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Category: particle physics

Classical physics theories suggest that when two or more electromagnetic waves interfere destructively (i.e., with their electric fields canceling each other out), they cannot interact with matter. In contrast, quantum mechanics theory suggests that light particles continue interacting with other matter even when their average electric field is equal to zero.

Researchers from Federal University of São Carlos, ETH Zurich and the Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics recently carried out a study exploring this contrast between classical and quantum mechanics theories through the lens of quantum optics, the field of study exploring interactions between light and matter at a quantum level. Their paper, published in Physical Review Letters, proposes that classical interference arises from specific two-mode binomial states, which are collective bright and dark entangled states of light.

“After a long-standing and fruitful collaboration on cavity QED topics with the first author, Celso J. Villas-Boas, he and I exchanged many insightful ideas concerning the reported topic over a period of several years or so,” Gerhard Rempe, senior author of the paper, told Phys.org.

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The detection of dark matter, an elusive form of matter believed to account for most of the universe’s mass, remains a long-standing goal within the physics research community. As this type of matter can only emit, reflect or absorb light very weakly, it cannot be observed using conventional telescopes and experimental methods.

Physicists have thus been trying to predict what it may consist of and proposing alternative approaches that could enable its detection. Dark compact objects are a class of dense and invisible structures that could be made up of dark matter, but that have never been directly observed so far.

Researchers at Queen’s University and the Arthur B. McDonald Canadian Astroparticle Physics Research Institute recently introduced a new possible method for detecting dark compact objects by probing their interactions with photons (i.e., light particles). Their newly proposed approach, outlined in a paper published in Physical Review Letters, is based on the idea that as dark compact objects pass between the Earth and a , they will dim the light emitted by this star.

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In a dramatic leap for astrophysics, Chinese researchers have recreated a key cosmic process in the lab: the acceleration of ions by powerful collisionless shocks.

By using intense lasers to simulate space-like conditions, they captured high-speed ion beams and confirmed the decades-old theory that shock drift acceleration, not shock surfing, is the main driver behind these energy gains. This discovery connects lab physics with deep-space phenomena like cosmic rays and supernova remnants, paving the way for breakthroughs in both fusion energy and space science.

Breakthrough in particle acceleration observed in lab.

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IN A NUTSHELL 🌍 NASA collaborates with private and academic sectors to develop the Quantum Gravity Gradiometer Pathfinder, a revolutionary space-based quantum sensor. ❄️ The gradiometer uses ultra-cold rubidium atoms to measure Earth’s gravitational variations with high precision, free from environmental disturbances. 🔬 Quantum sensors in the QGGPf offer 10 times greater sensitivity and are

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A study conducted by CNRS researchers describes a new method of recycling silicone waste (caulk, sealants, gels, adhesives, cosmetics, etc.). It has the potential to significantly reduce the sector’s environmental impacts.

This is the first universal recycling process that brings any type of used silicone material back to an earlier state in its where each molecule has only one silicon atom. And there is no need for the currently used to design new silicones. Moreover, since it is chemical and not mechanical recycling, the reuse of the material can be carried out infinitely.

The associated study is published in Science.

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To learn more about the nature of matter, energy, space, and time, physicists smash high-energy particles together in large accelerator machines, creating sprays of millions of particles per second of a variety of masses and speeds. The collisions may also produce entirely new particles not predicted by the standard model, the prevailing theory of fundamental particles and forces in our universe. Plans are underway to create more powerful particle accelerators, whose collisions will unleash even larger subatomic storms. How will researchers sift through the chaos?

The answer may lie in . Researchers from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab), Caltech, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (which is managed by Caltech), and other collaborating institutions have developed a novel high-energy particle detection instrumentation approach that leverages the power of quantum sensors—devices capable of precisely detecting single particles.

“In the next 20 to 30 years, we will see a in particle colliders as they become more powerful in energy and intensity,” says Maria Spiropulu, the Shang-Yi Ch’en Professor of Physics at Caltech.

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This book dives into the holy grail of modern physics: the union of quantum mechanics and general relativity. It’s a front-row seat to the world’s brightest minds (like Hawking, Witten, and Maldacena) debating what reality is really made of. Not casual reading—this is heavyweight intellectual sparring.

☼ Key Takeaways:
✅ Spacetime Is Not Continuous: It might be granular at the quantum level—think “atoms of space.”
✅ Unifying Physics: String theory, loop quantum gravity, holography—each gets a say.
✅ High-Level Debates: This is like eavesdropping on the Avengers of physics trying to fix the universe.
✅ Concepts Over Calculations: Even without equations, the philosophical depth will bend your brain.
✅ Reality Is Weirder Than Fiction: Quantum foam, time emergence, multiverse models—all explored.

This isn’t a how-to; it’s a “what-is-it?” If you’re obsessed with the ultimate structure of reality, this is your fix.

☼ Thanks for watching! If the idea of spacetime being pixelated excites you, drop a comment below and subscribe for more mind-bending content.

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A new study in Science shows that the incorporation of a synthetic molecule into the design enhances the energy efficiency and longevity of perovskite solar cells. The benefits of the molecule, known as CPMAC, were found through an international collaboration that included King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST).

CPMAC is an abbreviation for an ionic salt synthesized from buckminsterfullerene, a black solid made of known as C₆₀. Perovskite are typically made with C₆₀, which has contributed to record energy efficiency. While preferred, C₆₀ also limits the performance and stability of the solar cells, leading scientists to explore alternative materials.

“For over a decade, C₆₀ has been an integral component in the development of perovskite solar cells. However, at the perovskite/C₆₀ interface lead to mechanical degradation that compromises long-term solar cell stability. To address this limitation, we designed a C₆₀-derived ionic salt, CPMAC, to significantly enhance the stability of the perovskite solar cells,” explained Professor Osman Bakr, Executive Faculty of the KAUST Center of Excellence for Renewable Energy and Sustainable Technologies (CREST), who led the KAUST contributions to the research.

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Researchers from the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) achieved the first direct laboratory observation of ion acceleration through reflection off laser-generated magnetized collisionless shocks. This observation demonstrates how ions gain energy by bouncing off supercritical shocks, central to the Fermi acceleration mechanism. The research is published in Science Advances.

Collisionless shocks are cosmic powerhouses responsible for accelerating charged particles to extreme energies. This acceleration involves particles repeatedly crossing fronts, gaining energy incrementally. However, how do particles initially gain enough energy to enter this cycle? Two competing theories, shock drift acceleration (SDA) and shock surfing acceleration (SSA), have emerged, but observational limitations in space and previous lab experiments have left the question unresolved.

This new experiment, conducted at China’s Shenguang-II laser facility, recreated a controlled astrophysical shock scenario. Researchers used high-energy lasers to generate a magnetized ambient plasma and a supersonic “piston” plasma. When the piston collided with the ambient plasma at speeds exceeding 400 km/s, it produced a supercritical quasi-perpendicular shock, similar to those observed near Earth.

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Neutrinos, elusive fundamental particles, can act as a window into the center of a nuclear reactor, the interior of the Earth, or some of the most dynamic objects in the universe. Their tendency to change “flavors” may provide clues into the prominence of matter over antimatter in the universe or explain the existence of dark matter.

Physicists are particularly interested in proving the existence of “sterile” neutrinos. Their discovery would reveal a new form of matter that interacts only with gravity and could influence the evolution of the universe.

In a new study published in Physical Review Letters, a team of researchers from U.S. universities and national laboratories has set stringent limits on the existence and mass of sterile neutrinos. While they have yet to find the particles, they now know where not to look.

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