Peanut butter is a liquid—the physics of this and other unexpected fluids
Those Transportation Security Administration requirements are drilled into every frequent flyer's head: You can carry on liquids that are only less than 3.4 ounces (100 milliliters) in volume each......»»
Quantum behavior at room temperature: When laser light makes materials magnetic
The potential of quantum technology is huge but is today largely limited to the extremely cold environments of laboratories. Now, researchers from Stockholm University, the Nordic Institute for Theoretical Physics and the Ca' Foscari University of Ve.....»»
Peter Higgs: physicist who predicted "God particle"
Nobel laureate Peter Higgs gave his name to one of the great scientific discoveries of the last century, earning a place alongside Albert Einstein and Max Planck in physics textbooks......»»
RIP Peter Higgs, who laid foundation for the Higgs boson in the 1960s
Higgs shared the 2013 Nobel Prize in Physics with François Englert. Enlarge / A visibly emotional Peter Higgs was present when CERN announced Higgs boson discovery in July 2012. (credit: University of Edinburgh ) Peter.....»»
Measuring the atmospheres of other worlds to see if there are enough nutrients for life
Life on Earth depends on six critical elements: carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorous, and sulfur. These elements are referred to as CHNOPS, and along with several trace micronutrients and liquid water, they're what life needs......»»
U.S. appeals court upholds EPA decision to approve California EV rules
The three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia rejected a legal challenge from 17 Republican-led states and entities that sell or produce liquid fuels......»»
New method achieves 4D imaging of fluids in pores
A method based on CT (computed tomography)—a type of imaging that is widely used in hospitals—can help improve our understanding of CO2 storage, batteries, and processes in the body such as nutrient uptake......»»
Clocks going forward can catch investors napping: How investors" reactions are affected by sleep disruption
Clocks losing an hour in spring significantly affects how investors respond to companies that reveal unexpected levels of earnings, research shows......»»
Novel tech captures disease markers in a snap: The future of early diagnosis
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have emerged as promising biomarkers for non-invasive disease diagnostics, offering an alternative to conventional biopsies. However, the challenge has been the efficient and pure isolation of EVs from biological fluids,.....»»
Elon Musk just gave another Mars speech—this time the vision seems tangible
"These are unthinkable numbers, but we’re not breaking any physics to achieve this." Enlarge / SpaceX will continue to iterate on Starship. (credit: SpaceX) Elon Musk has been talking publicly about his sweeping vision.....»»
Tiny cracks in rocks may have concentrated chemicals needed for life
The gentle flow of warm fluids could have given pre-life chemistry a boost. Enlarge / Active geology could have helped purify key chemicals needed for life. (credit: Christof B. Mast) In some ways, the origin of life is.....»»
Simulating magnetization in a Heisenberg quantum spin chain
The rapid progress of quantum simulators is now enabling them to study problems that before have been limited to the domain of theoretical physics and numerical simulation. A team of researchers at Google Quantum AI and their collaborators showed thi.....»»
Kerr-enhanced optical spring for next-generation gravitational wave detectors
The detection of gravitational waves stands as one of the most significant achievements in modern physics. In 2017, gravitational waves from the merger of a binary neutron star were detected for the first time which uncovered crucial information abou.....»»
Can You View a Round Solar Eclipse Through a Square Hole?
Here’s a cool way to watch the eclipse on Monday—and learn about the weird physics of light while you’re at it......»»
Dark energy might not be constant after all
First results from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument offer hints of new physics. Enlarge / The Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) has made the largest 3D map of our universe to date. (credit: Claire Lamman/DESI c.....»»
Mars may not have had liquid water long enough for life to form
Lab experiments suggest gullies on Mars might form when carbon dioxide heats up. Enlarge (credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona) Mars has a history of liquid water on its surface, including lakes like the one th.....»»
"It"s ultimately about predicting everything"—theory could be a map in the hunt for quantum materials
A breakthrough in theoretical physics is an important step toward predicting the behavior of the fundamental matter of which our world is built. It can be used to calculate systems of enormous quantities of quantum particles, a feat thought impossibl.....»»
Physics of complex fluids: Ring polymers show unexpected motion patterns under shear
The shearing of fluids—meaning the sliding of fluid layers over each other under shear forces—is an important concept in nature and in rheology, the science that studies the flow behavior of matter, including liquids and soft solids. Shear forces.....»»
The chemistry of milk washing, aka the secret to Ben Franklin’s favorite tipple
Bonus: a twist on the espresso martini, with peanut butter-washed vodka, coffee, and milk curd. Explore the chemistry behind making a cocktail with curdled milk, aka milk washing—like Ben Franklin's fave, milk punch. It's well-kno.....»»
A return to roots: Lab builds its first stellarator in 50 years and opens the door for research into new plasma physics
For the first time, scientists have built a fusion experiment using permanent magnets, a technique that could show a simple way to build future devices for less cost and allow researchers to test new concepts for future fusion power plants......»»
Focusing ultra-intense lasers to a single wavelength
Ultra-intense ultrashort lasers are powerful tools used in various fields like physics, national security, industry, and health care. They help researchers delve into strong-field laser physics, laser-driven radiation sources, particle acceleration,.....»»