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Trions form when three particles, like quarks or electrons, come together. This formation occurs in quantum particles in nuclear physics, semiconductors and magnets, and understanding its behavior can be challenging. Rice University's Kaden Hazzard and his team recently developed a theory on how these formations occur and behave, which was published in Physical Review Letters.

Of the more than 624,000 highway bridges in the U.S., an estimated 220,000 need repairs. Quantum sensors could help engineers better safeguard these vital pieces of infrastructure

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Gravity, the force that attracts objects toward each other, is currently framed by Albert Einstein's theory of general relativity. This framework describes gravity as the curvature of spacetime, the invisible four-dimensional fabric of the universe.

Microsoft’s Quantum Proof in Doubt A peer-reviewed critique in the journal Nature has reopened a hard question about

A research team led by professor Hao-Wu Lin from the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at National Tsing Hua University (NTHU) has developed what its claims to be the world's brightest room-temperature single-photon source, which uniquely combines ultrafast and non-blinking emission. The device emits more than 2.3 billion photons per second, reportedly setting a new global benchmark and marking a significant milestone toward practical quantum communication and integrated quantum photonic chips. Professor Hao-Wu Lin (center) and his research team, including doctoral student Tzu-Hao Liao (right) and Yung-Tang Chuang, developed the world's brightest room-temperature single-photon source, capable of emitting more than...

Sound waves, light waves and other types of waves, generally spread freely through space and over time. In 1958, physicist Philip W. Anderson first described a phenomenon via which irregularities or other sources of disorder in materials would prevent waves from propagating freely, which is now known as Anderson localization.

Author(s): Abhay Ashtekar, Daniel E. Paraizo, and Jonathan ShuThe first law of black hole mechanics has been extended to dynamical horizons so that the law applies to black holes arbitrarily far from equilibrium, a fundamental result that formally shows the thermodynamic description of black holes extends beyond the typical stationary solutions. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 136, 251405] Published Wed Jun 24, 2026

Author(s): Ayush Roy, Lorenzo Küchler, Adam Pound, and Rodrigo Panosso MacedoA modular framework within the self-force formalism that applies to a large class of effective field theories of gravity in order to perform tests of general relativity with binary black hole mergers is critical for tests of general relativity that make use of the upcoming space-based gravitational wave detectors such as LISA. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 136, 251404] Published Wed Jun 24, 2026

Scientists have detected the "fingerprints" of a black hole's event horizon—the boundary from which nothing can escape—for the first time, according to research published Wednesday.

Life on Earth took a long evolutionary journey that eventually created us, the purportedly intelligent species that dominates the planet. But there was no grand plan or design, only happenstance, nature and luck. Life on Earth suffered multiple extinctions, but got up, dusted itself off and continued on its long march to complexity.

A Florida State University computational scientist is paving the way for future medical breakthroughs by developing mathematical models and simulations to predict the behavior of a unique drug-delivery method, which aims to deploy treatments directly to targeted sites in the body.

Researchers at Tohoku University have uncovered the long-standing mystery behind the synthesis of Janus two-dimensional (2D) semiconductors, paving the way for more precise manufacturing of materials used in future electronics and clean energy technologies.

New experimental evidence demonstrates that discrete space-time crystals can be realized in classical soft-matter systems, thereby moving beyond the traditional complexities of quantum mechanics.

In a laboratory in Broomfield, Colorado, 98 atoms are suspended in midair, held in place by electric fields and cooled to temperatures close to absolute zero.

The JWST looked back in time and saw 6 galaxies merging into one. At the heart of the assembly, a supermassive black hole is lurking. It all happened when the Universe was only about 1.5 billion years old, and the red-shifted light is just reaching us now.

If, in space, no one can hear you scream, it seems that you can actually hear the sound of a crash when two black holes collide. Using the loudest gravitational wave ever heard, two Australian scientists and colleagues have been the first to witness the previously elusive "event horizon" at the actual moment of collision, right before all light and sound are swallowed by the newly formed black hole for eternity.

The explosion, consisting of two mysterious double flares, matches no known space eruption.

Soccer balls are tricky to design for proper spin. NASA highlighted how it is helping with FIFA ball design — and providing entertainment for ISS astronauts.

The hunt for these ghostly particles has required some of the most audacious experiment setups ever built. The post How Physicists Track and Trap the Elusive Neutrino first appeared on Quanta Magazine

The company has been touting its quantum technology for years, but some experts say these claims just don’t pass muster

Nature is the foremost international weekly scientific journal in the world and is the flagship journal for Nature Portfolio. It publishes the finest peer-reviewed research in all fields of science and technology on the basis of its originality, importance, interdisciplinary interest, timeliness, accessibility, elegance and surprising conclusions. Nature publishes landmark papers, award winning news, leading comment and expert opinion on important, topical scientific news and events that enable readers to share the latest discoveries in science and evolve the discussion amongst the global scientific community.

Nature is the foremost international weekly scientific journal in the world and is the flagship journal for Nature Portfolio. It publishes the finest peer-reviewed research in all fields of science and technology on the basis of its originality, importance, interdisciplinary interest, timeliness, accessibility, elegance and surprising conclusions. Nature publishes landmark papers, award winning news, leading comment and expert opinion on important, topical scientific news and events that enable readers to share the latest discoveries in science and evolve the discussion amongst the global scientific community.

Researchers were unsure whether alpha particles would aid or hinder fusion. Simulations suggest they help, by dampening turbulence.

Diamonds have long been coveted for their beauty. Their dazzling color and clarity make them perfect candidates for luxury jewelry. However, it's their other unique characteristics, including their hardness, thermal conductivity and chemical resistance, that make diamonds suitable for various applications in industry and advanced technologies.

From detecting the ripples of colliding black holes to imaging individual chemical bonds, mechanical transducers have repeatedly transformed our understanding of the universe. So far, however, the sensitivity of these devices has been intrinsically limited by the laws of quantum mechanics itself.

A research team from Hiroshima University, the University of Colorado, and other collaborators have demonstrated that space-time crystals—exotic structures that, under external drive, loop endlessly through both space and time—can be created using everyday liquid-crystal materials.

The area surrounding our galaxy’s central supermassive black hole contains three strangely different populations of stars – but one hidden black hole could explain all of them

Multiferroics are materials that exhibit more than one prominent "ferroic" property, such as ferromagnetism and ferroelectricity. One of their most advantageous features is that they allow engineers to control their magnetic states with electric fields or vice versa, due to an effect known as magnetoelectric coupling.

Quantum Computing Inc. (QCi), a quantum optics and integrated photonics technology company, has acquired NHanced Semiconductors, Inc. in a cash and stock transaction valued at $73.1 million. NHanced will operate as a wholly owned subsidiary of QCi and continue to support its current customers and partners, including those within the quantum ecosystem. According to the QCi, the acquisition marks an important step in its transition from research-driven innovation and prototyping to scalable commercial production. Illinois-based NHanced is an advanced packaging foundry specializing in integration, hybrid bonding, chiplet architectures, silicon interposers and photonics device integration. Its expertise in advanced semiconductor...

We may not know what dark matter is, but we keep getting whiffs of it. “We are reaching

America’s Quantum Sprint President Donald Trump signed two executive orders on Monday that push the United States to

Plasma treatment weakens sulfur bonds, enabling precise room-temperature fabrication of Janus 2D semiconductors for advanced electronics.

Magnetic quantum oscillations have been unexpectedly observed in insulators, where freely moving charge carriers are not expected to exist. A joint study by researchers from Tokyo University of Science, The University of Tokyo and Kobe University investigated this puzzling behavior in the Kondo insulator YbB12 using ultrasound.

Researchers introduced TFM-IR, an ambient-condition infrared microscopy method that uses torsional cantilever dynamics and nonlinear frequency mixing to map in-plane and out-of-plane photothermal responses at the nanoscale. The technique resolved anisotropic strain in mica nanobubbles and achieved near-nanometer optical imaging in twisted bilayer graphene, enabling site-resolved spectroscopy within individual moiré cells.

Cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) can help scientists determine the three-dimensional structure of proteins in unprecedented detail. Jacques Dubochet, former group leader at EMBL, shared the 2017 Nobel Prize in chemistry with Joachim Frank and Richard Henderson for the development of this technique, which led to the "resolution revolution" in structural biology.

Researchers have discovered how certain photosynthetic bacteria use a sophisticated quantum mechanism to increase their efficiency when capturing sunlight. The study, published today in the journal Nature Chemistry and led by Professor Jenny Clark, reveals that nature has been using a process called "singlet fission," effectively a "two-for-one" energy deal, to optimize solar harvesting. The findings provide a new blueprint for green technology, particularly as engineers attempt to copy this mechanism to build next-generation solar panels and quantum technologies.

Many of Earth's mass extinctions await clear explanations. We know an impact wiped out the dinosaurs, but what about the planet's other extinction events? New research says flybys of planetary mass objects could've been responsible.

For decades, astronomers and policymakers have been working on plans to protect our planet from killer asteroids. But now there's a new realm to protect: the thousands of satellites we're putting in orbit.

Researchers from the University of Sydney, working with IBM, have identified and quantified important factors limiting the performance of quantum computers and demonstrated ways to overcome their impact.

New technique allows researchers to probe the top layer of an atomically thin topological quantum material for the first time The post Encapsulation enhances surface structure imaging of 2D quantum material appeared first on Physics World.

Ultrasonic measurements reveal magnetic quantum oscillations only after YbB12 transitions into a metallic state.

Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) scientists have used a classic optical phenomenon known as the Poisson spot to create stable patterns of light called optical skyrmions, which are tiny, swirling configurations in the properties of light—akin to the spikes of a hedgehog.

It feels like every few months we get to report on another academic paper coming out singing the praises of the Solar Gravitational SGL (SGL). Partly, this is due to Dr. Slava Turyshev’s astounding productivity in terms of pumping out academic articles, but partly because such a ground-breaking mission has lots of positive aspects, but also challenges that need to be addressed. A new paper, available in pre-print on arXiv from Dr. Turyshev, stresses an often overlooked feature of the SGL - how useful it can be at imaging things other than far away exoplanets.

Quantum technology company Infleqtion has launched America’s Quantum Space Initiative, a program that brings together industry and one academic partner to help advance the development and deployment of quantum technologies for future space systems. With Voyager Technologies, Monarch Quantum, Armada, and the University of Colorado Boulder, the effort is designed to foster collaboration across industry, academia, and government to accelerate innovation, expand opportunities for quantum technologies in space, and strengthen U.S. leadership in next-generation technologies. In addition to helping bring together leaders across these disciplines, the founding members will identify opportunities for technology development,...

Astronomers have reported the discovery of an unusual X-ray transient detected by the Einstein Probe that does not fit any known class of cosmic explosions. The paper presenting its multiwavelength analysis was published in the journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society on June 13.

Quantum materials are a class of exotic materials with special properties that are governed by quantum mechanics rather than classical physics.

New study confirms accelerating expansion of the universe The post Cosmic crisis averted as supernovae put dark energy back on track appeared first on Physics World.

NASA’s upgraded Cold Atom Lab is turning the International Space Station into a frontier for quantum research, creating ultra-cold matter that behaves in astonishing ways. The experiments could unlock new discoveries about the universe while paving the way for powerful future technologies in space and on Earth.

In a study published in Nature Physics, Rice University’s Qimiao Si collaborated with researchers from TU Wien in an experiment

Author(s): Guang Yang and Praveen KumarThis study investigates the potential of electron–proton scattering at the Electron–Ion Collider to constrain the neutrino–nucleon axial form factor with unprecedented precision. By exploiting a free-proton target, the proposed measurements largely avoid nuclear-model uncertainties and offer a promising avenue for advancing the precision frontier of neutrino interaction physics. [Phys. Rev. D 113, 116031] Published Mon Jun 22, 2026

A proposal to create a new network for monitoring cosmic threats to off-world infrastructure has won this year's Schweickart Prize, which recognizes bright ideas for planetary defense.

A proposal to create a new network for monitoring cosmic threats to off-world infrastructure has won this year's Schweickart Prize, which recognizes bright ideas for planetary defense.

In the development of diseases such as muscular dystrophy, cancer, Ebola and dengue, numerous chemical reactions take place within and between cells that contribute to disease progression. These changes can occur in less than the blink of an eye—within microseconds or faster—making them difficult to analyze. Quantum sensing offers a way to monitor these changes, helping researchers determine when, where and how rapid biological processes occur.

Researchers at European XFEL, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), Rostock University and other collaborating institutions have used high-precision experiments to demonstrate that the most widely used models for the behavior of electrons in warm dense matter are inaccurate. Warm dense matter is challenging to study, but also is of key importance for a plethora of research, including the investigation of planetary interiors, materials science and laser fusion experiments. The study is published in Physical Review Letters.

There are multiple ways to form black holes. The one most commonly taught in high school physics classes is that they are created from the collapse of a dying star. But there is another class of black holes, known as primordial black holes (PBHs), that could have been created immediately after the Big Bang by matter collapsing in on itself. Or that's the theory, at least. Though long theorized, we've never actually seen one of them, though scientists have suggested that they might account for the missing mass of the universe, which we otherwise describe as "dark matter."

Astronomers have detected a flickering quasar called J0439+1634 as it appeared only 850 million years after the Big Bang. That discovery raises fresh questions about black hole formation and activity in the early Universe. The flickering light of this distant cosmic lighthouse showed that black hole at the heart of the quasr has a flat, pancake-shaped accretion disk. That shape is more familiar in modern-day quasars, which leads astronomers to wonder how these objects formed so quickly in the infant cosmos?

As we scour and scorch the Earth for deeper wells of energy, investors and government agencies are pouring billions into nuclear fusion research. The hope is that fusion may ultimately provide a virtually limitless source of clean energy.

The JWST found a galaxy cluster from 10 billion years ago that's far more developed than it should be, according to cosmological models. The cluster is also the most distant strong gravitational lens that we know of. Detailed observations across the spectrum show that the cluster is still undergoing mergers.

Astronomers have used the James Webb Space Telescope to catch an extraordinary glimpse of a massive galaxy taking shape in the early universe. They identified a compact group of at least six galaxies that are likely to merge into a single enormous system. At the heart of this cosmic construction site lies a growing supermassive black hole.

The expansion of the universe is still accelerating under the influence of dark energy, despite recent claims to the contrary averting a cosmological crisis, according to new research.

There are multiple ways to form black holes. The one most commonly taught in high school physics classes is that they are created from the collapse of a dying star. But there are another class of black holes, known as Primordial Black Holes (PBHs) that could have been created immediately after the Big Bang by matter collapsing in on it. Or that’s the theory at least. Though long theorized, we’ve never actually seen one of them, though scientists have suggested that they might account for the missing mass of the universe, which we otherwise describe as “dark matter”. But a new paper, available in pre-print on arXiv from researchers at Oakland University in Michigan and Rice University in Texas, calls that theory into question, at least for a certain type of PBH.

Recent observations suggest that dark energy is changing over time. Theorists wonder if dark matter is, too. The post A Dark Dimension Could Link Two of the Universe’s Great Unknowns first appeared on Quanta Magazine

The Orion A region has never looked as colorful and vibrant.

Our body contains an intricate system of tiny vessels through which blood, water and other molecules flow. When the size of the pipes shrinks to the nanoscale, where only a few molecules can fit side by side, the classical laws of physics governing the behavior of water are influenced by the atomic structure of the walls. "It's not that classical hydrodynamics breaks down, but rather that it gets mixed with the condensed matter physics of the solid walls," says Nikita Kavokine, tenure-track assistant professor and leader of the EPFL Quantum Plumbing Lab.

Englert shared the 2013 Nobel Prize for Physics with Peter Higgs The post Belgian Nobel-prize-winning theoretical physicist François Englert dies aged 93 appeared first on Physics World.

Alex Eala's impressive performance at the Berlin Tennis Open boosts her WTA ranking to No. 30, earning her a Wimbledon seeding and cash prizes. She prepares for the Bad Homburg Open next.

The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory has reached a key early milestone in developing radiofrequency control systems for the Electron-Ion Collider (EIC)—a next-generation research facility that will collide electrons with ions to reveal how the building blocks of matter are held together.

A Florida man's $2,700 lottery win almost vanished due to a missing receipt, leading to a Walmart cashier's arrest for grand theft. Learn why keeping your lottery receipt is crucial.

Physicists from Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf (HHU) have examined a fundamental property of quantum mechanics in collaboration with the German Aerospace Center (DLR). In an article published in the journal Physical Review Letters, they show that this theory does not necessarily need to be formulated with imaginary numbers—real numbers can, in fact, also be used.

Fusion energy has spent decades trapped in an expensive cycle of trial and error. Now, a Chinese startup believes AI-powered simulation software could dramatically accelerate reactor development by helping scientists test designs virtually before committing to costly real-world experiments.

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New research has failed to rule out self-annihilating dark matter as the source of a hotly debated gamma-ray emission known as the Galactic Center Excess radiating from the heart of the Milky Way.

A researcher at Kyushu University and his collaborators have shown that continuous parameters in quantum gravity may not be freely adjustable "dials" from outside the theory, but rather arise from operators within the theory itself, supporting the century-old claim by Albert Einstein about the fundamental laws of nature.

An analysis of ancient teeth is giving scientists a rare peek into interactions between human relatives hundreds of thousands of years ago that have left a lasting imprint on our species.

Researchers have developed a novel class of nanotube membranes that enable ultrafast ion transport. The findings open new pathways for high-efficiency clean energy generation, lithium recovery and molecular separation.

His work paved the way for the discovery of the Higgs boson, which explained how particles acquire mass, solving one of the deepest mysteries in physics.

Researchers found that twisting layered sheets of hexagonal boron nitride can dramatically change the light produced by quantum emitters embedded within the material. The technique offers an unexpected new level of control over components that could power future quantum computers, communications systems, and sensors.

Proteins are the molecular workhorses of the human body. They perform a vast range of essential functions, from building tissues and transporting molecules to regulating cellular communication and defending against infection. Many medicines, including antibody therapies for cancer and insulin therapy for diabetes, among many others, work by interacting with specific proteins or by replacing proteins that are missing or malfunctioning. Because proteins carry out so many critical biological tasks, the ability to predict and engineer how they interact with one another could open new possibilities for treating disease.

Researchers reported this week a deadly outbreak of plague in Siberia 5,500 years ago, revealing that Yersinia pestis evolved lethal genetic traits far earlier than suspected. A drug developed for heart tissue repair may also help kidney tissue repair and regeneration. And neighborhood socialization opportunities could shape children's brain development.

June 20, 2026: Our weekly roundup of the latest science in the news, as well as a few fascinating articles to keep you entertained over the weekend.

UC Berkeley physicists have introduced phase contrast to the electron microscope, allowing scientists to see much smaller molecules

Researchers show that twisting atom-thin boron nitride layers can tune quantum light emitters, offering new control for quantum technologies.

"I don’t have a relatable thing. This is not like life that we’ve experienced."

An international research team from Tohoku University, Tokyo University of Science, Vanderbilt University and the University of Adelaide has discovered a novel, exceptionally simple method to precisely synthesize extremely small iridium nanoclusters in ambient air. Such a feat was previously considered highly challenging. In addition, the nanoclusters outperform conventional, commercially available iridium catalysts by 1.5 times in mass activity, while maintaining sustained operational stability without degradation for more than 20 hours.

A stunningly concentrated and hefty galaxy cluster, from a time in the universe's history when such massive structures aren't expected to have fully formed yet, is challenging cosmic evolution theories. Across a series of three recent papers, a team led by researchers from IPAC—a science and data center for astrophysics and planetary science at Caltech—have revealed that the cluster is the most distant example of strong gravitational lensing with a galaxy cluster.

Companies working at the frontier of aerospace, energy and computing are constantly looking for new materials to improve performance. But in order to understand how those materials will actually behave once they're inside rockets or on computer chips, companies first have to make the material and then test it. That's because even the most powerful simulation techniques struggle to model the complex chemical arrangements in most of today's solid materials. The problem adds cost and time to materials innovation.

In a paper published in Science Advances, researchers at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) in collaboration with the University of Minnesota and Kyung Hee University have found a new way to control quantum light sources, which is one of the key elements needed before quantum technologies can be used reliably in real-world systems.

A simple air-based method produces stable 15-atom iridium nanoclusters that outperform commercial catalysts for green hydrogen production.

A distant galaxy nicknamed Shadow Blaster may have revealed a surprising source of cosmic neutrinos: extreme star formation instead of a supermassive black hole. The discovery suggests that hidden, dust-filled starburst galaxies could account for a significant fraction of the Universe’s high-energy neutrinos.

Scientists have uncovered a surprising connection between quantum gravity and an exotic quantum state of matter that could explain why the universe isn’t expanding wildly fast. The study suggests that the very shape of space-time may protect the cosmological constant from disruptive quantum effects.

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