Scientists redetermine a key strontium frequency with 50 times better precision for quantum technologies
The Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science (KRISS) has remeasured a key transition frequency of the strontium (Sr) atom for the first time in 88 years, since 1938, usin…
Giving AI a 'crystal clear' view of the materials world by mapping geometry to text
In principle, artificial intelligence could make finding the right material for an application as simple as ordering dinner: Scientists would tell a large language model what they…
'24/7 unmanned synthesis platform' uses robots and light to produce drug candidates
Even when AI designs molecules with potential as medicines, drug development can be delayed if the process of producing them is slow. KAIST researchers have developed an "unmanned…
X-rays reveal surprisingly long-lived spin waves in copper oxide
Today's computer technology, based on silicon chips, is slowly reaching its physical limits. Components cannot be miniaturized indefinitely, and clock speeds cannot be increased i…
A new way to make iridium catalysts for hydrogen production last longer
There are many ways to produce hydrogen, but not all of them are environmentally friendly. Water electrolysis is a promising method that uses electricity to split water into hydro…
Frozen in action: Visualizing how a cancer drug scaffold is built
A joint research group led by Ryo Tanifuji and Hiroki Oguri from the University of Tokyo and Yoshikazu Tanaka from Tohoku University has visualized SacC, an enzyme that plays a ke…
New monolithic ion trap opens quantum simulations to more researchers
Some quantum systems are so complex that even the most powerful supercomputers struggle to simulate their behavior. One solution is quantum simulation: building a controllable qua…
A new way to detect stabilizing properties of optical devices
In optical fibers, chips and other light-guiding devices, minor defects can scatter photons and disrupt their path. A new study demonstrates a way to reveal properties which, in c…
Physicists prove a long-suspected quantum speed limit for thermalization
Whether we are waiting for a car windshield to defrost in winter or a warm drink to cool down, how long it takes for an object to settle into a stable, even temperature within its…
Hybrid diamond chip strengthens interactions between light and quantum bits
Researchers have developed and demonstrated a new hybrid photonic platform that integrates quantum emitters with photonic devices, providing a way to reliably control the interact…
Quantum magic state cleanup cuts errors 40-fold in first successful hardware test
Qubits, the quantum equivalent of digital bits, are fragile and prone to errors. That makes building reliable quantum computers extremely difficult. One fix has been to use tradit…
New high-frequency method boosts 2D material readout for next-gen quantum computers
Quantum computers represent a next step in the fast-paced evolution of technology. Using quantum bits (qubits), they have the potential to run certain calculations exponentially f…
Sunlight gives biodiesel byproduct a second life as hydrogen and valuable chemicals
Australian researchers and international collaborators have demonstrated a solar-driven approach to convert glycerol, a low-value byproduct of biodiesel production, into hydrogen …
A highway instead of a racetrack: Strong coupling of light and sound in an optical fiber
For the first time, scientists have achieved strong coupling between light and long-lived acoustic vibrations in an optical fiber. Optical fibers are used in both classical teleco…
Infrared light overcomes mirror coating obstacle in gravitational wave detector upgrades
Researchers have developed and tested a new locking method for gravitational wave detectors that will advance the discovery of distant black holes and neutron stars colliding.
New alloy design strategy combines strength and ductility by timing hardening mechanisms
Structural metals used in engineering projects are expected to have both high strength and high ductility: the ability to withstand heavy loads and deform before failure. Achievin…
Light and ultrasound reveal renewable routes to compounds for pharmaceutical research
Sustainable packaging is only the beginning. What a medicine is made from—and how its ingredients are produced—matters just as much. Yet the synthesis of compounds for pharmaceuti…
World-record intensity in attosecond hard-X-ray pulses could unlock closer study of electrons in atoms and molecules
Researchers used the European XFEL to create X-ray flashes that were not only extremely short but also reached record intensity for this type of pulse. The researchers focused the…
Maxwell's demon learns to turn concealed information into usable energy for microscopic systems
Since its introduction more than 150 years ago, the thought-provoking idea of Maxwell's demon has profoundly shaped our understanding of the relationship between information and e…
Glowing liquids could help protect products from counterfeiters using distinctive ultraviolet light signatures
Researchers at Nottingham Trent University have developed room-temperature liquids containing chemical elements that produce distinctive patterns of light. They say the materials …
Physics-guided AI reconstructs hidden patterns inside ultrathin magnets from external fields
To build faster and more energy-efficient computers, researchers need to understand nanoscale magnetic materials. But looking inside these tiny magnets is surprisingly difficult: …
New water safety rapid testing method cuts time to results from six hours to 30 minutes
FIU researchers have developed a faster, more efficient method to detect forever chemicals in the water system, cutting the testing time from over six hours to just 30 minutes. Th…
Duct tape kept out more floodwater than sandbags in laboratory tests
Could a cheap roll of duct tape help protect your home from flooding? New research suggests it could make a surprisingly big difference.
Fully automated testing of bulk metals paves the way for AI-driven materials development
Developing stronger and tougher structural metals such as steel requires exploring an enormous range of processing conditions. Even for the same alloy composition, heat treatment …