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A team of researchers has leveraged a supercomputer at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory to reveal the internal structure of a pion in unprecedented detail. The findings are published in the Journal of High Energy Physics.

In the next few decades, many physicists are hopeful that nuclear fusion could become a realistic source of practically limitless energy. But before this can happen, it will be critical to ensure that reactors cannot be covertly misused to produce materials for nuclear weapons.

As UAP files are declassified and Disclosure Day hits cinemas, physicists argue that any aliens capable of reaching Earth would become 'time exiles' who can never truly go home.

A recent study published in Nature Communications demonstrates precise control over electron spatial arrangement in two directions simultaneously—without any applied voltage—through interface engineering between semimetal bismuth (Bi) thin films and two-dimensional semiconductor MoS₂.

A bold claim that the universe’s accelerating expansion was an illusion has been put to the test—and failed. Researchers found that the study behind the controversy made key mistakes when analyzing supernova data. After revisiting the evidence, astronomers concluded that cosmic acceleration remains as strong as ever.

Author(s): Mark BuchananResearchers boosted the sensitivity for measurements of the motion of a levitated nanoparticle, with potential uses in dark matter searches. [Physics 19, 84] Published Fri Jun 12, 2026

The quasar existed 12.9 billion years ago and shows that supermassive black holes were able to age rapidly in the early universe.

Artificial intelligence is often used to generate images. In research, specialized AI models are used for scientific applications—for example, to predict the positions of atoms in materials. The MatterGen model developed by Microsoft can generate complex crystal structures from just a few pieces of information—which atoms should be present and in what proportions—and researchers can then use these structures for computer simulations of new materials.

'I think it’s a really interesting environment to delve into. Ultimately, it's a culture of survival.'

A mathematical model shows that attempting to sever a fundamental particle of light could conjure new ones out of thin air.

Xcimer Energy announced that the U.S. Department of Energy approved its Athena design for fusion power plants in Denver, aiming to commercialize fusion energy through innovative technology.

Scientists at RIKEN have proposed a new way to make quantum systems synchronize in only one direction—like a one-way street for sound particles known as phonons. The breakthrough combines two quantum effects to create a form of one-way quantum synchronization that remains surprisingly stable even when exposed to manufacturing flaws and environmental noise, two major obstacles that have long hindered real-world quantum technologies.

Scientists at the University of Hong Kong have created a remarkable new type of brain-inspired chip that can function just above absolute zero, one of the coldest environments imaginable. By using a standard silicon carbide transistor in a completely new way, the team made a single device behave like an energy-efficient neuron, firing electrical “spikes” similar to those in the human brain.

Deep beneath the ground in China, the massive JUNO neutrino observatory has delivered its first major scientific breakthrough, achieving one of the most precise measurements yet of how elusive neutrinos change as they travel. Using just 59 days of data, researchers sharply improved measurements of key neutrino properties, boosting confidence that JUNO can tackle one of particle physics' biggest mysteries: determining the true mass hierarchy of neutrinos.

A superconducting quantum computer is part of a network that is mining an experimental cryptocurrency called Quip, and it is able to do it faster and with better energy efficiency than conventional machines

The unprecedented $727 million prize fund for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with champions earning a historic $50 million, sets a record and impacts every participating nation.

Researchers at Emory University demonstrated electrically tunable, nonlinear optics in plasmonic tunnel junctions, and reduced the size of these devices from the conventional scale of hundreds of nm down to only a few nm. Electrically controlled, nonlinear, microscopic-scale optical devices could enable processes essential for integrated photonics, including signal processing, ultrafast switching, and quantum light manipulation. To produce a nonlinear optical phenomenon called second harmonic generation (SHG), the researchers developed plasmonic tunnel junctions comprising epitaxial indium tin oxide (ITO) and plasmonic gold electrodes, separated by an epitaxial lutetium oxide (LuO) barrier. SHG is currently used to double laser...

Quantum materials, materials with properties that are governed by the laws of quantum mechanics, have proved to be highly promising for the development of ultra-efficient electronic devices, quantum processors, highly precise sensors and various other technologies. Reliably controlling these materials' quantum phases would be highly advantageous, as it would enable engineers to tailor and optimize their properties for specific applications.

Extremely curved spacetime can warp cause and effect, creating channels for backward communication

Dark matter may alter the dynamics of colliding black holes and leave a signature in their gravitational-wave emission. The post Novel gravitational-wave model sheds light on dark matter appeared first on Physics World.

Researchers have developed a solar-driven catalyst material that harnesses the energy of a single photon to reduce carbon dioxide and oxidize organic waste at the same time, producing valuable chemicals in both reactions.

The first direct mass measurement from the early universe weighs in on the debate over the origins of

Author(s): Guillermo Franco AbellánA disagreement over neutrino-mass estimates might be resolved by assuming that neutrinos decay into hypothetical massless particles. [Phys. Rev. D 113, 123527] Published Thu Jun 11, 2026

Author(s): Michael SchirberA disagreement over neutrino-mass estimates might be resolved by assuming that neutrinos decay into hypothetical massless particles. [Physics 19, s72] Published Thu Jun 11, 2026

From paints and inks to catalysts and drug-delivery materials, many advanced technologies rely on substances dispersed in organic solvents. Yet directly observing these materials in their native liquid environments has remained a major challenge, limiting scientists' ability to understand how microscopic structures and elemental distributions influence performance.

Black holes are already strange enough, regions of space where gravity is so extreme that not even light can escape. But physicists have long known there's another layer of weirdness, that black holes also behave like thermodynamic objects, with temperature, entropy, and phase transitions just like a gas or a liquid. Now, a new approach borrowed from pure mathematics is revealing hidden patterns in that behaviour and hinting at something fundamental about the nature of black holes themselves.

A research team in Bochum, Germany has unexpectedly found that light can slow down movements in the nanoworld. This is due to quantum friction, a phenomenon that has been poorly understood until now. The findings are published in the journal Nature.

In a quest to build the most accurate quantum sensors in the world, scientists are constantly improving their performance, making them more precise, more stable and more reliable. But eventually, physical constraints will prevent further improvements.

We may not know what dark matter is, but we keep getting whiffs of it. "We are reaching a point where the observational evidence for dark matter is simply undeniable," said Mayank Sharma, a Virginia Tech graduate student in physics.

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A “galaxy-killing” wind driven by cosmic mergers may explain why many massive galaxies in the early universe stopped forming stars far earlier than expected, according to new JWST and ALMA observations.

How supermassive black holes (SMBHs) in the centers of galaxies accrete material, how they feed back into the surrounding region, and how they regulate these processes to influence the evolution of their galaxies are all hot topics in astronomical and astrophysical research. Astronomers are nearly certain that all large galaxies like the Milky Way have an SMBH, and detailed observations of them are where answers will be found. But only some galaxies are readily observed in detail, even by the powerful JWST.

Nearly 100 years ago, a seemingly simple discovery revolutionized the microscope. The introduction of phase contrast, which garnered a Nobel Prize in 1953, brought into clear view structures inside cells that had previously been too faint or washed out for biologists to study.

An experiment with a toy universe made up of extremely cold atoms shows how time can emerge from quantum interactions, instead of existing by default

First dreamed up decades ago, the world's first nuclear clocks are set to improve quickly, becoming more precise and aiding the hunt for dark matter.

Scientists found that transfer learning can make the search for new physics in the universe much faster, slashing the need for expensive simulations. Yet the approach can backfire when AI relies too heavily on familiar patterns, potentially missing evidence of something truly new.

Student Gunnar Hartmann wins Nature’s 2026 Scientist at Work photography competition for this shot of migrating northern bald ibis in Spain

Laureate Amina Helmi and Per Barth Lilje of the prize committee are our guests The post ‘Galactic archaeologists’ share the 2026 Kavli Prize in Astrophysics appeared first on Physics World.

Following the close of its $240 million financing round, Focused Energy plans to consolidate its activities in the field of laser-driven radiation sources into an independent entity under the name Sourcelight. With this move, the company said it is laying the groundwork for the industrial transfer of selected technological building blocks emerging from its laser fusion development. Sourcelight is intended to bring the laser-driven radiation sources (LDRS) technology developed by Focused Energy into targeted industrial applications. The technology combines laser-driven high-energy x-rays and neutrons in a single system. This not only enables high-resolution imaging, but also additional insights into material composition —...

Many natural processes, ranging from magnetism to chemical reactions, entail the movement and rotation of particles at very small scales. In quantum mechanics, particles exhibit both particle-like and wave-like behaviors, and their states can be described mathematically using representations known as wavefunctions.

The growing threat posed by quantum computers has accelerated the development of quantum-resistant encryption technologies. These new cryptographic

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Author(s): Ryan WilkinsonAtomic-scale measurements show that vibrational excitations can cause electrons to move in bunches. [Physics 19, s75] Published Wed Jun 10, 2026

Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope may be close to solving the mystery of "little red dots" in the early universe.

Quantum materials are a class of exotic materials with special properties that are governed by quantum mechanics rather than classical physics. Those properties—like superconductivity, entanglement and unusual forms of magnetism—often originate in the tiny repeating patterns of atoms inside crystals, but through clever engineering, they can be observed and controlled at a more human scale. Quantum materials are helping to power the quickly growing field of quantum computing and could find their way into future generations of energy-efficient electronics.

The complex puzzle known as little red dots has become more complete since their initial discovery by NASA's James Webb Space Telescope in 2022. Now a particular little red dot's spectrum is helping connect many of the pieces.

Astronomers may have found the missing link in the SMBH feeding process. New observations with the JWST show that a galaxy's circumnuclear disk, which feeds gas into its black hole, is connected to a much larger network of filaments. Cool gas flows through these filaments into the SMBH's sphere of influence.

Scientists have uploaded a viral genome to a quantum computer, marking an important step for the future of quantum-enabled advancements in biology.

A massive underground detector aimed at understanding the mysterious ghost particles in our universe released its first major results on Wednesday.

Cardi B suggests Trump's presence at Madison Square Garden brought bad luck to the Knicks after their Game 3 loss to the Spurs in the NBA Finals.

The nanoscale world appears to have a new ball to kick around. Researchers from Brown University have shown the first experimental evidence for a "buckyball" molecule made from 80 boron atoms. The new structure is the cousin of the carbon buckyball, known formally as Buckminsterfullerene—a soccer ball-shaped molecule made from 60 carbon atoms that helped launch the nanotechnology revolution when it was discovered just over 40 years ago.

Explore how AI-native platforms like Atoms are reshaping software engineering, speeding up workflows, and enabling faster, smarter development.

NYSE expert Peter Tuchman advises caution as SpaceX's unprecedented $135 IPO could surge to $1,000. Explore the largest IPO in stock market history and its implications for investors.

A Colorado-based fusion energy company said the U.S. Dept. of Energy (DOE) has approved the company's preconceptual technical design for its commercial fusion power plant. The post DOE Approves Xcimer Energy Fusion Power Plant Design appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Quantum computers—systems that process information and perform computations by leveraging the principles of quantum mechanics—could solve some tasks faster and more effectively than classical computers. While some studies have demonstrated the advantages of these computers for specific tasks, ensuring their reliable operation in real-world settings has proved challenging.

“Insect Sex Intersections” is a new episode (the seventh episode) in the series “Laugh Then Think: Japan’s Offbeat Science” broadcast by the Japanese TV network NHK. You can watch it online. The series looks closely and lovingly at some of Japan’s many Ig Nobel Prize winners. The producers summarize the new episode this way: “An […]

Astronomers have revealed distinct differences in atmospheric conditions between the morning and evening transition zones of the ultra-hot gas planet WASP-121 b, which separate day from night, commonly called terminators. This achievement was only possible due to the unmatched sensitivity of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST).

Physicists at University College Cork have developed a new approach in the search for a quantum spin liquid, a long-sought state of quantum matter resembling a magnetic liquid whose quantum properties mean it never freezes. The work is a key step in the search for quantum silicon, a mineral that could be used to create quantum computers, just as silicon is used in traditional computers. The resulting paper appears in Nature Physics.

The half-century-long search is finally over, opening a new window into the physics at play in the center

Using the unprecedented imaging and spectroscopic power of the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope, researchers have mapped the

A study in the Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics explores how a machine-learning strategy known as transfer learning could dramatically reduce the computational cost of searching for new physics beyond the standard cosmological model—while also revealing an unexpected risk: Sometimes AI systems can become too reliant on what they already know.

Author(s): Matteo RiniAstronomers may have found a long-sought wind from Sagittarius A*, offering a glimpse into how typical supermassive black holes shape their environment. [Physics 19, 82] Published Tue Jun 09, 2026

Researchers at University College Dublin and international collaborators have just published a detailed and accessible guide that aims to translate theoretical ideas into practical devices for quantum enhanced sensing technologies.

The mysterious Amaterasu particle may not be a proton at all. New research suggests that some of the most extreme cosmic rays could be ultraheavy atomic nuclei, heavier than iron, which are better able to retain their energy while traveling through space. This idea could help explain how these rare particles reach Earth and provide new clues about the powerful cosmic explosions that create them.

How are heavy elements formed in the universe? Extremely neutron-rich atomic nuclei and their beta-decay rates play an important role in this process. Until now, it has been very difficult to determine these rates experimentally. Researchers at TU Darmstadt have developed theoretical predictions for such processes and successfully compared them with experimental data, where they exist. The results were published in Physical Review Letters.

An international team of researchers has reported a major advance in understanding quantum dynamics in semiconductor materials. They directly observed how excitons and phonons evolve together in perovskite nanocrystals, revealing a fully coherent quantum dance between light-induced electronic excitations and crystal lattice vibrations. They published their findings in Nature Communications.

How do you measure the mass of a dormant black hole in the early Universe? That's a question astronomers at University College London (UCL) and Carnegie scientists wanted to answer about a distant object that is invisible. So, they turned to James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) studies of the region around the black hole to find that answer.

Researchers at Kanazawa University, in collaboration with Diamond and Carbon Applications (Germany), have developed a buried-growth process for nitrogen–vacancy (NV) centers in diamond using microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition (MPCVD). By employing nitrogen-radical selective etching, which simultaneously enhances metal-mask durability through nitridation, the team enabled a continuous etching–growth sequence within a single MPCVD process.

Solar flares are the most explosive energy-release events in the solar corona, leading to intense particle acceleration, plasma heating and bulk plasma motions on short timescales. Core questions during solar flares remain unresolved, including how and where particle acceleration occurs, and how energized electrons propagate through coronal magnetic structures.

Physics is considered a cold, hard science – but it will transform your life if you view it with a bit more subjectivity, says Karmela Padavic-Callaghan

A new Chinese quantum computing system pairs two independent neutral-atom arrays in one processor, aiming to boost stability, efficiency and scalability.

New simulations show that interactions with a magnetic field can work to decrease the distance between still forming binary protostars. These results can help explain the characteristics of the binary star systems observed in the Milky Way. These results can also be extrapolated to binary black holes, giving insights into how super massive black holes evolve.

Quantum memories, systems that store and retrieve information leveraging quantum mechanical effects, can outperform classical storage systems on some existing tasks. Yet these promising memories could also complete operations that are very difficult or impossible for classical systems, including the storage and retrieval of so-called isometry channels.

Author(s): Sam JarmanResearchers use a quantum Bell test to generate certifiably random numbers, key ingredients for secure network communications. [Physics 19, 81] Published Mon Jun 08, 2026

Researchers from the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) in Laurel, Maryland, and Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore have developed a practical, comprehensive noise-modeling framework for a popular class of superconducting quantum processors. Their work, published in the journal PRX Quantum, offers a sevenfold improvement in predictive accuracy over existing approaches.

We don't know whether theorized primordial black holes (PBH) are real. If they are, they formed in the very early universe, when physics was much different. They had no stellar progenitors and were created by the direct collapse of densely packed subatomic matter. Theorists have wondered whether PBH could be dark matter, or a component of dark matter.

An international team led by the Max Born Institute has developed a new type of momentum microscopy to image magnons—the quanta of collectively excited spins—directly in two-dimensional reciprocal space using soft X-rays. Owing to its remarkable sensitivity, simplicity, and access to nanometer-scale wavelengths, this novel technique establishes a powerful and versatile platform for exploring nonlinear magnon interactions, which are promising for future computing schemes.

Researchers from the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering in the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Hong Kong (HKU) and the Centre for Advanced Semiconductors and Integrated Circuits (CASIC) have achieved a major breakthrough in cryogenic electronics. The team has developed a programmable neuromorphic hardware platform that operates near absolute zero, providing a potential solution for scaling up quantum computers and enabling deep-space exploration. The discovery was published in Nature Communications in an article titled "Cryogenic neuromorphic circuits using gate-controlled negative differential resistance in silicon carbide."

Using the James Webb Space Telescope, and with a little help from Einstein, astronomers have "weighed" a sleeping giant, a dormant supermassive black hole located a staggering 10 billion light-years away.

Florida State University physicists are part of a team that has discovered unusual superconducting states in parts of graphene, with the potential to drive unexpected quantum technologies.

Using a novel simulation model based on machine learning, an international research team at GSI/FAIR has succeeded in gaining a deeper understanding of element formation in stellar events such as neutron star mergers. For the first time, the scientists used deep learning with a neural network to model the energy release during r-process nucleosynthesis in hydrodynamic simulations. The results are published in the journal Physical Review D.

Pour out a bottle of Head & Shoulders for Ivan Reitman's Evolution on its 25-year anniversary.

Building useful quantum technologies—from sensors to computers—requires generating highly complex entangled states, in which the properties of particles are deeply intertwined. Producing such states has traditionally required complex tools and carefully engineered setups with many parts.

A new theoretical study may have cracked one of the most puzzling discoveries of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST): Little Red Dots, spotted across the early universe. The paper, posted to the arXiv preprint server on May 29, argues that these objects could be black holes caught in rare, violent bursts of feeding at a rate exceeding theoretical limits.