https://phys.org/physics-news/physics en-us The latest news on physics, materials, nanotech, science and technology. In a paper recently published in Physical Review Letters, Los Alamos National Laboratory researchers offer a new theory that predicts defect density across a variety of phase transitions. The research opens new routes for the exploration of defect formation in fields such as materials science, high-energy physics and cosmology. https://phys.org/news/2024-06-theory-broadens-phase-transition-exploration.html General Physics Condensed Matter Tue, 18 Jun 2024 14:48:02 EDT news637940881 Remember how difficult it was to find one Higgs boson? Try finding two at the same place at the same time. Known as di-Higgs production, this fascinating process can tell scientists about the Higgs boson self-interaction. https://phys.org/news/2024-06-physicists-combine-multiple-higgs-boson.html General Physics Tue, 18 Jun 2024 13:32:13 EDT news637936331 While investigating how string theory can be used to explain certain physical phenomena, scientists at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) have stumbled upon on a new series representation for the irrational number π. It provides an easier way to extract π from calculations involved in deciphering processes like the quantum scattering of high-energy particles. https://phys.org/news/2024-06-physicists.html General Physics Quantum Physics Tue, 18 Jun 2024 09:28:04 EDT news637921679 Using a specially designed 3D printed vacuum system, scientists have developed a way to "trap" dark matter with the aim of detecting domain walls. This will be a significant step forwards in unraveling some of the mysteries of the universe. https://phys.org/news/2024-06-scientists-3d-vacuum-aims-dark.html General Physics Mon, 17 Jun 2024 12:18:16 EDT news637845493 A team of researchers led by Philip Walther at the University of Vienna carried out a pioneering experiment where they measured the effect of the rotation of Earth on quantum entangled photons. The work, published in Science Advances, represents a significant achievement that pushes the boundaries of rotation sensitivity in entanglement-based sensors, potentially setting the stage for further exploration at the intersection between quantum mechanics and general relativity. https://phys.org/news/2024-06-quantum-entangled-photons-react-earth.html General Physics Quantum Physics Fri, 14 Jun 2024 14:00:01 EDT news637573742 Data assimilation is a mathematical discipline that integrates observed data and numerical models to improve the interpretation and prediction of dynamical systems. It is a crucial component of Earth sciences, particularly in numerical weather prediction (NWP). https://phys.org/news/2024-06-quantum-assimilation-approach-weather.html General Physics Thu, 13 Jun 2024 12:10:16 EDT news637499410 One of the main goals of the LHC experiments is to look for signs of new particles, which could explain many of the unsolved mysteries in physics. Often, searches for new physics are designed to look for one specific type of new particle at a time, using theoretical predictions as a guide. But what about searching for unpredicted—and unexpected—new particles? https://phys.org/news/2024-06-physicists-machine-techniques-exotic-collisions.html General Physics Thu, 13 Jun 2024 08:44:53 EDT news637487089 In recent years, the field of metamaterials has experienced substantial growth, revealing exciting potential, especially in advancing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technology. Three new studies led by Dr. Xin Zhang, a BU College of Engineering Distinguished Professor and a professor at the BU Photonics Center, highlight the promising opportunities within this field. https://phys.org/news/2024-06-science-metamaterials-mri.html General Physics Condensed Matter Wed, 12 Jun 2024 14:00:02 EDT news637406757 When you receive a present on your birthday, you might be the kind of person who tears off the wrapping paper immediately to see what's inside the box. Or maybe you like to examine the box, guessing the contents from its shape, size, weight or the sound it makes when you shake it. https://phys.org/news/2024-06-physics-cms-collaboration-rare-meson.html General Physics Wed, 12 Jun 2024 12:40:01 EDT news637414718 In a study published in The Astrophysical Journal, Prof. Zhou Xia from the Xinjiang Astronomical Observatory (XAO) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and collaborators have, for the first time, derived the dispersion relation for photons with nonzero mass propagating in plasma, and established a stringent upper limit for the photon mass at 9.52 × 10-46 kg (5.34 × 10-10 eV c-2) using data collected by ultra-wideband (UWB) receivers from pulsar timing and fast radio bursts (FRBs). https://phys.org/news/2024-06-high-precision-upper-limit-photon.html General Physics Tue, 11 Jun 2024 09:35:07 EDT news637317303 Active systems display a wide range of complex and fascinating behaviors, many of which are not yet fully understood. Found on scales ranging from microbes and self-propelling particles to large groups of fish, birds, and mammals, they are made up of many individual parts, which each convert energy from their surroundings into motion. https://phys.org/news/2024-06-motions-schools-zebrafish-deepen.html General Physics Tue, 11 Jun 2024 04:29:22 EDT news637298960 Low-energy nuclear fusion reactions can potentially provide clean energy. In stars, low-energy fusion reactions during the stages of carbon and oxygen burning are critical to stellar evolution. These reactions also offer valuable insights into the exotic processes occurring in the inner crust of neutron stars as they accumulate matter. https://phys.org/news/2024-06-insights-role-nucleon-exchange-nuclear.html General Physics Mon, 10 Jun 2024 15:39:30 EDT news637252768 When a magnet is heated up, it reaches a critical point where it loses magnetization. Called "criticality," this point of high complexity is reached when a physical object is transitioning smoothly from one phase into the next. https://phys.org/news/2024-06-reveals-brain-fractal-phase-transition.html General Physics Mon, 10 Jun 2024 15:38:53 EDT news637252728 On 5 July 2022, protons began colliding again in the LHCb detector after a three-and-a-half-year break known as Long Shutdown 2 (LS2), marking the start of the third run of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). https://phys.org/news/2024-06-lhcb-detectors-high-luminosity-lhc.html General Physics Fri, 07 Jun 2024 13:27:23 EDT news636985641 Deep under the ground at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory is a brand-new quantum sensor and computing research center called QUIET, and at the surface—100 meters above—sits its twin called LOUD. https://phys.org/news/2024-06-quiet-qubits-shielded-effects-cosmic.html General Physics Quantum Physics Fri, 07 Jun 2024 11:34:52 EDT news636978888 Scientists have used computational algebraic geometry to study predictions for particle physics experiments, such as those at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), which first detected the Higgs particle in 2012. https://phys.org/news/2024-06-edge-mathematics-tool-particle-collision.html General Physics Quantum Physics Fri, 07 Jun 2024 09:40:01 EDT news636971997 The molecules that make up the matter around us are in constant motion. What if we could harness that energy and put it to use? https://phys.org/news/2024-06-physics-collaboration-limits.html General Physics Thu, 06 Jun 2024 13:05:52 EDT news636897948 For every kilogram of matter that we can see—from the computer on your desk to distant stars and galaxies—there are 5 kilograms of invisible matter that suffuse our surroundings. This "dark matter" is a mysterious entity that evades all forms of direct observation yet makes its presence felt through its invisible pull on visible objects. https://phys.org/news/2024-06-exotic-black-holes-byproduct-dark.html General Physics Thu, 06 Jun 2024 12:43:02 EDT news636896578 Searching for the elusive neutrino takes on many forms. Detectors consisting of many tons of gallium are used in several experiments because neutrino interactions can occur on the stable gallium-71 (71Ga) nucleus and transform it into a radioactive isotope of germanium (71Ge) with an 11-day half-life that can then be observed with traditional radiation detectors. https://phys.org/news/2024-06-germanium-isotope-day-life.html General Physics Wed, 05 Jun 2024 15:22:02 EDT news636819721 A research team in China has initiated and successfully developed a jet origin identification technology which can significantly enhance the scientific discovery capabilities of high-energy collider experiments. https://phys.org/news/2024-06-ai-powered-jet-identification-technology.html General Physics Wed, 05 Jun 2024 09:32:06 EDT news636798721 When speaking of our universe, it's often said that "matter tells spacetime how to curve, and curved spacetime tells matter how to move." This is the essence of Albert Einstein's famous general theory of relativity, and describes how planets, stars, and galaxies move and influence the space around them. While general relativity captures much of the big in our universe, it's at odds with the small in physics as described by quantum mechanics. https://phys.org/news/2024-06-gravitational-geometry-spacetime.html General Physics Quantum Physics Tue, 04 Jun 2024 17:15:04 EDT news636740102 Knitting, the age-old craft of looping and stitching natural fibers into fabrics, has received renewed attention for its potential applications in advanced manufacturing. Far beyond their use for garments, knitted textiles are ideal for designing and fabricating emerging technologies like wearable electronics or soft robotics—structures that need to move and bend. https://phys.org/news/2024-06-physicists-decode-mechanics-materials-applications.html General Physics Tue, 04 Jun 2024 11:10:25 EDT news636718222 The accelerated expansion of the present universe, believed to be driven by a mysterious dark energy, is one of the greatest puzzles in our understanding of the cosmos. The standard model of cosmology called Lambda-CDM, explains this expansion as a cosmological constant in Einstein's field equations. However, the cosmological constant itself lacks a complete theoretical understanding, particularly regarding its very small positive value. https://phys.org/news/2024-06-partner-anti-universe-expansion-dark.html General Physics Quantum Physics Tue, 04 Jun 2024 09:20:01 EDT news636711595 In May 2022, the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB) at Michigan State University (MSU), launched its precision measurement program. Staff from FRIB's Low Energy Beam and Ion Trap (LEBIT) facility take high-energy, rare-isotope beams generated at FRIB and cool them to a lower energy state. Afterward, the researchers measure specific particles' masses at high precision. https://phys.org/news/2024-06-precision-advances-proton-halos.html General Physics Mon, 03 Jun 2024 09:58:31 EDT news636627501 Biomarkers are small molecules of interest to researchers, because they can indicate underlying diseases, often even before symptoms even appear. However, detecting these markers can be challenging as they are often present in very low quantities, especially in the early stages of a disease. Traditional detection methods, while effective, usually require expensive components like prisms, metal films, or optical objectives. https://phys.org/news/2024-05-photonic-crystal-approach-enable-sensitive.html General Physics Fri, 31 May 2024 16:22:26 EDT news636391341 It has been over a century since the boom period of physics exploded with Albert Einstein, Max Planck and others, sending us spinning into a new world of chaos from our previously ordered universe. This brilliant generation of physicists ultimately peeled back the layers of the universe, as well as of the atom, to reveal a world stranger than fiction. https://phys.org/news/2024-05-theory-failure-hampering-physicists-quest.html General Physics Wed, 29 May 2024 13:20:02 EDT news636204508 When plants draw water from their roots to nourish their stems and leaves, they produce an electric potential that could be harnessed as a renewable energy source. However, like all living things, plants are subject to a circadian rhythm—the biological clock that runs through day and night cycles and influences biological processes. In plants, this daily cycle includes capturing light energy for photosynthesis and absorbing water and nutrients from the soil during the day and slowing its growth processes at night. https://phys.org/news/2024-05-hydraulics-streaming-electric-potential-sync.html General Physics Soft Matter Tue, 28 May 2024 11:00:02 EDT news636024491 Nuclear physicists have long been working to reveal how the proton gets its spin. Now, a new method that combines experimental data with state-of-the-art calculations has revealed a more detailed picture of spin contributions from the very glue that holds protons together. It also paves the way toward imaging the proton's 3D structure. https://phys.org/news/2024-05-theory-combine-proton.html General Physics Fri, 24 May 2024 14:30:04 EDT news635779802 Splash a few drops of water on a hot pan and if the pan is hot enough, the water will sizzle and the droplets of water seem to roll and float, hovering above the surface. https://phys.org/news/2024-05-method-aquatic-levitation-temperature-implications.html General Physics Soft Matter Fri, 24 May 2024 05:00:01 EDT news635695621 When a train approaches or an ambulance with its siren blaring nears us, we hear the sound with an increased frequency, gradually decreasing slightly. As it passes, the frequency changes abruptly to a lower one, then decreases further. This commonly encountered Doppler effect can be a valuable clue to the nature of a phenomenon seemingly completely unrelated to sound propagation: heat transport. https://phys.org/news/2024-05-nature-telegraph-equation.html General Physics Thu, 23 May 2024 16:54:07 EDT news635702043