On the pulse of pulsars and polar light
Faced with the tragic loss of the Arecibo observatory in Puerto Rico and the often prohibitive cost of satellite missions, astronomers are searching for savvy alternatives to continue answering fundamental questions in physics......»»
Powerful and compact optical frequency combs provide unique opportunities
Remember those big, clunky machines needed for super precise light measurements? Those days are fading thanks to tiny devices called microcombs. These chips can do the same job, but on a much smaller scale, opening doors for new applications......»»
Intra-molecular distances in biomolecules measured optically with Ångström precision
A team led by physicists Steffen Sahl and Stefan Hell at the Max Planck Institute (MPI) for Multidisciplinary Sciences in Göttingen and the MPI for Medical Research in Heidelberg has succeeded in measuring distances within biomolecules using a light.....»»
Scientists use light to visualize magnetic domains in quantum materials
When something draws us in like a magnet, we take a closer look. When magnets draw in physicists, they take a quantum look. Scientists from Osaka Metropolitan University and the University of Tokyo have successfully used light to visualize tiny magne.....»»
A quantum material could be the future of high-energy X-ray imaging and particle detection
Scintillators are detectors that make high-energy X-rays or particles visible through flashes of light to form an image. Their many applications include particle physics, medical imaging, X-ray security and more......»»
Why Hurricane Milton Turned the Sky Purple
The strange, apocalyptic skies during the storm reveal how light behaves in the atmosphere when it’s filled with an unusual amount of water vapor, dust, and debris......»»
Novel visible light communication encryption technology uses chiral nanoparticles
A research team has developed a novel visible light communication encryption technology with high security using chiral nanoparticles......»»
World"s highest-voltage gun accelerates electrons from zero to 80% the speed of light
Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory have designed and tested the world's highest voltage polarized electron gun, a key piece of technology needed for building the world's first fully polarized Electron-I.....»»
Scientists explore whether smaller chromosomes lead to more segregation errors during egg cell division
Three RIKEN researchers have shed light on the cellular mechanisms underlying chromosomal abnormalities that can cause miscarriages and congenital disorders such as Down syndrome......»»
Hybrid fiber pump combiner could advance mid-IR laser systems
In the last two decades, the rapid advancement in applications such as environmental monitoring, medical diagnostics, and global positioning has intensified the focus on developing novel mid-IR light sources. Fiber-based mid-IR lasers, which operate.....»»
Polar jet stream could reveal Saturn"s rotational period
A hexagon-shaped atmospheric phenomenon first spotted on Saturn by Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 has intrigued scientists since the 1980s. More recently, NASA's Cassini mission has periodically observed the hexagon and its embedded strong eastward jet that.....»»
Experimental archaeology sheds light on skill and technique in Bronze Age spear combat
How can we tell whether and how a prehistoric weapon was used? How can we better understand the dexterity and combat skills involved in Bronze Age spear fighting?.....»»
New seed fossil sheds light on wind dispersal in plants
Scientists have discovered one of the earliest examples of a winged seed, gaining insight into the origin and early evolution of wind dispersal strategies in plants......»»
Mexican jumping beans jump to safety in a dynamic world—light could influence how moth larvae avoid extreme heat
What makes Mexican jumping beans jump? New research from Binghamton University reveals that Mexican jumping bean larvae respond to different colors of light, jumping more vigorously under different hues, which can help them avoid potentially dangerou.....»»
Deadly human-wildlife conflict lies at center of Zimbabwe lake and an embattled economy, says author
A Griffith University researcher has shed light on the tragic and often overlooked human-wildlife conflicts surrounding a vast, picturesque lake that supports the livelihoods of villagers in a remote Zimbabwe region......»»
Q&A: How artificial lights are dimming firefly survival rates
While light bulbs make our nights brighter, they are dimming the social lives, and survival rates, of some of nature's natural light-makers: fireflies......»»
Watch 902 Teslas perform a funky light show in Finland
More than 900 Tesla owners gathered together in Finland recently to entertain crowds with a dazzling, synchronized light show......»»
Researchers uncover new plant perception mechanism for light and heat
Researchers at the University of Bayreuth and Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf have described a previously unknown mechanism in the perception of light and heat in plants. The results contribute to a better understanding of plant physiological p.....»»
For UN Agenda: Data gaps detected in 193 countries
To make informed decisions, governments and international organizations need data. The United Nations has been analyzing the global availability of such data together with ETH Zurich. This has brought to light some surprising insights......»»
Astronomers investigate the nature of a fast-spinning intermediate polar
Using various X-ray space observatories, astronomers from Columbia University in New York and elsewhere have investigated CTCV J2056–3014—an intermediate polar containing one of the fastest-spinning white dwarfs. Results of the study, published S.....»»
Asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs may have led to the invention of "ant agriculture"
The event that wiped out the dinosaurs wasn't all bad. The low-light environment caused by the meteor impact some 66 million years ago favored the spread of fungi that feed on organic matter, which was abundant at the time as plants and animals were.....»»