In a First, an "Atomic Fountain" Has Measured the Curvature of Spacetime
The atom interferometry technique uses the effects of time dilation to reveal subtle changes in gravity’s strength -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com.....»»
CERN researchers measure speed of sound in the quark–gluon plasma more precisely than ever before
Neutron stars in the universe, ultracold atomic gases in the laboratory, and the quark–gluon plasma created in collisions of atomic nuclei at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC): they may seem totally unrelated but, surprisingly enough, they have somet.....»»
Study shows how proteins guide electrons to the right place
Cells need energy to function. Researchers at the University of Gothenburg can now explain how energy is guided in the cell by small atomic movements to reach its destination in the protein. Imitating these structural changes of the proteins could le.....»»
A new record for atom-based quantum computers: 1,000 atomic qubits and rising
Making quantum systems more scalable is one of the key requirements for the further development of quantum computers because the advantages they offer become increasingly evident as the systems are scaled up. Researchers at TU Darmstadt have recently.....»»
Astronomy observation instrument used to uncover internal structure of atomic nuclei
A group of researchers has used equipment originally intended for astronomy observation to capture transformations in the nuclear structure of atomic nuclei, reports a new study in Scientific Reports......»»
Greetings from the island of enhanced stability: The quest for the limit of the periodic table
Since the turn of the century, six new chemical elements have been discovered and subsequently added to the periodic table of elements, the very icon of chemistry. These new elements have high atomic numbers up to 118 and are significantly heavier th.....»»
Color-changing materials could safeguard nuclear material, other valuable substances
Every over-the-counter medication bottle sports a protective seal, usually a plastic wrap or foam layer, or both. These seals offer signs of tampering attempts. In a parallel concern, the International Atomic Energy Agency relies on tamper-indicating.....»»
A multi-ensemble atomic clock enhanced using quantum computing tools
Atomic clocks are a class of clocks that leverage resonance frequencies of atoms to keep time with high precision. While these clocks have become increasingly advanced and accurate over the years, existing versions might not best utilize the resource.....»»
Largest flow of natural hydrogen gas ever found measured in Albanian chromium mine
A team of geologists affiliated with several institutions in France, working with a pair of colleagues from Albania, has measured the largest natural flow of hydrogen ever in an Albanian chromium mine. In their study, reported in the journal Science,.....»»
Telescopes show the Milky Way"s black hole is ready for a kick
The supermassive black hole in the center of the Milky Way is spinning so quickly it is warping the spacetime surrounding it into a shape that can look like a football, according to a new study using data from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory and the.....»»
When nanoplastics are not what they seem: Release of oligomers from polyester textiles
Plastic household items and clothing made of synthetic fibers release microplastics, particles less than five millimeters in size that can enter the environment unnoticed. A small proportion of these particles are so small that they are measured in n.....»»
Quantum materials: A new state of matter with chiral properties
An international research group has discovered a new state of matter characterized by the existence of a quantum phenomenon called chiral current. These currents are generated on an atomic scale by a cooperative movement of electrons, unlike conventi.....»»
Quantum simulation with ultracold fermions unveils pairing pseudogap
A research team has, for the first time, observed and quantitatively characterized the many-body pairing pseudogap in unitary Fermi gases. This achievement, pursued by the ultracold atomic community for nearly two decades, resolves longstanding debat.....»»
First atomic-scale "movie" of microtubules under construction, a key process for cell division
Cells in the human body are constantly dividing. With each division, the genetic information contained in the chromosomes is duplicated, and each daughter cell receives a complete copy of the genetic material. It is a sophisticated process, a clockwo.....»»
Ultrathin membranes for uncovering the atomic scale problem in operando conditions
When someone comes up with the word "magnify," it is referring either to making distant objects closer or making small objects bigger on a tangible scale. There is no doubt that the power of magnifying instruments, regardless of the scale and directi.....»»
Physicists identify a surprising phenomenon of aging in materials over time
Physicists in Darmstadt are investigating aging processes in materials. For the first time, they have measured the ticking of an internal clock in glass. When evaluating the data, they discovered a surprising phenomenon......»»
Gravitational wave, Venus missions get European green light
The European Space Agency gave the green light to two missions on Thursday, one to detect ripples in spacetime called gravitational waves and another to probe the secrets of Earth's closest neighboring planet Venus......»»
Webb Telescope captures massive star-forming complex
This image from the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope features an H II region in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), a satellite galaxy of our Milky Way. This nebula, known as N79, is a region of interstellar atomic hydrogen that is ionized, capt.....»»
Researchers observe how the flexibility of a protein hinge is crucial to the transfer of cell proteins
Ubiquitination—the addition of the protein ubiquitin—is a key stage in many cell processes, such as protein degradation, DNA repairs, and signal transduction. Using high-speed atomic force microscopy (HS-AFM) and molecular modeling, researchers l.....»»
Unveiling sodium channel dynamics: New insights into cell biology using high-speed atomic force microscopy
The transport of ions to and from a cell is controlled by pore-forming proteins embedded in the cell membrane. In particular, voltage-gated sodium channels (VGSCs) govern the transfer of sodium (Na+) ions, and play an important role in the regulation.....»»
Higher measurement accuracy opens new window to the quantum world
A team at HZB has developed a new measurement method that, for the first time, accurately detects tiny temperature differences in the range of 100 microKelvin in the thermal Hall effect. Previously, these temperature differences could not be measured.....»»