Quantum Physics

Universal quantum protocol extracts maximum work without knowing a system's state in advance

A new study published in Nature Communications has shown that in the asymptotic limit, extracting the maximum possible work from many copies of a quantum system does not require knowing exactly what state that system is in.

Engineering

Perovskite solar cells reach 26.61% certified efficiency with cesium-doping strategy

Solar cells, devices that convert sunlight into electricity, are now widely used in many countries. While most existing solar cells are based on silicon, energy engineers have been working on other devices made of so-called ...

PFAS detected in dolphin milk may pass from mothers to calves

Researchers have found that a group of chemicals known as PFAS can be transferred from mother dolphins to their nursing calves, adding to the evidence that these persistent contaminants can be transferred from mothers to ...

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Medical Xpress

Tech Xplore

Cutting calories to slow aging—without compromising health

Restricting calorie intake in species such as mice, rhesus monkeys, and fruit flies has been shown to extend their lifespans. In some cases, these animals not only live longer, but are also free of disease. But when pushed ...

The moon might be more prone to fires

Engineers love a good practical challenge, especially when it comes to spaceflight. But there's one particular challenge facing the crewed missions of the near future that scares mission planners above almost all others—fire. ...

Volunteers discover rare space weather events using their ears

Our planet rests inside a magnetic cocoon filled with plasma—but it's not always peaceful and quiet. Activity from the sun can send waves through this space, and some of those disturbances can even reach Earth, affecting ...

Q&A: Will agentic AI replace human scientists?

An emerging type of artificial intelligence, known as "agentic" AI, seems to do everything that biomedical scientists do—and often, does it faster. This next-generation technology can interpret experimental data, report the ...

Kinship interlocks: How the rich stay rich

How do some wealthy families remain in the upper class for many generations, while other rich families do not? That is the question author Shay O'Brien (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) tackles in the sociological study ...