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Decades-old mystery solved: X-ray techniques reveal sulfur hexafluoride dissociation dynamics

An international team of scientists has unveiled new insights into the dissociation dynamics of sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) under high-energy X-ray excitation. The study, conducted using advanced synchrotron radiation techniques, sheds light on the formation of neutral sulfur atoms during the decay of deep core holes in SF6. The work is published in Physical Review Letters.

Understanding the interaction of X-rays with matter is fundamental to both scientific research and practical applications, including medical and technological advancements. These interactions involve complex processes including absorption, ionization, scattering, and the decay of excited states, which emit electrons or photons.

In 1978, young scientists named Joseph Nordgren and Hans Ågren discovered an unusual spectral feature in hexafluoride (SF6) that defied explanation at the time. Their discovery was made at the Siegbahn Laboratory of Uppsala University, founded by the late Nobel Prize laureate Kai Siegbahn. Despite further investigations, the nature of this spectral anomaly remained unclear.

Researchers develop first room temperature holmium-doped yttrium lithium fluoride thin disk laser

In a study published in Optics Express, a research group led by Prof. Fu Yuxi from Xi’an Institute of Optics and Precision Mechanics (XIOPM) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has developed the first room temperature holmium-doped yttrium lithium fluoride (Ho: YLF) composite thin disk laser, which can achieve high efficiency and quality continuous-wave laser output.

Lasers operating in the 2 µm spectral range are highly valued for their eye safety, high water absorption, and low atmospheric attenuation.

Conventional 2 µm lasers typically require cryogenic cooling to control thermal effects, which increases system complexity and cost, and restricts their use in compact, space-constrained, and mobile platforms. Therefore, developing high-power, room-temperature 2 µm lasers has become a vital research direction.

Palm-sized single-shot full-color incoherent digital holographic camera system with white light

In a recent study, researchers developed a portable digital holographic camera system that can obtain full-color digital holograms of objects illuminated with spatially and temporally incoherent light in a single exposure. They employed a deep-learning-based denoising algorithm to suppress random noise in the image-reconstruction procedure, and succeeded in video-rate full-color digital holographic motion-picture imaging using a white LED.

The camera they developed is palm-sized, weighs less than 1 kg, operates on a table with , does not require antivibration structures, and obtains incoherent motion-picture holograms under the condition of close-up recording.

The research is published in the journal Advanced Devices & Instrumentation.

Scalable way to generate and control sound in silicon photonic chips

Researchers at the University of Twente have solved a long-standing problem: trapping optically-generated sound waves in a standard silicon photonic chip. This discovery, published as a featured article in APL Photonics, opens new possibilities for radio technology, quantum communication, and optical computing.

Light travels extremely fast, while sound waves move much more slowly. By manipulating the interaction between light and sound—a physical phenomenon known as stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS)—researchers can find new ways to store and filter information in a compact chip.

This is useful in applications such as ultra-fast radio communication and quantum technology. But doing this in silicon photonic chips, one of the most important integrated photonics technologies today, was a major challenge.

Breakthrough in High-Performance Fractal Nanowire Photon Detectors

“ tabindex=”0” quantum computing and secure communications. Scientists have optimized materials and processes, making these detectors more efficient than ever.

Revolutionizing Electronics with Photon Detection

Light detection plays a crucial role in modern technology, from high-speed communication to quantum computing and sensing. At the heart of these systems are photon detectors, which identify and measure individual light particles (photons). One highly effective type is the superconducting nanowire single-photon detector (SNSPD). These detectors use ultra-thin superconducting wires that instantly switch from a superconducting state to a resistive state when struck by a photon, enabling extremely fast detection.

From Metal Rain to Roaring Jet Streams: The First 3D Look at an Alien Atmosphere

Astronomers have mapped the 3D structure of an exoplanet’s atmosphere for the first time, revealing powerful winds that transport elements like iron and titanium. Using all four telescope units of the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope (ESO’s VLT), researchers uncovered complex weather patterns shaping the planet’s skies. This breakthrough paves the way for more detailed studies of atmospheric composition and climate on distant worlds.

This “Impossible” Crystal Is Changing What We Know About Reality

Once thought impossible, quasicrystals revealed a hidden order that challenges our understanding of materials.

Their structure follows rules from higher dimensions, influencing both their mechanical and topological properties. Recent research has uncovered bizarre time-related behaviors in these crystals, suggesting deeper physical principles at play.

A Revolutionary Discovery in Crystallography.

Is Depression Aging You Faster? Scientists Reveal a 30% Increase in Health Risks

“ tabindex=”0” acid reflux at a significantly faster rate than those without. This highlights the urgent need for a healthcare system that treats both mental and physical health together, rather than in isolation.

Depression’s Lasting Impact on Physical Health

Adults with a history of depression develop chronic physical conditions about 30% faster than those without, according to a study published on February 13 in PLOS Medicine. Researchers, led by Kelly Fleetwood from the University of Edinburgh, suggest that depression should be recognized as a “whole-body” condition, emphasizing the need for integrated care that addresses both mental and physical health.

A Deep-Sea Telescope Just Detected the Most Energetic Ghost Particle Ever

A neutrino of record-breaking energy — 220 PeV — has been detected by the underwater KM3NeT telescope, marking a pivotal moment in astrophysics.

This tiny but powerful particle, born from the universe’s most extreme events, provides fresh clues about cosmic accelerators. While its exact origin remains unknown, scientists believe it could be the first detected cosmogenic neutrino. The discovery fuels new momentum for multi-messenger astronomy, with future observations expected to shed light on the deepest mysteries of the cosmos.

Jupiter’s moon Callisto is very likely an ocean world

More pocked with craters than any other object in our solar system, Jupiter’s outermost and second-biggest Galilean moon, Callisto, appears geologically unremarkable. In the 1990s, however, NASA’s Galileo spacecraft captured magnetic measurements near Callisto that suggested that its ice shell surface—much like that of Europa, another moon of Jupiter—may encase a salty, liquid water ocean.

But evidence for Callisto’s subsurface ocean has remained inconclusive, as the moon has an intense . Scientists thought this electrically conductive upper part of the moon’s atmosphere might imitate the magnetic fingerprint of a salty, conductive ocean.

Now, researchers have revisited the Galileo data in more detail. Unlike in prior studies, this team incorporated all available magnetic measurements from Galileo’s eight close flybys of Callisto. Their expanded analysis much more strongly suggests that Callisto hosts a subsurface ocean.