Intense lasers magnetize solids within attoseconds
Intense laser light can induce magnetism in solids on the attosecond scale—the fastest magnetic response to date. That is the finding reached by theoreticians at the Max Planck Institute for the Structure and Dynamics of Matter in Hamburg, Germany,.....»»
Quenching the intense heat of a fusion plasma may require a well-placed liquid metal evaporator
Inside the next generation of fusion vessels known as spherical tokamaks, scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) envisioned a hot region with flowing liquid metal that is reminiscent of a subterranean.....»»
Ancient civilizations had ways to counter the urban heat island effect—how history"s lessons apply to cities today
As intense heat breaks records around the world, a little-reported fact offers some hope for cooling down cities: Under even the most intense periods of extreme heat, some city blocks never experience heat wave temperatures......»»
Trees compete for space, light and resources, and those clashes can leave battle scars
When you walk through a forest, it may feel like a static setting where very little is happening. But trees are constantly interacting and reacting to each other as they grow. There's intense competition for light and space. Every shift affects the o.....»»
Earth hit by "severe" solar storm
The Earth was hit Monday by an intense solar storm that could bring the northern lights to night skies further south than normal, a US agency announced......»»
Urban growth leads to more intense droughts for many world cities—Sydney is a case study for areas at risk
The growth of cities worldwide is contributing to more intense drought conditions in many cities, including Sydney, a new Chinese study has found. This is adding to urban heat and water stress. These important findings point to the need to improve ho.....»»
Lasers deliver powerful shocking punch in material experiments
Shock experiments are widely used to understand the mechanical and electronic properties of matter under extreme conditions, like planetary impacts by meteorites. However, after the shock occurs, a clear description of the post-shock thermal state an.....»»
3D terrestrial laser scanner assists in reconstructing glacier"s mass balance sequence
Complex topography of glacier surfaces under accelerating global warming presents unprecedented challenges to traditional methods of glaciological observation due to intense fragmentation and differential melting......»»
"Squishy" lasers could reveal how tumors and babies grow
New "squishy" lasers could help solve the mystery of the biological forces that control the development of embryos and cancerous tumors......»»
Anthropologists" quest to save an Alamo cannon
The Alamo, a symbol of Texas' rich history, is home to many artifacts from its storied past. Among these is a unique battle cannon that recently became the focus of an intense preservation effort led by experts from the Department of Anthropology at.....»»
Researchers think AI and lasers might help us talk to aliens
Humanity has been searching for extraterrestrial life for decades and trying to communicate with potentially advanced civilizations beyond the stars. So far, the SETI (search … The post Researchers think AI and lasers might help us talk to alie.....»»
Quantum information theorists shed light on entanglement, one of the spooky mysteries of quantum mechanics
The year 2025 marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of quantum mechanics. In the century since the field's inception, scientists and engineers have used quantum mechanics to create technologies such as lasers, MRI scanners and computer chips......»»
The New Gods of Weather Can Make Rain on Demand—or So They Want You to Believe
In a gold-trimmed command center on the outskirts of Abu Dhabi, scientists are seeking to wring moisture from desert skies. But will all their extravagant cloud-seeding tech—planes that sprinkle nanomaterials, lasers that scramble the atmosphere—.....»»
Increasingly erratic rainfall patterns over the past century are likely due to human-induced climate change, study shows
Rainfall fluctuates more vigorously. Why? Scientists say it's because of us. Many people around the world have noticed that rainfall is becoming increasingly erratic. Intense downpours are occurring more frequently, while dry periods seem to last lon.....»»
10 fintech companies to watch in 2024
The fintech market is experiencing a swift transformation driven by emerging technologies like Open Finance and GenAI, as highlighted by Juniper Research. This evolution is compounded by intense competition to become customers’ preferred choice.....»»
Introducing Ramses, ESA"s 2029 mission to asteroid Apophis
Thirty years ago, on 16 July 1994, astronomers watched in awe as the first of many pieces of the Shoemaker-Levy 9 comet slammed into Jupiter with incredible force. The event sparked intense interest in the field of planetary defense as people asked:.....»»
2023 Rolling Hills Estates landslide likely began the winter before
Californians are familiar with landslides that occur around storms, when saturated soil and rock loses its grip and slips from its perch on the substrate. These types of landslides can be triggered by intense rainfall, and incoming storms can be a wa.....»»
Fires and climate are changing. The science must change as well, says paper
A new paper on the many ways wildfires affect people and the planet makes clear that as fires become more intense and frequent, the urgency for effective and proactive fire science grows. By addressing these challenges, the fire research community ai.....»»
Apex Legends is introducing a new battle pass, and fans aren’t happy
Respawn announced a brand new battle pass system for Apex Legends, but it's already coming under intense criticism from the community......»»
Controlling magnetism with polarized light: Non-thermal pathway uses inverse Faraday effect
Intense laser pulses can be used to manipulate or even switch the magnetization orientation of a material on extremely short time scales. Typically, such effects are thermally induced, as the absorbed laser energy heats up the material very rapidly,.....»»
Extreme Hail Storms Are Wrecking Solar Farms—but Defending Them May Be Easier Than It Seems
Climate change is making hail storms more intense, so designers have to find novel solutions to protect panels from expensive damage......»»