Phys.org news
Phys.org / Shredded stars reveal how black holes ignite trillion-sun flares
Supermassive black holes are among the most enigmatic objects in the universe. They typically weigh millions or even billions of times the mass of the sun and sit at the centers of most large galaxies. At the heart of the ...
Phys.org / Glaciers may flow into the ocean more quickly than we think
Models of glacial flow and retreat rely on estimates of glacial ice viscosity, the measure of the ice's resistance to flow. Ice viscosity is dependent on the stress applied to the glacier. Most ice sheet models use a standard ...
Phys.org / Simple rules guide how proteins assemble and evolve, study finds
Researchers at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev have identified simple rules that explain how complex protein structures assemble correctly and remain functional over time, despite having many theoretically possible configurations. ...
Phys.org / Smart cable sharing gives quantum computers a big boost
A major obstacle in the development of powerful quantum computers is the growing number of cables required to control a computer as the number of qubits increases. Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden ...
Phys.org / Young stars dim quickly in their X-ray output, potentially benefiting orbiting planets
Scientists have found that young stellar cousins of our sun are calming down and dimming more quickly in their X-ray output than previously thought, according to a new study using NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory. A paper ...
Phys.org / Mirror-positioning method could make quantum gravity tests possible
In quantum physics, objects can exist in multiple states at the same time—a phenomenon known as quantum superposition, where a particle does not have a single definite value of position or momentum until it is measured. A ...
Phys.org / The once-theoretical skyrmion could unlock supercomputing memory
When looking to the future of information technology, researchers have pinpointed a once-theoretical particle-like structure: the skyrmion. Magnetic skyrmions are very stable structures found on micromagnetic materials that ...
Phys.org / Information from starquakes provides theoretical evidence for 'fossilized' magnetism in stars
For the first time, new theoretical models, published in Astronomy & Astrophysics, connect the magnetism at the surface of long-dead stellar remnants (white dwarfs) with recent evidence of magnetism at the cores of their ...
Phys.org / Quantum simulations tackle photon polarization flip, but today's hardware falls short
For the last 80 years, the theory of quantum electrodynamics (QED), which describes all electromagnetic interactions, has been a cornerstone of the standard model, withstanding the scrutiny of countless experiments and agreeing ...
Phys.org / Picky methane-consuming microorganisms prefer carbon monoxide, opening the door to more greenhouse gas release
Research by microbiologists Reinier Egas and Cornelia Welte of Radboud University shows that many methane-consuming microorganisms actually prefer carbon monoxide over methane. When carbon monoxide is present, they consume ...
Phys.org / Next-generation atomic clock successfully tested at sea
Adelaide University researchers have successfully tested a new type of portable atomic clock at sea for the first time, using technology that could help power the next generation of navigation, communications and scientific ...
Phys.org / A silicon-compatible path toward scalable quantum systems
Beginning in the 1950s, silicon transformed the electronics industry by enabling smaller and faster devices that could be reliably manufactured at scale. More than six decades later, silicon-based semiconductors remain at ...
