energy-than-they-store|2453767 Quantum 'Schrödinger's cat' survives for a stunning 23 minutes /article/2453356-quantum-schrodingers-cat-survives-for-a-stunning-23-minutes/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Mon, 28 Oct 2024 19:32:34 +0000 A typically fragile quantum superposition has been made to last exceptionally long, and could eventually be used as a probe for discovering new physics 2453356-quantum-schrodingers-cat-survives-for-a-stunning-23-minutes|2453356 Rich biography of Marie Curie shows how she helped women into science /article/mg26435140-400-rich-biography-of-marie-curie-shows-how-she-helped-women-into-science/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 23 Oct 2024 19:00:00 +0100 Marie Curie redefined the role of women in science by training a generation of “lab daughters” to have stellar careers, shows Dava Sobel's detailed and intimate new biography, The Elements of Marie Curie mg26435140-400-rich-biography-of-marie-curie-shows-how-she-helped-women-into-science|2452426 Solving Stephen Hawking’s black hole paradox has raised new mysteries /article/mg26435140-700-solving-stephen-hawkings-black-hole-paradox-has-raised-new-mysteries/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Mon, 21 Oct 2024 17:00:00 +0100 Physicists finally know whether black holes destroy the information contained in infalling matter. The problem is that the answer hasn’t lit the way to a new understanding of space-time mg26435140-700-solving-stephen-hawkings-black-hole-paradox-has-raised-new-mysteries|2452429 The laws of physics appear to follow a mysterious mathematical pattern /article/2452341-the-laws-of-physics-appear-to-follow-a-mysterious-mathematical-pattern/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Mon, 21 Oct 2024 13:07:29 +0100 The symbols and mathematical operations used in the laws of physics follow a pattern that could reveal something fundamental about the universe 2452341-the-laws-of-physics-appear-to-follow-a-mysterious-mathematical-pattern|2452341 Indestructible quantum rifts can exist in two places at once /article/2452289-indestructible-quantum-rifts-can-exist-in-two-places-at-once/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Fri, 18 Oct 2024 20:00:39 +0100 Researchers used a collection of charged atoms to create a quantum superposition of an exotic type of defect 2452289-indestructible-quantum-rifts-can-exist-in-two-places-at-once|2452289 How a simple physics experiment could reveal the “dark dimension” /article/mg26334993-000-how-a-simple-physics-experiment-could-reveal-the-dark-dimension/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 10 Jul 2024 17:50:00 +0100 Could the universe's missing matter be hiding in a "dark" extra dimension? We now have simple ways to test this outlandish idea - and the existence of extra dimensions more generally mg26334993-000-how-a-simple-physics-experiment-could-reveal-the-dark-dimension|2438874 Quantum theory is challenging long-standing ideas about entropy /article/2452045-quantum-theory-is-challenging-long-standing-ideas-about-entropy/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Tue, 15 Oct 2024 23:15:49 +0100 A mathematical study finds that three definitions of what it means for entropy to increase, which have previously been considered equivalent, can produce different results in the quantum realm 2452045-quantum-theory-is-challenging-long-standing-ideas-about-entropy|2452045 Tiniest 'ruler' ever measures distances as small as an atom's width /article/2451369-tiniest-ruler-ever-measures-distances-as-small-as-an-atoms-width/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Thu, 10 Oct 2024 20:00:44 +0100 A new technique uses glowing molecules, laser light and microscopes to measure distances as minuscule as 0.1 nanometres – the width of a typical atom 2451369-tiniest-ruler-ever-measures-distances-as-small-as-an-atoms-width|2451369 Certain quantum systems may be able to defy entropy's effects forever /article/2450758-certain-quantum-systems-may-be-able-to-defy-entropys-effects-forever/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Mon, 07 Oct 2024 23:00:26 +0100 A mathematical proof shows that some quantum states can resist nature’s tendency to disorder – but only under very specific conditions 2450758-certain-quantum-systems-may-be-able-to-defy-entropys-effects-forever|2450758 This test could reveal whether gravity is subject to quantum weirdness /article/2450989-this-test-could-reveal-whether-gravity-is-subject-to-quantum-weirdness/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 09 Oct 2024 16:00:55 +0100 If gravity is a truly quantum entity, something as simple as measuring the strength of an object’s gravitational field should change its quantum state 2450989-this-test-could-reveal-whether-gravity-is-subject-to-quantum-weirdness|2450989 The physicist who argues that there are no objective laws of physics /article/mg26435120-900-the-physicist-who-argues-that-there-are-no-objective-laws-of-physics/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Mon, 07 Oct 2024 17:00:00 +0100 Daniele Oriti’s pursuit of a theory of quantum gravity has led him to the startling conclusion that the laws of nature don’t exist independently of us – a perspective shift that could yield fresh breakthroughs mg26435120-900-the-physicist-who-argues-that-there-are-no-objective-laws-of-physics|2450641 Why the words we use in physics obscure the true nature of reality /article/mg26335090-100-why-the-words-we-use-in-physics-obscure-the-true-nature-of-reality/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 18 Sep 2024 17:00:00 +0100 Simple words like "force" and "particle" can mislead us as to what reality is actually like. Physicist Matt Strassler unpacks how to see things more clearly mg26335090-100-why-the-words-we-use-in-physics-obscure-the-true-nature-of-reality|2447889 We physicists could learn a lot by stepping beyond our specialisms /article/mg26335090-200-we-physicists-could-learn-a-lot-by-stepping-beyond-our-specialisms/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 18 Sep 2024 19:00:00 +0100 A recent atomic physics workshop was outside my dark matter comfort zone, but learning about science beyond my usual boundaries was invigorating, says Chanda Prescod-Weinstein mg26335090-200-we-physicists-could-learn-a-lot-by-stepping-beyond-our-specialisms|2447890 Light has been seen leaving an atom cloud before it entered /article/2448067-light-has-been-seen-leaving-an-atom-cloud-before-it-entered/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 18 Sep 2024 20:23:14 +0100 Particles of light can spend "negative time" passing through a cloud of extremely cold atoms – without breaking the laws of physics 2448067-light-has-been-seen-leaving-an-atom-cloud-before-it-entered|2448067 Freak waves may be more dangerous than we thought possible /article/2448563-freak-waves-may-be-more-dangerous-than-we-thought-possible/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 18 Sep 2024 17:00:35 +0100 Experiments in a state-of-the-art wave tank suggest we have underestimated the potential size and power of rogue waves and the risk they pose to offshore infrastructure 2448563-freak-waves-may-be-more-dangerous-than-we-thought-possible|2448563 Our reality seems to be compatible with a quantum multiverse /article/2447863-our-reality-seems-to-be-compatible-with-a-quantum-multiverse/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Tue, 17 Sep 2024 20:00:47 +0100 Even though the strange behaviour we observe in the quantum realm isn’t part of our daily lives, simulations suggest it is likely our reality could be one of the many worlds in a quantum multiverse 2447863-our-reality-seems-to-be-compatible-with-a-quantum-multiverse|2447863 Hopes for new physics dashed by ordinary-looking W bosons at CERN /article/2448286-hopes-for-new-physics-dashed-by-ordinary-looking-w-bosons-at-cern/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Tue, 17 Sep 2024 14:20:55 +0100 In 2022, physicists were excited by hints that something was wrong with our understanding of the universe - but new results have put that in doubt 2448286-hopes-for-new-physics-dashed-by-ordinary-looking-w-bosons-at-cern|2448286 How the most precise clock ever could change our view of the cosmos /article/mg26335082-700-how-the-most-precise-clock-ever-could-change-our-view-of-the-cosmos/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Mon, 09 Sep 2024 17:00:00 +0100 Forget atomic clocks. Nuclear clocks, which only drop a second every 300 billion years, can test whether nature's fundamental constants are constant after all mg26335082-700-how-the-most-precise-clock-ever-could-change-our-view-of-the-cosmos|2447087 Cause and effect may not actually be muddled in the quantum realm /article/2447251-cause-and-effect-may-not-actually-be-muddled-in-the-quantum-realm/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Fri, 13 Sep 2024 14:00:06 +0100 The direction of cause and effect was brought into question for quantum objects more than a decade ago, but new calculations may offer a way to restore it 2447251-cause-and-effect-may-not-actually-be-muddled-in-the-quantum-realm|2447251 Can we solve quantum theory’s biggest problem by redefining reality? /article/mg26335070-700-can-we-solve-quantum-theorys-biggest-problem-by-redefining-reality/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 04 Sep 2024 17:00:00 +0100 With its particles in two places at once, quantum theory strains our common sense notions of how the universe should work. But one group of physicists says we can get reality back if we just redefine its foundations mg26335070-700-can-we-solve-quantum-theorys-biggest-problem-by-redefining-reality|2446010 Quantum holograms can send messages that disappear /article/2445870-quantum-holograms-can-send-messages-that-disappear/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Fri, 30 Aug 2024 21:12:22 +0100 Entangled particles of light can transmit holographic images that can be selectively erased, allowing for secure communications that can also be deleted 2445870-quantum-holograms-can-send-messages-that-disappear|2445870 Ultracold quantum battery could be charged with quantum tunnelling /article/2445616-ultracold-quantum-battery-could-be-charged-with-quantum-tunnelling/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Fri, 30 Aug 2024 17:00:52 +0100 Atoms tunnelling through a quantum battery could charge it and also keep it from losing energy, which could give an advantage over conventional batteries 2445616-ultracold-quantum-battery-could-be-charged-with-quantum-tunnelling|2445616 Another blow for dark matter as biggest hunt yet finds nothing /article/2445058-another-blow-for-dark-matter-as-biggest-hunt-yet-finds-nothing/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Mon, 26 Aug 2024 19:00:13 +0100 The hunt for particles of dark matter has been stymied once again, with physicists placing constraints on this mysterious substance that are 5 times tighter than the previous best 2445058-another-blow-for-dark-matter-as-biggest-hunt-yet-finds-nothing|2445058 How strange ice could form in the extremely hot interiors of planets /article/2445418-how-strange-ice-could-form-in-the-extremely-hot-interiors-of-planets/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 28 Aug 2024 23:21:39 +0100 In an experiment simulating what happens deep in the interiors of planets, scientists have found that liquid can be compressed into ice crystals – even at extremely high temperatures 2445418-how-strange-ice-could-form-in-the-extremely-hot-interiors-of-planets|2445418 Tweezers made of light could illuminate the quantum twin paradox /article/2445261-tweezers-made-of-light-could-illuminate-the-quantum-twin-paradox/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Mon, 26 Aug 2024 23:00:08 +0100 A single ytterbium atom, cooled down to extreme temperatures and manipulated with laser beams, could reveal how gravity affects quantum objects 2445261-tweezers-made-of-light-could-illuminate-the-quantum-twin-paradox|2445261 We can diagnose an object’s quantumness from the way it radiates heat /article/2444968-we-can-diagnose-an-objects-quantumness-from-the-way-it-radiates-heat/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Mon, 26 Aug 2024 15:21:18 +0100 To determine an object’s quantum properties, you may only need to measure how it exchanges heat with its environment, without touching the object itself 2444968-we-can-diagnose-an-objects-quantumness-from-the-way-it-radiates-heat|2444968 Quantum trick lets you cool objects down using nothing at all /article/2444536-quantum-trick-lets-you-cool-objects-down-using-nothing-at-all/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 21 Aug 2024 19:00:48 +0100 Physicists have demonstrated a bizarre cooling effect by setting up a detector to record the absence of photons in a laser experiment 2444536-quantum-trick-lets-you-cool-objects-down-using-nothing-at-all|2444536 This antimatter version of an atomic nucleus is the heaviest yet /article/2444715-this-antimatter-version-of-an-atomic-nucleus-is-the-heaviest-yet/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 21 Aug 2024 17:00:08 +0100 Smashing gold nuclei together at high speeds billions of times has resulted in 16 particles of antihyperhydrogen-4, a very exotic and heavy form of antimatter 2444715-this-antimatter-version-of-an-atomic-nucleus-is-the-heaviest-yet|2444715 Fuzzy quantum effects have been seen on the largest scale yet /article/2444628-fuzzy-quantum-effects-have-been-seen-on-the-largest-scale-yet/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Tue, 20 Aug 2024 19:00:07 +0100 A weird quantum phenomenon called delocalisation has been measured for a 100-nanometre glass bead, helping reveal where the boundary lies between quantum and classical physics 2444628-fuzzy-quantum-effects-have-been-seen-on-the-largest-scale-yet|2444628 The odds of quantum weirdness being real just got a lot higher /article/2444045-the-odds-of-quantum-weirdness-being-real-just-got-a-lot-higher/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Fri, 16 Aug 2024 17:00:49 +0100 An experiment to test distant particles’ ability to correlate their behaviour is one of the strongest pieces of evidence that classical ideas about reality are incorrect 2444045-the-odds-of-quantum-weirdness-being-real-just-got-a-lot-higher|2444045 New spin on quantum theory forces rethink of a fundamental physics law /article/2443380-new-spin-on-quantum-theory-forces-rethink-of-a-fundamental-physics-law/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Tue, 13 Aug 2024 19:03:57 +0100 In the quantum realm, a particle’s properties can be separate from the particle itself, including its angular momentum – which could require a rethinking of fundamental laws 2443380-new-spin-on-quantum-theory-forces-rethink-of-a-fundamental-physics-law|2443380 Why ‘sling action’ bowling deceives so many batters in cricket /article/2443871-why-sling-action-bowling-deceives-so-many-batters-in-cricket/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Thu, 15 Aug 2024 14:09:26 +0100 Experiments in a wind tunnel have revealed why the sling action bowling technique made famous by Sri Lankan cricketer Lasith Malinga is so effective at hoodwinking whoever is batting 2443871-why-sling-action-bowling-deceives-so-many-batters-in-cricket|2443871 How Einstein was both right and wrong about gravitational waves /article/2442498-how-einstein-was-both-right-and-wrong-about-gravitational-waves/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Fri, 09 Aug 2024 13:00:25 +0100 A century ago, Albert Einstein suggested that the universe might contain ripples in space-time, known as gravitational waves – but then he changed his mind 2442498-how-einstein-was-both-right-and-wrong-about-gravitational-waves|2442498 Existing quantum devices could be used to disrupt the stock market /article/2443170-existing-quantum-devices-could-be-used-to-disrupt-the-stock-market/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Thu, 08 Aug 2024 20:56:02 +0100 Commercially available quantum technology could let stock traders coordinate decisions to buy or sell nearly instantaneously using a technique called “quantum telepathy” 2443170-existing-quantum-devices-could-be-used-to-disrupt-the-stock-market|2443170 Time travel sci-fi novel is a rip-roaringly good thought experiment /article/mg26335021-100-time-travel-sci-fi-novel-is-a-rip-roaringly-good-thought-experiment/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 31 Jul 2024 19:00:00 +0100 An ordinary-looking valley has a secret – each of its neighbours is 20 years removed in time. Scott Alexander Howard's debut is heartfelt and deeply enjoyable, says Emily H. Wilson mg26335021-100-time-travel-sci-fi-novel-is-a-rip-roaringly-good-thought-experiment|2441792 A slight curve helps rocks make the biggest splash /article/2442410-a-slight-curve-helps-rocks-make-the-biggest-splash/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Thu, 01 Aug 2024 17:39:45 +0100 Researchers were surprised to find that a very slightly curved object produces a more dramatic splash than a perfectly flat one 2442410-a-slight-curve-helps-rocks-make-the-biggest-splash|2442410 Particle physicists may have solved a strange mystery about the muon /article/2441744-particle-physicists-may-have-solved-a-strange-mystery-about-the-muon/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Mon, 29 Jul 2024 12:00:20 +0100 A subatomic particle called the muon caused waves when its experimental behaviour didn't align with a prediction based on the standard model. A new calculation might resolve the discrepancy – but some particle physicists are sceptical 2441744-particle-physicists-may-have-solved-a-strange-mystery-about-the-muon|2441744 Nerve fibres in the brain could generate quantum entanglement /article/2441936-nerve-fibres-in-the-brain-could-generate-quantum-entanglement/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 31 Jul 2024 20:00:27 +0100 Calculations show that nerve fibres in the brain could emit pairs of entangled particles, and this quantum phenomenon might explain how different parts of the brain work together 2441936-nerve-fibres-in-the-brain-could-generate-quantum-entanglement|2441936 We may finally know what caused the biggest cosmic explosion ever seen /article/2441423-we-may-finally-know-what-caused-the-biggest-cosmic-explosion-ever-seen/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Thu, 25 Jul 2024 20:00:02 +0100 The gamma ray burst known as GRB221009A is the biggest explosion astronomers have ever glimpsed and we might finally know what caused the blast 2441423-we-may-finally-know-what-caused-the-biggest-cosmic-explosion-ever-seen|2441423 How to unsnarl a tangle of threads, according to physics /article/2440087-how-to-unsnarl-a-tangle-of-threads-according-to-physics/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Thu, 18 Jul 2024 18:44:39 +0100 A jiggling robot has revealed the ideal vibrating speed to free jumbled fibres 2440087-how-to-unsnarl-a-tangle-of-threads-according-to-physics|2440087 Take a look behind the scenes at the world's largest fusion experiment /article/mg26335000-300-take-a-look-behind-the-scenes-at-the-worlds-largest-fusion-experiment/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 17 Jul 2024 19:00:00 +0100 Photographer Enrico Sacchetti captures the power and potential of ITER, an international nuclear fusion experiment currently under construction in southern France mg26335000-300-take-a-look-behind-the-scenes-at-the-worlds-largest-fusion-experiment|2439489 A microscopic diving board can cheat the second law of thermodynamics /article/2438992-a-microscopic-diving-board-can-cheat-the-second-law-of-thermodynamics/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Fri, 12 Jul 2024 18:00:33 +0100 Working with a tiny cantilever, physicists managed to violate the second law of thermodynamics, using less energy than expected to change the cantilever’s motion 2438992-a-microscopic-diving-board-can-cheat-the-second-law-of-thermodynamics|2438992 You can turn any random sequence of events into a clock /article/2439263-you-can-turn-any-random-sequence-of-events-into-a-clock/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Thu, 11 Jul 2024 23:00:00 +0100 A set of mathematical equations can help turn apparently random observations into a clock – and then measure its accuracy 2439263-you-can-turn-any-random-sequence-of-events-into-a-clock|2439263 Laser helps turn an electron into a coil of mass and charge /article/2439243-laser-helps-turn-an-electron-into-a-coil-of-mass-and-charge/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Thu, 11 Jul 2024 20:00:19 +0100 Researchers have reshaped single electrons into spiralling matter waves with distinct handedness that could be used to study and control materials 2439243-laser-helps-turn-an-electron-into-a-coil-of-mass-and-charge|2439243 Incredibly complex mazes discovered in structure of bizarre crystals /article/2437585-incredibly-complex-mazes-discovered-in-structure-of-bizarre-crystals/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Tue, 02 Jul 2024 01:01:38 +0100 The atoms within quasicrystals are arranged in repeating forms, but unlike ordinary crystals they have more complex symmetry. It turns out this makes them perfect for producing mazes 2437585-incredibly-complex-mazes-discovered-in-structure-of-bizarre-crystals|2437585 We are closer than ever to finally proving the multiverse exists /article/mg26234971-300-we-are-closer-than-ever-to-finally-proving-the-multiverse-exists/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Tue, 25 Jun 2024 12:00:00 +0100 One hundred years ago, we discovered there were other galaxies beyond our own. Now, we might be on the verge of another discovery: that there are other universes mg26234971-300-we-are-closer-than-ever-to-finally-proving-the-multiverse-exists|2436689 Are space and time illusions? The answer could lie in black holes /article/mg26234970-600-are-space-and-time-illusions-the-answer-could-lie-in-black-holes/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Tue, 25 Jun 2024 16:00:00 +0100 Whether space and time are part of the universe or they emerge from quantum entanglement is one of the biggest questions in physics. And we are getting close to the truth mg26234970-600-are-space-and-time-illusions-the-answer-could-lie-in-black-holes|2436681 The universe is built a lot like a giant brain – so is it conscious? /article/mg26234971-200-the-universe-is-built-a-lot-like-a-giant-brain-so-is-it-conscious/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Tue, 25 Jun 2024 14:00:00 +0100 Research has found the universe is remarkably similar in structure to the human brain. But does this mean the cosmos has a consciousness of its own? mg26234971-200-the-universe-is-built-a-lot-like-a-giant-brain-so-is-it-conscious|2436688 Why this is a golden age for life to thrive across the universe /article/mg26234970-700-why-this-is-a-golden-age-for-life-to-thrive-across-the-universe/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 26 Jun 2024 20:00:00 +0100 Almost all the stars that will ever exist have already been born, and they have been around long enough for life to evolve on planets that orbit them mg26234970-700-why-this-is-a-golden-age-for-life-to-thrive-across-the-universe|2436682 Is it possible to fully understand the universe while living in it? /article/mg26234971-600-is-it-possible-to-fully-understand-the-universe-while-living-in-it/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 26 Jun 2024 18:00:00 +0100 Through science, we are striving for objective knowledge about the universe around us. But physicists increasingly believe achieving this will never be possible mg26234971-600-is-it-possible-to-fully-understand-the-universe-while-living-in-it|2436733 Physicists determined the paper most likely to give you a paper cut /article/2437150-physicists-determined-the-paper-most-likely-to-give-you-a-paper-cut/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Fri, 28 Jun 2024 13:00:04 +0100 An experiment with a robot and gelatine determined that 65-micrometre-thick paper is the most prone to slicing our skin – but it can also make for a handy recyclable knife 2437150-physicists-determined-the-paper-most-likely-to-give-you-a-paper-cut|2437150 Is the world's biggest fusion experiment dead after new delay to 2035? /article/2437314-is-the-worlds-biggest-fusion-experiment-dead-after-new-delay-to-2035/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Thu, 27 Jun 2024 12:15:27 +0100 ITER, a €20 billion nuclear fusion reactor under construction in France, will now not switch on until 2035 - a delay of 10 years. With smaller commercial fusion efforts on the rise, is it worth continuing with this gargantuan project? 2437314-is-the-worlds-biggest-fusion-experiment-dead-after-new-delay-to-2035|2437314 How physics is helping us to explain why time always moves forwards /article/2436774-how-physics-is-helping-us-to-explain-why-time-always-moves-forwards/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 26 Jun 2024 19:00:00 +0100 While time is relative, it still flows in one direction for every observer. We don’t yet understand why, but some physicists are looking for answers that invoke the evolution of entropy, says Chanda Prescod-Weinstein 2436774-how-physics-is-helping-us-to-explain-why-time-always-moves-forwards|2436774 Maxwell’s demon charges quantum batteries inside of a quantum computer /article/2437141-maxwells-demon-charges-quantum-batteries-inside-of-a-quantum-computer/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 26 Jun 2024 16:00:03 +0100 A technique to charge a battery inside a quantum computer relies on sorting qubits in an imitation of Maxwell’s demon, a 19th-century thought experiment once thought to break the laws of physics 2437141-maxwells-demon-charges-quantum-batteries-inside-of-a-quantum-computer|2437141 Quantum ‘super behaviour’ could create energy seemingly from nothing /article/2436520-quantum-super-behaviour-could-create-energy-seemingly-from-nothing/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Mon, 24 Jun 2024 18:00:52 +0100 It should be possible to combine several quantum states, each with almost no energy, to create a single quantum state containing unexpectedly energy-rich regions 2436520-quantum-super-behaviour-could-create-energy-seemingly-from-nothing|2436520 What "naked" singularities are revealing about quantum space-time /article/mg26234950-400-what-naked-singularities-are-revealing-about-quantum-space-time/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Tue, 11 Jun 2024 17:12:00 +0100 Are points of infinite curvature, where general relativity breaks down, always hidden inside black holes? An audacious attempt to find out is shedding light on the mystery of quantum gravity mg26234950-400-what-naked-singularities-are-revealing-about-quantum-space-time|2434850 Hybrid design could make nuclear fusion reactors more efficient /article/2435679-hybrid-design-could-make-nuclear-fusion-reactors-more-efficient/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Fri, 14 Jun 2024 17:19:26 +0100 Two types of fusion reactor called tokamaks and stellarators both have drawbacks – but a new design combining parts from both could offer the best of both worlds 2435679-hybrid-design-could-make-nuclear-fusion-reactors-more-efficient|2435679 Liquid crystals could improve quantum communication devices /article/2435010-liquid-crystals-could-improve-quantum-communication-devices/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 12 Jun 2024 17:00:53 +0100 Quantum light is key to futuristic quantum technologies, but researchers have been creating it in the same way for 60 years – now liquid crystals offer an easier way to produce it 2435010-liquid-crystals-could-improve-quantum-communication-devices|2435010 How materials that rewind light can test physics' most extreme ideas /article/mg26234940-300-how-materials-that-rewind-light-can-test-physics-most-extreme-ideas/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Mon, 03 Jun 2024 17:00:00 +0100 Strange solids called temporal metamaterials finally make it possible to investigate the controversial idea of quantum friction – and push special relativity to its limits mg26234940-300-how-materials-that-rewind-light-can-test-physics-most-extreme-ideas|2433708 How to wrap your mind around the real multiverse /article/2434625-how-to-wrap-your-mind-around-the-real-multiverse/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Fri, 07 Jun 2024 14:00:22 +0100 Fictional portrayals of parallel universes are fun to explore, but the scientific view of the multiverse looks very different 2434625-how-to-wrap-your-mind-around-the-real-multiverse|2434625 Atoms at temperatures beyond absolute zero may be a new form of matter /article/2434069-atoms-at-temperatures-beyond-absolute-zero-may-be-a-new-form-of-matter/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Fri, 07 Jun 2024 12:00:10 +0100 Physicists have coaxed a cloud of atoms into having a temperature beyond absolute zero and placed them in a geometric structure that could produce an unknown form of matter 2434069-atoms-at-temperatures-beyond-absolute-zero-may-be-a-new-form-of-matter|2434069 Time may be an illusion created by quantum entanglement /article/2433294-time-may-be-an-illusion-created-by-quantum-entanglement/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Fri, 31 May 2024 18:00:02 +0100 The true nature of time has eluded physicists for centuries, but a new theoretical model suggests it may only exist due to entanglement between quantum objects 2433294-time-may-be-an-illusion-created-by-quantum-entanglement|2433294 Quantum time travel: The experiment to 'send a particle into the past' /article/mg26234932-900-quantum-time-travel-the-experiment-to-send-a-particle-into-the-past/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 29 May 2024 17:00:00 +0100 Time loops have long been the stuff of science fiction. Now, using the rules of quantum mechanics, we have a way to effectively transport a particle back in time – here’s how mg26234932-900-quantum-time-travel-the-experiment-to-send-a-particle-into-the-past|2433162 How the weird and powerful pull of black holes made me a physicist /article/mg26234930-200-how-the-weird-and-powerful-pull-of-black-holes-made-me-a-physicist/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 29 May 2024 19:00:00 +0100 When I heard Stephen Hawking extol the mysteries of black holes, I knew theoretical physics was what I wanted to do. There is still so much to learn about these strange regions, says Chanda Prescod-Weinstein mg26234930-200-how-the-weird-and-powerful-pull-of-black-holes-made-me-a-physicist|2432994 Quantum 'arrow of time' suggests early universe had no entanglement /article/2432895-quantum-arrow-of-time-suggests-early-universe-had-no-entanglement/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Mon, 27 May 2024 16:00:53 +0100 One way to explain why time only moves forward is the quantum arrow of time, and it has major implications for both the universe's early period and its eventual demise 2432895-quantum-arrow-of-time-suggests-early-universe-had-no-entanglement|2432895 Quantum to cosmos: Why scale is vital to our understanding of reality /article/mg26234922-000-quantum-to-cosmos-why-scale-is-vital-to-our-understanding-of-reality/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 22 May 2024 19:00:00 +0100 From the vastness of the universe to the infinitesimal particles that comprise it, extremes of scale defy comprehension – and present a problem for physicists seeking a unified theory of everything mg26234922-000-quantum-to-cosmos-why-scale-is-vital-to-our-understanding-of-reality|2432009 What are fractals and how can they help us understand the world? /article/mg26234921-400-what-are-fractals-and-how-can-they-help-us-understand-the-world/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Tue, 21 May 2024 19:00:00 +0100 Fractals are common in nature because of the surprisingly simple way they are made. Mathematically, they also help us make sense of complexity and chaos – and maybe even quantum weirdness mg26234921-400-what-are-fractals-and-how-can-they-help-us-understand-the-world|2432003 How indefinite causality could lead us to a theory of quantum gravity /article/mg26234921-100-how-indefinite-causality-could-lead-us-to-a-theory-of-quantum-gravity/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Mon, 20 May 2024 18:00:00 +0100 Experiments show that effect doesn’t always follow cause in the weird world of subatomic particles, offering fresh clues about the quantum origins of space-time mg26234921-100-how-indefinite-causality-could-lead-us-to-a-theory-of-quantum-gravity|2432000 How quantum entanglement really works and why we accept its weirdness /article/mg26234921-800-how-quantum-entanglement-really-works-and-why-we-accept-its-weirdness/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 22 May 2024 18:00:00 +0100 Subatomic particles can appear to instantly influence one another, no matter how far apart they are. These days, that isn't a source of mystery – it's a fact of the universe and a resource for new technologies mg26234921-800-how-quantum-entanglement-really-works-and-why-we-accept-its-weirdness|2432007 X-ray laser fires most powerful pulse ever recorded /article/2431923-x-ray-laser-fires-most-powerful-pulse-ever-recorded/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 22 May 2024 12:00:20 +0100 The Linac Coherent Light Source in California fired an X-ray pulse that lasted only a few hundred billionths of a billionth of a second but carried nearly a terawatt of power 2431923-x-ray-laser-fires-most-powerful-pulse-ever-recorded|2431923 Physicists are grappling with their own reproducibility crisis /article/2431927-physicists-are-grappling-with-their-own-reproducibility-crisis/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Fri, 17 May 2024 21:58:32 +0100 A contentious meeting of physicists highlighted concerns, failures and possible fixes for a crisis in condensed matter physics 2431927-physicists-are-grappling-with-their-own-reproducibility-crisis|2431927 Sunlight-trapping device can generate temperatures over 1000°C /article/2431224-sunlight-trapping-device-can-generate-temperatures-over-1000c/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 15 May 2024 17:00:48 +0100 A solar energy absorber that uses quartz to trap heat reached 1050°C in tests and could offer a way to decarbonise the production of steel and cement 2431224-sunlight-trapping-device-can-generate-temperatures-over-1000c|2431224 Why we are finally within reach of a room-temperature superconductor /article/mg26234903-200-why-we-are-finally-within-reach-of-a-room-temperature-superconductor/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Tue, 07 May 2024 17:00:00 +0100 A practical superconductor would transform the efficiency of electronics. After decades of hunting, several key breakthroughs are inching us very close to this coveted prize mg26234903-200-why-we-are-finally-within-reach-of-a-room-temperature-superconductor|2429962 Doughnut-shaped swirls of laser light can be used to transmit images /article/2430549-doughnut-shaped-swirls-of-laser-light-can-be-used-to-transmit-images/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Fri, 10 May 2024 20:00:21 +0100 Ultra-fast pulses of laser light can be shaped into vortices similar to smoke rings – when chained together, they can carry enough information to transmit a simple image 2430549-doughnut-shaped-swirls-of-laser-light-can-be-used-to-transmit-images|2430549 Being in two places at once could make a quantum battery charge faster /article/2429915-being-in-two-places-at-once-could-make-a-quantum-battery-charge-faster/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Thu, 09 May 2024 00:00:12 +0100 The quantum principle of superposition – the idea of particles being in multiple places at once – could help make quantum batteries that charge within minutes 2429915-being-in-two-places-at-once-could-make-a-quantum-battery-charge-faster|2429915 Fusion reactors could create ingredients for a nuclear weapon in weeks /article/2430012-fusion-reactors-could-create-ingredients-for-a-nuclear-weapon-in-weeks/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 08 May 2024 09:00:29 +0100 Concern over the risks of enabling nuclear weapons development is usually focused on nuclear fission reactors, but the potential harm from more advanced fusion reactors has been underappreciated 2430012-fusion-reactors-could-create-ingredients-for-a-nuclear-weapon-in-weeks|2430012 Black holes scramble information – but may not be the best at it /article/2429489-black-holes-scramble-information-but-may-not-be-the-best-at-it/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Mon, 06 May 2024 14:00:47 +0100 Information contained within quantum objects gets scrambled when they interact. Physicists have now derived a speed limit for this process, challenging the idea that black holes are the fastest data scramblers 2429489-black-holes-scramble-information-but-may-not-be-the-best-at-it|2429489 The galactic anomalies hinting dark matter is weirder than we thought /article/mg26234890-200-the-galactic-anomalies-hinting-dark-matter-is-weirder-than-we-thought/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Mon, 29 Apr 2024 17:00:00 +0100 Cosmological puzzles are tempting astronomers to rethink our simple picture of the universe – and ask whether dark matter is even stranger than we thought mg26234890-200-the-galactic-anomalies-hinting-dark-matter-is-weirder-than-we-thought|2428621 A new kind of experiment at the LHC could unravel quantum reality /article/mg26234881-800-a-new-kind-of-experiment-at-the-lhc-could-unravel-quantum-reality/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 24 Apr 2024 17:00:00 +0100 The Large Hadron Collider is testing entanglement in a whole new energy range, probing the meaning of quantum theory – and the possibility that an even stranger reality lies beneath mg26234881-800-a-new-kind-of-experiment-at-the-lhc-could-unravel-quantum-reality|2427885 Nuclear fusion experiment overcomes two key operating hurdles /article/2427825-nuclear-fusion-experiment-overcomes-two-key-operating-hurdles/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 24 Apr 2024 17:00:38 +0100 Two important barriers to a stable, powerful fusion reaction have been leapt by an experiment in a small tokamak reactor, but we don’t yet know if the technique will work in larger devices 2427825-nuclear-fusion-experiment-overcomes-two-key-operating-hurdles|2427825 Quantum forces used to automatically assemble tiny device /article/2428182-quantum-forces-used-to-automatically-assemble-tiny-device/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 24 Apr 2024 20:00:40 +0100 The very weak forces of attraction caused by the Casimir effect can now be used to manipulate microscopic gold flakes and turn them into a light-trapping tool 2428182-quantum-forces-used-to-automatically-assemble-tiny-device|2428182 Single atoms captured morphing into quantum waves in startling image /article/2427659-single-atoms-captured-morphing-into-quantum-waves-in-startling-image/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Mon, 22 Apr 2024 18:00:30 +0100 In the 1920s, Erwin Schrödinger wrote an equation that predicts how particles-turned-waves should behave. Now, researchers are perfectly recreating those predictions in the lab 2427659-single-atoms-captured-morphing-into-quantum-waves-in-startling-image|2427659 Physicists created an imaginary magnetic field in real life /article/2425525-physicists-created-an-imaginary-magnetic-field-in-real-life/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Tue, 09 Apr 2024 13:00:49 +0100 Researchers have used quantum light to create a magnetic field with a strength that is measured in imaginary numbers 2425525-physicists-created-an-imaginary-magnetic-field-in-real-life|2425525 Bizarre crystal made only of electrons revealed in astonishing detail /article/2426223-bizarre-crystal-made-only-of-electrons-revealed-in-astonishing-detail/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 10 Apr 2024 17:00:10 +0100 To capture the clearest and most direct images of a “Wigner crystal”, a structure made entirely of electrons, researchers used a special kind of microscope and two pieces of graphene unusually free of imperfections 2426223-bizarre-crystal-made-only-of-electrons-revealed-in-astonishing-detail|2426223 Quantum 'supersolid' matter stirred using magnets /article/2426035-quantum-supersolid-matter-stirred-using-magnets/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Thu, 11 Apr 2024 19:00:43 +0100 We can’t stir ordinary solids, but one research team now claims to have stirred an extraordinary quantum “supersolid”, generating tiny vortices 2426035-quantum-supersolid-matter-stirred-using-magnets|2426035 How Peter Higgs revealed the forces that hold the universe together /article/2426501-how-peter-higgs-revealed-the-forces-that-hold-the-universe-together/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Thu, 11 Apr 2024 16:40:29 +0100 The physicist Peter Higgs quietly revolutionised quantum field theory, then lived long enough to see the discovery of the Higgs boson he theorised. Despite receiving a Nobel prize, he remained in some ways as elusive as the particle that shares his name 2426501-how-peter-higgs-revealed-the-forces-that-hold-the-universe-together|2426501