Quantum effects like superposition and entanglement have long been seen in single particles, but physicists are on a quest to find out just how big an object can be before it loses its quantumness
Category: particle physics
Over the past decades, researchers have been trying to develop increasingly advanced and powerful quantum computers, which could outperform classical computers on some tasks. To attain this, they have been trying to identify new ways to store and manipulate qubits, which are the fundamental units of information in quantum computing systems.
So far, most studies have developed quantum systems that store qubits using superconducting materials, trapped ions, and the spin of electrons confined in quantum dots (i.e., tiny semiconductor-based structures).
Another promising and yet so far rarely explored platform for the storage and manipulation of qubits relies on polar polyatomic molecules, which are molecules with more than two atoms and an uneven distribution of electric charge.
Crime scene investigation may soon become significantly more accurate and efficient thanks to a new method for detecting gunshot residues. Researchers from the groups of Wim Noorduin (AMOLF/University of Amsterdam) and Arian van Asten (University of Amsterdam) developed the technique that converts lead particles found in gunshot residue into light-emitting semiconductors. This method is faster, more sensitive, and easier to use than current alternatives.
Forensic experts at the Amsterdam police force are already testing it in actual crime scene investigations. The researchers published their findings in Forensic Science International on March 9.
The study notes, “These findings underscore the complexity of Europa’s plume activity. Our results provide a framework to explore various plume characteristics, including gas drag, particle size, initial ejection velocities, and gas production rates, and the resulting plume morphologies and deposition outcomes.”
How do the water vapor plumes on Jupiter’s icy moon, Europa, contribute to the interaction between the moon’s surface and subsurface environments? This is what a recent study published in The Planetary Science Journal hopes to address as a team of researchers investigated how gas drag could influence the direction of particles being emitted by Europa’s water vapor plumes, specifically regarding where they land on the surface, either near the plumes or farther out. This study has the potential to help scientists better understand the surface-subsurface interactions on Europa and what this could mean for finding life as we know it.
Artist’s illustration of Europa’s water vapor plumes. (Credit: NASA/ESA/K. Retherford/SWRI)
For the study, the researchers used a series of computer models to simulate how the speed and direction of dust particles emitted from the plumes could be influenced by a process called gas drag, which could decrease the speed and direction of dust particles exiting the plumes. In the end, the researchers found that gas drag greatly influences dust behavior, with smaller dust particles ranging in size from 0.001 to 0.1 micrometers becoming more spread out after eruption and larger dust particles ranging in size from 0.1 to 10 micrometers landing near the plume sites.
Supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation, physicists have revealed the presence of a previously unobserved type of subatomic phenomenon called a fractional exciton. Their findings confirm theoretical predictions of a quasiparticle with unique quantum properties that behaves as though it is made of equal fractions of opposite electric charges bound together by mutual attraction.
The discovery was supported by NSF through multiple grants and laboratory work performed at the NSF National High Magnetic Field Laboratory in Tallahassee, Florida. The results are published in Nature and show potential for developing new ways to improve how information is stored and manipulated at the quantum level, which could lead to faster and more reliable quantum computers.
“Our findings point toward an entirely new class of quantum particles that carry no overall charge but follow unique quantum statistics,” says Jia Li, leader of the research team and associate professor of physics at Brown University. “The most exciting part is that this discovery unlocks a range of novel quantum phases of matter, presenting a new frontier for future research, deepening our understanding of fundamental physics and even opening up new possibilities in quantum computation.”
CERN scientists have detected top quark pairs in lead-lead collisions for the first time, confirming their presence in the early universe’s quark-gluon plasma. This groundbreaking discovery unlocks new insights into how matter formed just microseconds after the Big Bang. Join us as we explore the science, history, and future implications of this monumental finding.
Paper link : https://arxiv.org/pdf/2411.10186
paper link : https://arxiv.org/pdf/0810.5529
paper link : https://arxiv.org/pdf/2005.
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🧠💥 Quantum Particle Zeta‑9 Just Broke the Human Thought Barrier.
A newly discovered particle is doing something no subatomic entity should be capable of — reacting to human thought before it happens. Welcome to the edge of physics, where consciousness and quantum mechanics collide.
In this video, we unpack the stunning results from recent Fermilab experiments involving Zeta‑9, a particle that appears to anticipate human intention. Is it just quantum weirdness—or evidence that the human mind is more than biology?
You’ll discover:
What Zeta‑9 is and how it was discovered.
Why its behavior defies causality and classical physics.
Plans are taking off to use an unconventional technique to accelerate particles in a future collider.
Scientists precisely removed a gold nanocluster’s core atom and outer electron, revealing how spin state affects catalytic activity without structural loss.