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A new statistical model reveals more details about the ringdown period of merging black holes.

Ultra-fast data transfer and superconductivity: Quantum materials offer significant technological prospects—if we can understand them at the atomic scale. A team from the University of Geneva (UNIGE), in collaboration with the University of Salerno, the Institute of Materials Science of Barcelona, and the National Research Council of Italy, has succeeded in observing the "quantum metric" in a topological insulator—a unique geometric property of these materials, which conduct electricity only on their surface.

Researchers have designed a quantum version of a pendulum clock. It could shed light on timekeeping in the quantum realm

A growing number of quantum engineers worldwide have been trying to realize large-scale quantum networks, which consist of several connected quantum computers or devices that share information with each other. The successful realization of these networks could potentially pave the way for the realization of new high-speed and secure communication systems, or even of a quantum version of the internet.

Advances in quantum technology might allow astronomers to circumvent age-old issues that limit the size of optical observatories

Big G is the oldest fundamental constant in physics and remains the least clearly defined. One scientist has spent a decade attempting to crack the mystery of the gravitational constant, and it all came down to the opening of a single envelope.

After three months, the government is letting people connect with the world again. But not everyone has access, and those who do wonder how long it will last.

Entanglement is a defining feature of quantum physics, but not all entangled states are equal. What techniques can be used to generate maximally entangled states? The post Pushing many-body entanglement to its absolute limit appeared first on Physics World.

Scientists working at CERN’s Large Hadron Collider may be seeing the strongest hints yet of physics beyond the Standard Model — the decades-old theory that explains the fundamental particles and forces of the universe. By studying incredibly rare particle transformations called “penguin decays,” researchers found behavior that doesn’t fully match theoretical predictions, raising the possibility that unknown particles or forces are influencing the results.

This review examines how nanotechnology, topological materials, Majorana fermions, Weyl semimetals, and quantum simulation are converging to shape the Second Quantum Revolution. It highlights possible routes toward fault-tolerant quantum computing, nanoscale medicine, low-power electronics, energy technologies, and environmental applications, while noting that many advances remain developmental.

When a humpback whale became entangled in a craypot line off Kaikōura last week, witnesses described it thrashing in distress for ten minutes before eventually freeing itself.

In the heirarchy of black holes, intermediate mass black holes (IMBH) lie in between stellar mass black holes and supermassive black holes. But the problem is that we've never found one. There have been hints, but nothing conclusive. Could gravitational microlensing of Fast Radio Bursts help find them?

In a study published in ACS Nano, researchers from National Taiwan University report a new expansion microscopy strategy termed high-fold homogeneous expansion microscopy (hiHomoExM), capable of achieving approximately 8–9× isotropic expansion in a single expansion step while preserving delicate ultrastructural organization.

Researchers from the University of Glasgow's Institute for Gravitational Research are celebrating the publication of a vast new treasure trove of gravitational wave detections, hailed as a milestone marking the coming of age of gravitational astronomy.

Two recent papers suggest that quantum computers may crack modern cryptography sooner than expected The post New findings shorten the road to cryptographically relevant quantum computers appeared first on Physics World.

Researchers at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory have uncovered a path to design superionic polymer

Artist Ashley Zelinskie and DJ illich Mujica get psychedelic in New York City.

In today's scientific and industrial fields, high-dimensional data in which numerous variables are observed simultaneously, such as genomic, climate, financial, and sensor data, are rapidly increasing. In such data, it is important to learn the dependent structures connecting the variables and to identify a "dependence map" that reveals hidden information in massive data sets.

New details of how DNA protects itself from harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation show a hidden network of ultrafast molecular reactions that help prevent damage before it can trigger mutations that might lead to cancer, according to a study led by the University of Surrey.

In the race to develop safer, faster-charging solid-state batteries and more efficient thermoelectric conversion technologies, engineers and scientists have long faced a fundamental challenge: how to ensure ions move through hard, solid materials as quickly as they do in liquids?

Lattice QCD puts new physics to rest The post Muon g−2 calculation sets precision record and backs the Standard Model appeared first on Physics World.

Researchers from Monash University have developed a breakthrough nanoscale circuit that can generate, direct, and read light-based information, all on a single chip.

The thinking around exoplanet habitability is mostly concerned with a planet's distance from its star. Too close, and any surface water is boiled away into space. Too far, and surface water is frozen. Both are severe limits on the prospects for life. Habitability depends on an exoplanet being in the Goldilocks Zone, a distance range around a star where liquid water can persist.

Flashes of femtosecond laser light, lasting just a few trillionths of a second, have made it possible to observe new magnetic structures for the first time. By using light as a remote control, researchers were able to switch magnetism into previously unseen three-dimensional states at the nanoscale.

A new Physical Review Letters study places constraints on the ER = EPR conjecture, showing that under the authors' assumptions, the conjecture would imply possible alterations to the hyperfine structure and effective charge of the hydrogen atom—effects that have never been observed.

New research led by a graduating Ph.D. student in The University of New Mexico Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering has shown that randomization can improve quantum computer performance in the presence of noise.

For two decades, physicists have predicted the existence of a remarkable family of exotic molecules: giant atoms bound to ordinary atoms, with an electron so distant from its nucleus that it sculpts the pair into bizarre and diverse shapes. Reported in Physical Review Letters, the final member of this "quantum zoo" has been spotted. Led by Herwig Ott at RPTU University Kaiserslautern-Landau in Germany, a team of physicists has created and detected the "butterfly" molecule, completing a 20-year hunt for the elusive structure.

A rewrite of quantum mechanics that includes the force of gravity could finally achieve one of physicists’ biggest goals and reveal the ultimate fuzziness of time

When a singer belts out a tune while a guitar player strums along, sound waves travel through the air, driving collective oscillations of the molecules within. Meanwhile, at the quantum level, something similar is going on. Atoms inside materials, everything from our bodies to metals and more, naturally jiggle around, creating tiny vibrational waves that ripple across the material. These vibrations are known as phonons: the quantum version of sound waves.

When running an AI model through a quantum computer, scientists have increased accuracy by only adding a relatively small number of parameters.

Three mathematicians have laid out proof that solves a long-standing problem in mathematics. Even the mathematician—an Abel prize winner—that first posed the problem didn't believe it would ever be solved. The solution provides insight into high-dimensional random structures that could potentially impact data science, machine learning and optimization.

A mysterious particle from deep space has scientists buzzing after the most energetic neutrino ever detected slammed through the Mediterranean Sea. Now, researchers think they may have identified the cosmic “culprits” behind it: blazars — supermassive black holes blasting jets of matter straight toward Earth.

At the center of most large galaxies sits a supermassive black hole (SMBH). When these black holes are actively consuming material, they become incredibly luminous quasars. But some quasars appear wrapped in thick clouds of dust, making them hard to detect. In a new study, astronomers have revealed 77 new, hidden, "heavily reddened" quasars (HRQs).

Tungsten’s superior performance in extreme environments makes it a leading candidate for plasma-facing components (PFCs) in fusion reactors,

Scientists have directly watched angular momentum move through a crystal for the very first time — and discovered a bizarre twist along the way. Using ultra-powerful terahertz laser pulses, researchers triggered tiny atomic rotations inside a quantum material and found that the direction of rotation can unexpectedly flip as momentum is transferred. The strange reversal happens because of the crystal’s underlying symmetry, creating an almost impossible-sounding effect where two rotations combine into one spinning the opposite way.

In less than a millionth of a second after a nuclear detonation or a severe nuclear reactor accident, an enormous burst of energy heats the surrounding air and materials. Everything in the vicinity is vaporized into a hot, glowing cloud of gas and plasma. As that nuclear fireball expands, it mixes with air, begins to cool and condenses into tiny solid particles—creating nuclear fallout.

Being able to see light and detect radiation is of utmost importance at any frequency. While this challenge has been solved in the visible range, radiation detectors in the far-infrared and terahertz regimes are either not sensitive, slow, or require bulky and expensive, often cryogenically cooled devices, which hinders practical applications.

Author(s): S. Karbashewski, E. M. Granstedt, S. Kamio, M. Onofri, T. DeHaas, Y. Fujiwara, R. E. Groenewald, and A. VekslerA new energetic-particle mode exhibits similarities to drift–bounce resonances in Earth’s magnetosphere and has been observed in a field-reversed plasma configuration using the NORM fusion device. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 136, 205101] Published Fri May 22, 2026

Author(s): Philip BallA new technique uses an ‘anti-noise’ signal to cancel out the unavoidable quantum noise associated with precision measurements like those needed for gravitational-wave detection. [Physics 19, 77] Published Fri May 22, 2026

Diamond is extremely valuable to science and technology not for its sparkle but for its extreme hardness, high thermal conductivity, transparency to a large fraction of the light spectrum, and a host of other exceptional properties. Two decades ago, scientists discovered another advantage: under the right conditions, diamond can become a superconductor—allowing electricity to flow through it with zero resistance.

Life on Earth relies on energy from astrophysical sources. But what if the astrophysical source isn't a star, but a supermassive black hole and its active galactic nuclei? Life needs shelter from their powerful energy, and the only shelter is distance. New research shows that SMBH and their AGN could strip away exoplanet atmospheres and destroy their ozone at vast distances.

Previously classified photos and documents show the scientific work that went into the world's first atomic test in 1945 – a test that, just weeks later, would see nuclear bombs dropped in Japan

Scientific discovery is often portrayed as the result of long hours alone in a lab, but true science is inherently collaborative. The most robust experimental processes are developed through partnerships across multiple areas of research.

Researchers at The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH), a part of The University of Alabama System, have identified a promising new method for measuring the mass of galaxies orbiting the Milky Way by using pulsars, some of the universe's most precise natural clocks, to detect tiny gravitational effects across our galaxy.

What if wormholes were never cosmic tunnels at all? New research suggests Einstein and Rosen’s famous “bridge” may actually reveal something even stranger: time itself could flow in two directions at once. Instead of connecting distant places in space, these bridges may connect mirror versions of time deep inside quantum physics, potentially solving the long-standing black hole information paradox and hinting that our universe existed before the Big Bang.

The U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) plans to invest more than $2 billion in quantum computing through the CHIPS and Science Act. The department signed letters of intent with nine companies to support critical R&D efforts and the establishment of domestic manufacturing capabilities to support the industry. GlobalFoundries and IBM will utilize their incentives to establish quantum foundry businesses. GlobalFoundries has launched its Quantum Technologies business to scale manufacturing capabilities to support utility scale quantum computing. Leveraging $375 million in incentives, the company said that the business has launched with customer engagements and a pipeline of quantum innovators positioned to scale on its platform. IBM,...

Vortices in superconductors have so far been considered a disruption, as they can impair the superconducting properties. Researchers at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) have proved in experiments that magnetic vortices can be used as controllable quantum systems in certain materials. This means that a previously unwanted phenomenon is becoming a potential resource in quantum technologies, opening up new avenues for the development of quantum computers, highly sensitive sensor systems, and innovative approaches in materials research. These results are published in Nature.

Dark matter is an elusive form of matter that almost never emits, absorbs or reflects light, while only weakly interacting with regular matter. These properties make it very difficult to detect using conventional experimental techniques and instruments.

Researchers from the Department of Energy’s Quantum Science Center (QSC) headquartered at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) have

Another day, another literary scandal involving AI. It has been alleged that the judges of the Commonwealth Short Story Prize have been duped by an author using AI in his winning entry. Jamir Nazir's The Serpent in the Grove, which won for the Caribbean region, was then published in leading literary magazine Granta, along with other winning entries.

The U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) plans to invest more than $2 billion in quantum computing through the CHIPS and Science Act. The department signed letters of intent with nine companies to support critical R&D efforts and the establishment of domestic manufacturing capabilities to support the industry. GlobalFoundries and IBM will utilize their incentives to establish quantum foundry businesses. GlobalFoundries has launched its Quantum Technologies business to scale manufacturing capabilities to support utility scale quantum computing. Leveraging $375 million in incentives, the company said that the business has launched with customer engagements and a pipeline of quantum innovators positioned to scale on its platform. IBM,...

Linda Coble, Hawaii's first female TV news anchor, lost nearly $60,000 to a sweepstakes scam, highlighting the dangers of fraud and the need for public awareness.

Alessandra Mussolini, granddaughter of Benito Mussolini, wins Italy's Celebrity Big Brother 2026, securing 56% of the public vote. Her victory sparks discussions on historical legacy and modern fame

The use of quantum entanglement to enable selective image transmission through complex media can enhance applications from imaging to secure communication The post Entangled photons open up potential applications of anti-scattering optics appeared first on Physics World.

Author(s): Marric StephensA material’s contorted magnetic texture could be used to focus or collimate spin waves in future spintronic devices. [Physics 19, s68] Published Thu May 21, 2026

Precision medicine aims to transport therapeutic agents, such as molecules, proteins or RNA, to the exact place where they need to act within the body. One of the most promising strategies is the use of nanocarriers: nanoparticles capable of encapsulating the drug, protecting it, transporting it and releasing it in a controlled manner where it is needed. At present, however, their behavior is usually analyzed using techniques based on average measurements of large populations, which conceal the differences between individual particles.

An out-of-this-world weather report from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope reveals how clouds move across a giant planet hundreds of light-years from Earth

The United States Department of Commerce has announced plans to invest more than $2 billion in quantum computing through incentives tied to the CHIPS and Science Act, with the federal government taking minority, non-controlling stakes in participating companies. Among the nine companies named in the letter of intent are GlobalFoundries, Infleqtion, PsiQuantum, and Quantinuum.

Researchers have uncovered a new principle that could accelerate the development of cheaper and more efficient fuel cells by revealing how dual-atom catalysts behave during a key energy conversion reaction. The study, led by researchers at Tohoku University, shows that these catalysts follow a previously unknown "dual-Sabatier optima" pattern, overturning long-standing assumptions in catalyst science. Details of the findings were published in Angewandte Chemie International Edition.

Thanks to the James Webb Space Telescope, astronomers have witnessed a cloudy morning dissipating to leave a clear sky by dusk on a distant hot Jupiter.

Using a conventional computer and cutting-edge mathematical tools and code, physicists at the Center for Computational Quantum Physics (CCQ) at the Simons Foundation's Flatiron Institute and collaborators at Boston University have cracked a daunting quantum physics problem previously claimed to be solvable only by quantum computers.

Black holes are regions in space where gravity is so strong that nothing, even light, can escape. Einstein's theory of general relativity breaks down inside black holes, either by the presence of a so-called "curvature singularity" or "Cauchy horizon."

An unusual thermoelectric effect has been observed in the semiconductor tellurium by RIKEN physicists for the first time. This demonstration points to the potential of similar materials to be used in applications such as energy harvesting and advanced heat management.

A team from Vienna and Frankfurt has found a formula describing a strange phenomenon: Space and time can form a kind of "crystal" that may turn into a black hole. The results are described in Physical Review Letters.

Within a crystal's atomic structure, tiny atomic-scale flaws will naturally occur where electrons can become trapped. These defects have emerged as one of the leading platforms for quantum information processing. Through a new study, posted to the preprint server arXiv, Ilai Schwartz and colleagues at NVision Imaging Technologies in Germany have shown that a specialized molecule embedded inside a crystal could take this approach a step further, offering a more controllable and versatile route to building quantum systems.

Neutrinos, the second most common fundamental particles in the universe, are notoriously difficult to detect. So far we’ve only been able to do so by building giant vats of water far underground with hundreds of photodetectors watching for brief flashes of light. But a new CubeSat mission hopes to change that dynamic and enable the neutrino detectors of the future a much less constrained and expensive existence - in space.

Currently, beam sources for quantum technology applications are often complex, large, and not robust enough for field use. What is still needed are miniaturized systems that are as versatile as possible. The project “HiPEQ — Highly Integrated PIC-Based ECDLs for Quantum Technology,” funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMFTR), has developed such a beam source. Coordinated by TOPTICA, later a systems integrator, a consortium of industry and research partners has built prototypes of two miniaturized laser sources. With external dimensions of just 22 × 9 × 6 cm3, they provide enough space for all system components. The design can also be adapted to other wavelengths, making them...

Researchers in Chile shed more light on the little-understood phenomenon of static electricity The post Particle size affects contact electrification appeared first on Physics World.

The buildup of a protein called a-synuclein (ASN) into toxic clumps is a hallmark of synucleinopathies, a group of neurodegenerative diseases that includes Parkinson’s and multiple system atrophy (MSA).

Quantum computers could someday solve pressing problems that are too convoluted for classical computers, such as modeling complex

It’s been 37 years since scientists first demonstrated the ability to move single atoms, suggesting the possibility of

Researchers have built an ultra-sensitive sensor capable of detecting unimaginably small amounts of energy — below one zeptojoule. The breakthrough relies on fragile superconducting materials that react to even the slightest temperature change. This level of precision could improve quantum computers, enable photon counting, and even help scientists detect elusive dark matter particles from space.

Author(s): Sophia ChenUsing atoms in two different highly excited states enables quantum bits that are both long-lived and manipulable. [Physics 19, s63] Published Wed May 20, 2026

Quantum computers get a lot of attention, even though they are not ready for prime time, but quantum sensors are already doing useful work. These sensors measure fields, forces and motion so small that ordinary background noise can drown them out. Some sensors are already in daily use, while others are moving from research labs into flight tests, hospitals and field instruments.

Standardizing calculations of the helium byproducts generated in advanced fission and fusion energy system materials can increase reactor safety and longevity, according to a study led by University of Michigan Engineering with collaborators at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and its management contractor UT-Battelle.

Experiments hint that quantum mechanisms are vital to the machinery of life. Now researchers are exploring if these effects help to explain the success of an array of puzzling health treatments

How come our universe is full of disorder, when all elementary particles appear to follow strictly ordered laws of physics? And are there organizing principles behind disorder and apparent chaos?

Researchers from the Institut des NanoSciences de Paris, the Kastler Brossel Laboratory and the University of Glasgow have developed an innovative method that renders a scattering medium transparent solely for information carried by entangled photon pairs, while the same medium remains completely opaque to classical light.

A new experiment confirms that photons passing through a cloud of atoms can spend a negative amount of time there, and the atoms themselves are the ones saying so.

As ammonia gains attention as a next-generation energy source capable of overcoming the limits of hydrogen storage and transport, KAIST and a joint research team have developed fuel cell technology that directly uses ammonia as fuel while achieving world-class performance and stability. This achievement is regarded as a core technology that will accelerate the commercialization of the next-generation hydrogen economy and carbon-free power generation.

Researchers used quantum simulations to model the collisions of subatomic particles and open new avenues to understand the

The Haystack 37m Telescope has been a landmark in radio astronomy and radar studies of the solar system since its first light in 1964. Over the following four decades, it supported NASA's Apollo landings on the moon, made planetary radar maps of the surface of Venus, contributed to experimental tests of Einstein's general relativity, supported the development of VLBI, and conducted foundational studies of quasars and star-forming regions.

One of the most puzzling findings from the JWST's observations of the early universe is the size of black holes. According to our understanding of black hole growth, these early black holes are far more massive than expected. Astronomers expected the unexpected from JWST, and it has delivered. Now the challenge is to update models of the universe to include these new observations.

New technique could support atomic-scale manufacturing The post Electron beams rearrange atoms in a 3D crystal appeared first on Physics World.