How “Big Algebra” could connect quantum physics and number theory. Several fields of mathematics have developed in total isolation, using their own ‘undecipherable’ coded languages. In a new study published in PNAS, Tamás Hausel, professor of mathematics at the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA), presents “big algebras,” a two-way mathematical ‘dictionary’ between symmetry, algebra, and geometry, that could strengthen the connection between the distant worlds of quantum physics and number theory. Big algebra surface and skeleton. The trident…

Hundreds of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) have been recorded as part of an enormous global effort so extensive it “rivals the catalogue of deep-sky objects created by Messier 250 years ago”, astronomers say. GRBs are the most violent explosions in the Universe, releasing more energy than the Sun would in 10 billion years. They occur when either a massive star dies or two neutron stars merge. The explosions are so formidable that if one were to erupt within a distance of…

Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics in Heidelberg have succeeded in selectively manipulating the motion of the electron pair in the hydrogen molecule. The emission direction of a photoelectron released by light (a photon) relative to the remaining bound electron in the cleaved neutral hydrogen atom can be controlled by the time interval between two laser flashes on the scale of a few hundred attoseconds (10⁻¹⁸ s). The adjustable emission asymmetry is based on the quantum entanglement…

A research team from the Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna in Pisa has developed the prosthesis of the future, the first in the world with magnetic control. It is a completely new way of controlling the movements of a robotic hand. “The trial on the first patient was successful. We are ready to extend these results to a broader range of amputations” says Prof. Christian Cipriani. It is the first magnetically controlled prosthetic hand, that allows amputees to reproduce all movements simply…

A new volcano has been spotted on Jupiter’s moon Io, the most geologically active place in the Solar System. Analysis of the first close-up images of Io in over 25 years, captured by the JunoCam instrument on NASA’s Juno mission, reveal the emergence of a fresh volcano with multiple lava flows and volcanic deposits covering an area about 180 kilometres by 180 kilometres. The findings have been presented at the Europlanet Science Congress (EPSC) in Berlin this week. The new…

Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology, in Sweden, have for the first time succeeded in combining two major research fields in photonics by creating a nanoobject with unique optical qualities. Since the object is a thousand times thinner than the human hair, yet very powerful, the breakthrough has great potential in the development of efficient and compact nonlinear optical devices. “My feeling is that this discovery has a great potential,” says Professor Timur Shegai, who led the study at Chalmers….

In conjunction with research staff from the Charles University of Prague and the CFM (CSIC-UPV/EHU) center in San Sebastian, CIC nanoGUNE’s Nanodevices group has designed a new complex material with emerging properties in the field of spintronics. This discovery, published in the journal Nature Materials, opens up a range of fresh possibilities for the development of novel, more efficient and more advanced electronic devices, such as those that integrate magnetic memories into processors. The discovery of two-dimensional materials with unique…

Physicists from Würzburg present a nanometre-sized light antenna with electrically modulated surface properties – a breakthrough that could pave the way for faster computer chips. Today’s computers reach their physical limits when it comes to speed. Semiconductor components usually operate at a maximum usable frequency of a few gigahertz – which corresponds to several billion computing operations per second. As a result, modern systems rely on several chips to divide up the computing tasks because the speed of the individual…

Flyby of a star explains dynamics of the solar system beyond Neptune. When we think of our solar system, we usually assume that it ends at the outermost known planet, Neptune. „However, several thousand celestial bodies are known to move beyond the orbit of Neptune,“ explains Susanne Pfalzner, astrophysicist at Forschungszentrum Jülich. It is even suspected that there are tens of thousands of objects with a diameter of more than 100 kilometres. „Surprisingly, many of these so-called trans-Neptunian objects move…

Physicists at the University of Southampton have tested and proven a 50 year old theory for the first time using electro-magnetic waves. They have shown that the energy of waves can be increased by bouncing ‘twisted waves’ – those with angular momentum – off of an object which is rotating in a specific way. This is known as the ‘Zel’dovich effect’, named after Soviet physicist Yakov Zel’dovich who developed a theory based on this idea in the 1970s. Until now,…

Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems and ETH Zurich have developed a robotic leg with artificial muscles. Inspired by living creatures, it jumps across different terrains in an agile and energy-efficient manner. Key points: Researchers have developed the first robotic leg powered by artificial electro-hydraulic muscles that can automatically adapt to uneven terrain. The system is more energy efficient than electric motors, enabling high jumps and fast movements without complex sensors. Although still in its infancy, the…

Physicists at the University of Bonn and the University of Kaiserslautern-Landau (RPTU) have created a one-dimensional gas out of light. This has enabled them to test theoretical predictions about the transition into this exotic state of matter for the first time. The method used in the experiment by the researchers could be used for examining quantum effects. The results have been published in the journal “Nature Physics.” Imagine you are standing at a swimming pool and come up with the…

… for millimeter wave satellite communications. With increasing data rates in mobile communications, the need for more powerful high-frequency electronics is growing. This is particularly true for satellite-based global communication networks, which must function reliably and securely in all weather conditions and at any location. In the ESA Magellan project, researchers at Fraunhofer IAF, together with UMS and TESAT, are therefore developing novel efficient GaN transistors and high-power amplifiers for LEO and GEO communication satellites with high throughput by 2027….

R&D projects will engage vendors for forward-looking technologies and energy efficiencies. The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Science (SC) today announced a new research and development opportunity led by Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) to advance technologies and drive new capabilities for future supercomputers. This industry research program worth $23 million, called New Frontiers, will initiate partnerships with multiple companies to accelerate the R&D of critical technologies with renewed emphasis on energy efficiency for the next generation of…

Researchers at the Department of Instrumentation and Applied Physics (IAP), Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and collaborators have designed a new supercapacitor that can be charged by shining light on it. Such supercapacitors can be used in various devices, including streetlights and self-powered electronic devices such as sensors. Capacitors are electrostatic devices that store energy as charges on two metal plates called electrodes. Supercapacitors are upgraded versions of capacitors – they exploit electrochemical phenomena to store more energy, explains Abha Misra,…

Physicists capture images of ultracold atoms flowing freely, without friction, in an exotic “edge state.” Typically, electrons are free agents that can move through most metals in any direction. When they encounter an obstacle, the charged particles experience friction and scatter randomly like colliding billiard balls. But in certain exotic materials, electrons can appear to flow with single-minded purpose. In these materials, electrons may become locked to the material’s edge and flow in one direction, like ants marching single-file along a…