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An underground detector in China unveils its first major findings about mysterious ghost particles

A massive underground detector aimed at understanding the mysterious ghost particles in our universe released its first major results on Wednesday.

The Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory in China started collecting data in August with the goal of understanding neutrinos: tiny cosmic particles that date back to the Big Bang and whiz harmlessly through our bodies by the trillions every second. Yet they weigh almost nothing, making them difficult to sniff out.

In a study published Wednesday in the journal Nature, the JUNO team unveiled its initial findings from two months of data collection—including some of the most precise measurements to date of how neutrinos switch between three varieties, or flavors, as they zip through space.

Majorana modes withstand disorder in atomic chains, boosting fault-tolerant quantum computing

Quantum computers—systems that process information and perform computations by leveraging the principles of quantum mechanics—could solve some tasks faster and more effectively than classical computers. While some studies have demonstrated the advantages of these computers for specific tasks, ensuring their reliable operation in real-world settings has proved challenging.

This is partly because quantum information units, or qubits, are known to be highly sensitive to environmental disturbances, such as fluctuations in temperature, electromagnetic fluctuations and magnetic fields. These environmental disturbances, collectively referred to as “noise,” can alter the qubit’s delicate quantum states, leading to computational errors.

In recent years, quantum physicists and engineers have proposed various strategies that could protect qubits from environmental disturbances and reduce quantum computing errors. One proposed solution is to rely on Majorana modes.

Quantum witness technique reveals spinons in quantum spin liquid candidate

Physicists at University College Cork have developed a new approach in the search for a quantum spin liquid, a long-sought state of quantum matter resembling a magnetic liquid whose quantum properties mean it never freezes. The work is a key step in the search for quantum silicon, a mineral that could be used to create quantum computers, just as silicon is used in traditional computers. The resulting paper appears in Nature Physics.

Lead author Prof. Seamus Davis said, “By introducing the quantum witness technique we provide a completely new perspective on the physics of quantum spin liquids and access their internal quantum excitations or ‘spinons’ directly for the first time at UCC.”

As liquids cool, they freeze into solids as their atoms cease to move. But some liquids, such as helium, never freeze. Predominant quantum effects mean they flow as superfluids even at absolute zero (the coldest possible temperature).

Open-source FLIM Playground could speed reproducible analysis of complex cell images

Modern fluorescence microscopy can generate images of living cells as stunning to look at as they are informative to study. For techniques like fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM), those images provide a window into cell metabolism, helping scientists study cancer treatment, autoimmune disease and more.

But for these researchers, the image is just the beginning. To draw any biological insights, researchers need to guide massive amounts of data through a maze of software analysis tools and scripts, ensuring careful quality checks throughout the journey.

Morgridge Institute for Research scientists in the Melissa Skala Lab are tackling this challenge head-on. They have developed a new open-source, user-friendly data analysis platform, FLIM Playground, designed to make FLIM analysis easier, faster and more reproducible. Their work appears in Cell Reports Methods.

This Quantum Detector Boosts Terahertz Sensitivity by 20 Times

The researchers believe the technology could eventually operate at temperatures higher than those required by many competing detector designs. Similar PETS devices have already demonstrated performance at temperatures reachable using compact cryocoolers rather than liquid helium.

That capability could help fill the gap between highly sensitive cryogenic detectors and lower-sensitivity room-temperature technologies, potentially expanding the range of real-world applications.

The study marks the first demonstration of a quantum metasurface photodetector based on a two-dimensional electron system. By combining efficient light collection with a highly sensitive quantum detection mechanism, the work represents a significant step toward overcoming long-standing challenges in terahertz technology.

Ivanti, Fortinet, and SAP Release Patches for Multiple Critical Vulnerabilities

Fortinet, Ivanti, and SAP have released security updates to address multiple critical security vulnerabilities that could result in arbitrary code execution and information disclosure.

The security flaw patched by Fortinet relates to a command injection vulnerability in FortiSandbox, FortiSandbox Cloud, and FortiSandbox PaaS WEB UI. It’s tracked as CVE-2026–25089 (CVSS score: 9.1).

“An improper neutralization of special elements used in an OS command vulnerability [CWE-78] in FortiSandbox, FortiSandbox Cloud and FortiSandbox PaaS WEB UI may allow an unauthenticated attacker to execute unauthorized commands via specifically crafted HTTP requests,” Fortinet said.

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