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Quantum interference traps electron waves in metal for first time

Ever since quantum mechanics first described particles, like electrons, as rippling waves, researchers have wondered if those waves could be trapped in place. Writing today in Science a century later, a team of Columbia University ...

A quantum pathway to entropy-free energy transfer

For scientists, breakthroughs often stem from unexpected turns. A research team led by Oscar Dahlsten, an associate professor in the Department of Physics at City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK), set out to prove a theoretical ...

X-rays reveal surprisingly long-lived spin waves in copper oxide

Today's computer technology, based on silicon chips, is slowly reaching its physical limits. Components cannot be miniaturized indefinitely, and clock speeds cannot be increased indefinitely. At the same time, huge AI data ...

A new way to detect stabilizing properties of optical devices

In optical fibers, chips and other light-guiding devices, minor defects can scatter photons and disrupt their path. A new study demonstrates a way to reveal properties which, in certain systems, help light wave behavior withstand ...

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Physicists prove a long-suspected quantum speed limit for thermalization
Optics & Photonics
Hybrid diamond chip strengthens interactions between light and quantum bits
Quantum Physics
Quantum magic state cleanup cuts errors 40-fold in first successful hardware test
Optics & Photonics
A highway instead of a racetrack: Strong coupling of light and sound in an optical fiber
Quantum Physics
New high-frequency method boosts 2D material readout for next-gen quantum computers
Superconductivity
Even or odd numbers: A single molecule makes all the difference in the quantum world
General Physics
Quantum sensor could measure how Earth drags spacetime
Quantum Physics
Silicon qubits surpass 99.99% gate fidelity while operating three at once
Condensed Matter
Quantum calculations reveal how spin defects lose energy
Optics & Photonics
Quantum network test checks entanglement without having to trust detectors
Optics & Photonics
Software advance brings complex quantum simulations to standard computers
Quantum Physics
IBM executive warns of risk of quantum computing hacks
Superconductivity
From spin wave to superconducting circuit: A one-way street for quantum information
Superconductivity
A tiny magnetic whirlpool could point to a new kind of ultra-efficient memory
Condensed Matter
Jamming the flow to enable memory in quantum materials
Condensed Matter
Faster molecular simulations identify promising diamond defects for quantum computers and sensors
Optics & Photonics
Ultrashort laser pulses offer a new way to probe electrons' quantum geometry
Condensed Matter
Quantum physicists trace a century of controlling spin
Condensed Matter
New topological microscope tip reveals evidence of 2D altermagnetism
Condensed Matter
'Carpet' growth method yields long-sought 2D quantum material

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Tests reveal why titanium additions do not fully prevent pitting corrosion in stainless steel
Plasma Physics
Single X-ray pulse reveals plasma nanostructures across scales with one camera
Earth Sciences
Ancient stalagmites reveal exceptions to Asia–South America monsoon seesaw over the past 450,000 years
Plants & Animals
Seabird family tree predicts which species accumulate plastic better than diet, global analysis finds
Cell & Microbiology
Newly identified protein pathway helps HIV stay hidden despite treatment
Environment
Cleaner brick kilns cut pollution, but gains did not reach workers, research finds
Education
Swinging virtual lightsabers and punching improve pattern-based learning in VR tests
Paleontology & Fossils
Rare fossils reveal what ancient Denisovans may have looked like
Biotechnology
DNA programs a cell-free material to build its own motors and move
Space Exploration
Everyday Mylar turned into a promising insulator for lunar habitats
Astronomy
Black holes spinning near maximum rate could split in two, calculations suggest
Astronomy
ALMA spots 'dragon egg' that may represent the earliest stages of massive star formation
Earth Sciences
Sinking Antarctic ice reveals a hidden lake's massive water loss
Evolution
An ancient virus in chimpanzee DNA switches off a gene that is active in humans
Political science
AI agents can form political camps—and changing their conversation partners does little to soften their views
Plants & Animals
Glowing plants reveal immune responses around infection sites via two colors
Earth Sciences
El Niño then and now
Archaeology
Paleolithic human DNA reveals east-west connections across Ice Age Europe
Analytical Chemistry
Scientists demonstrate AI-designed enzyme for drug synthesis
Cell & Microbiology
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Molecular orbitals imaged in 3D, opening path to femtosecond videos

One of the most famous and intriguing results of quantum mechanics is the finding that fundamental particles, such as electrons, cannot be pinned down to one single location. Instead, a particle is described by its "wavefunction," ...