The Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument reveals compelling evidence of a mass migration of stars into a galaxy other than the Milky Way. Over the course of billions of years, galaxies grow and evolve by forging new stars and merging with other galaxies through aptly named “galactic immigration” events. Astronomers try to uncover the histories of these immigration events by studying the motions of individual stars throughout a galaxy and its extended halo of stars and dark matter. Such cosmic archaeology,…
Artificial intelligence assists quantum metrology for greater efficiency with an innovative model-free learning algorithm. Quantum sensing represents one of the most promising applications of quantum technologies, with the aim of using quantum resources to improve measurement sensitivity. In particular, sensing of optical phases is one of the most investigated problems, considered key to developing mass-produced technological devices. Optimal usage of quantum sensors requires regular characterization and calibration. In general, such calibration is an extremely complex and resource-intensive task — especially…
Scientists from the Micro, Nano and Molecular Systems Lab at the Max Planck Institute for Medical Research and the Institute for Molecular Systems Engineering and Advanced Materials at Heidelberg University have created a new technology to assemble matter in 3D. Their concept uses multiple acoustic holograms to generate pressure fields with which solid particles, gel beads and even biological cells can be printed. These results pave the way for novel 3D cell culture techniques with applications in biomedical engineering. The…
The system’s simple repeating elements can assemble into swimming forms ranging from eel-like to wing-shaped. Underwater structures that can change their shapes dynamically, the way fish do, push through water much more efficiently than conventional rigid hulls. But constructing deformable devices that can change the curve of their body shapes while maintaining a smooth profile is a long and difficult process. MIT’s RoboTuna, for example, was composed of about 3,000 different parts and took about two years to design and build….
Astronomers from the University of Sheffield have found a new ring system in our Solar System. A new ring system discovered in our Solar System Astronomers from the University of Sheffield have found a new ring system in our Solar System The rings are around Quaoar, which is a Pluto-sized dwarf planet orbiting beyond Neptune Quaoar’s rings are unique, orbiting much further away from the planet than the rings around Saturn, posing a challenge to ring formation theories The discovery…
Research offers a new approach to studying complex light in complex systems, such as transporting classical and quantum light through optical fiber, underwater channels, living tissue and other highly aberrated systems. An exciting prospect in modern optics is to exploit “patterns of light”, how the light looks in its many degrees of freedom, often referred to as structured light. Each pattern could form an encoding alphabet for optical communication or might be used in manufacturing to enhance performance and productivity. Unfortunately,…
Hydrogen spillover depicts the dynamic migration of surface adsorbed hydrogen species from hydrogen-rich sites to hydrogen-poor sites. It plays an important role in many H-involving reaction processes. In order to enhance the catalytic performance of H-involving reactions, it is important to understand the detailed mechanism of hydrogen spillover, and uncover how hydrogen transfers and what factors control hydrogen conductivity on solid surface. Recently, a research team led by Prof. MU Rentao and Prof. FU Qiang from the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics (DICP)…
High-pressure study solves 60-year-old mystery. For the first time, researchers have recorded live and in atomic detail what happens to the material in an asteroid impact. The team of Falko Langenhorst from the University of Jena and Hanns-Peter Liermann from DESY simulated an asteroid impact with the mineral quartz in the lab and pursued it in slow motion in a diamond anvil cell, while monitoring it with DESY’s X-ray source PETRA III. The observation reveals an intermediate state in quartz…
Detailed knowledge about whales in European waters will be provided by the Biodiversa+ project “eWHALE”, which started in January and is led by molecular ecologist Bettina Thalinger from the University of Innsbruck. The transnational research project brings together partners from science, industry and the public to establish a far-reaching, non-invasive cetacean and biodiversity monitoring system using water samples. To effectively protect whales and other endangered marine species, it is necessary to emphasize conservation measures for entire marine areas. This is…
New research demonstrates feasibility of photon-number doubling with a lithium-niobate-on-insulator (LNOI) platform. Can quantum optics be used for practical applications? A lot depends on whether a large number of photons can be gathered in quantum state. Among all quantum systems, photons are known for their weak interaction, which allows long coherence time to be achieved even at room temperature, making them suitable for transmitting quantum bits (also known as “qubits”) between distant locations. However, the weak interaction of photons restricts…
On a cold winter day, the warmth of the sun is welcome. Yet as humanity emits more greenhouse gases, the Earth’s atmosphere traps more and more of the sun’s energy, which steadily increases the Earth’s temperature. One strategy for reversing this trend is to intercept a fraction of sunlight before it reaches our planet. For decades, scientists have considered using screens or other objects to block just enough of the sun’s radiation — between 1 or 2 percent — to mitigate…
Heidelberg chemists study manganese, lutetium, and actinium compounds for potential applications in medicine. Tailor-made chemical complexes of certain elements from the group of metals could be suitable for use in a special way in medical imaging as well as potential applications in personalised precision medicine. This has been demonstrated by a research team led by Prof. Dr Peter Comba at the Institute of Inorganic Chemistry of Heidelberg University. In their basic research, the Heidelberg scientists worked with manganese, lutetium, and…
… that can solve big challenges of our time. Universal of Sussex and Universal Quantum scientists have, for the first time, connected quantum microchips together, like a jigsaw puzzle, to make powerful quantum computers and with record breaking connection speed and accuracy. Researchers from the University of Sussex and Universal Quantum have demonstrated for the first time that quantum bits (qubits) can directly transfer between quantum computer microchips and demonstrated this with record-breaking speed and accuracy. This breakthrough resolves a…
Study could help the 4.8 million people in the UK with diabetes. A new way to reduce progression of diabetic kidney disease, affecting 40% of people with diabetes, has been discovered by scientists. The University of Bristol-led study published today [7 February] in JCI Insight, could help the 4.8 million people in the UK with diabetes who are four times more likely to need either dialysis or a kidney transplant. Recent clinical trials show a commonly used blood pressure medicine,…
Gases from phytoplankton in the ocean help form dense clouds that reflect sunlight. The teeming life in the Southern Ocean, which encircles Antarctica, contributes to brightening the clouds that form there, according to a study published today in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics. The clouds are bright because of their high density of water droplets, due in turn to a chain of atmospheric processes that eventually connects back to the Southern Ocean’s extraordinary phytoplankton productivity. The study helps us better understand the…
… understanding the mechanisms of underwater turning maneuvers in penguins. Penguins constitute a fascinating family of flightless birds that, although somewhat clumsy on land, are extremely talented swimmers. Their incredible maneuverability in water has captivated biologists for decades, with the first hydrodynamic studies on their swimming dating back to the 1970s. Although a rare few studies have clarified some of the physics behind penguins’ dexterity, most of them have focused on forward swimming rather than turning. While one may argue…
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