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Category: particle physics

The Universe Tried to Hide the Gravity Particle. Physicists Found a Loophole

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Physicists have long believed that detecting the particle of gravity—the graviton—was fundamentally impossible, with the universe itself seeming to block every direct attempt. This episode explores a new generation of clever experiments that may finally let us detect gravity’s particle, and why even succeeding wouldn’t quite mean what we think it does.

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Measuring spin correlation between quarks during QCD confinement

The STAR experiment at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider at Brookhaven National Laboratory demonstrates evidence of spin correlations in $$\Lambda \bar{\Lambda }$$ Λ Λ ¯ hyperon pairs inherited from virtual spin-correlated strange quark–antiquark pairs during QCD confinement.

Broken inversion symmetry lets 3D crystals mimic 2D Ising superconductivity

Two-dimensional (2D) materials, in general, allow the realization of unique quantum phenomena unattainable in the common three-dimensional (3D) world. A prime example is graphene. Transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) have a similar structure. Both can be stacked to form van der Waals heterostructures or can be exfoliated into single layers. But TMDs have an extra variety of excellent properties, including strong spin-orbit coupling and superconductivity.

In 2D (single atomic layer film) NbSe2, a prominent example of TMD, the combination of these two effects with the crystal symmetries leads to the so-called Ising superconductivity (IS), which can withstand extremely high magnetic fields oriented parallel to the crystal plane. Perhaps more exciting than this resilience against magnetic fields is the potential application of IS in realizing various exotic phenomena such as equal spin Andreev reflections, topological superconductivity, and Majorana fermions.

However, 2D structures are prone to degradation and impractical for applications. 3D materials are robust, easily scalable and accessible to a larger range of scientific analytical techniques. Therefore, it is desirable to find ways of protecting unique features of 2D materials in their 3D counterparts.

Three-way quantum correlations fade exponentially with distance at any temperature, study shows

The properties of a quantum material are driven by links between its electrons known as quantum correlations. A RIKEN researcher has shown mathematically that, at non-zero temperatures, these connections can only exist over very short distances when more than two particles are involved. This finding, now published in Physical Review X, sets a fundamental limit on just how “exotic” a quantum material can be under realistic, finite-temperature conditions.

A fascinating aspect of quantum physics is the concept that two particles that are spatially separated can communicate with each other. This so-called “spooky action at a distance,” as Einstein referred to it, is crucial for understanding the origin of the exotic properties that arise in some materials, particularly at low temperatures.

These unusual material properties are determined by the exact nature of the quantum correlation, and the material is said to be in a specific quantum phase. This is analogous to the traditional phases of matter—solid, liquid, and gas—being defined by the chemical interactions between the atoms.

When silicon fills the role of carbon: Debut of all-silicon cyclopentadienides

Carbon’s unique chemical properties allow it to be an essential building block for life on Earth and many other molecules we rely on for day-to-day life—but what about carbon’s neighbor? Silicon is located one row below carbon in the periodic table of elements, and similarly has many possible uses, and is a key component of semiconductors, silicon carbide fibers, and silicones. However, silicon has some key weaknesses compared to carbon.

For example, carbon forms very stable π-electron compounds (compounds linked by pi bonds, or π-bonds, which affect a molecule’s reactivity) called benzene and fullerene. In comparison, silicon cannot readily form these compounds, as the π-bonds forming π-electron compounds are not strong in this element. Synthesizing such silicon-based π-electron compounds consequently becomes increasingly difficult as the number of silicon atoms increases. However, researchers at Tohoku University found a way to overcome these limitations.

A research group led by Professor Takeaki Iwamoto, Graduate Student Tomoki Ishikawa, and Associate Professor Shintaro Ishida at the Graduate School of Science, Tohoku University, has successfully synthesized π-electron compounds with a pentagonal silicon framework, “pentasilacyclopentadienide,” and elucidated their molecular structures. The study is published in the journal Science.

Watching a critical green-energy catalyst dissolve, atom by atom

Iridium oxide is one of the most important—and most problematic—materials in the global push toward clean energy. It is currently the most reliable catalyst used in the conversion of energy to chemicals by electrolysis, a process that uses electricity to split water molecules into oxygen and hydrogen.

But iridium is among the rarest non-radioactive elements in Earth’s crust, and not unlike metal rusting over time, iridium oxide catalysts slowly degrade under the harsh acidic and high-voltage conditions required for electrolyzers (the devices used for electrolysis) to operate.

A new study by researchers at Duke University and the University of Pennsylvania offers an unprecedented view of that degradation process, capturing how iridium oxide nanocrystals restructure and dissolve—atom by atom—during electrolysis. The findings provide critical insight into why today’s best catalysts still fail and how future materials might last longer. The study is published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society.

Scientists discover ‘levitating’ time crystals that you can hold in your hand

Time crystals, a collection of particles that “tick”—or move back and forth in repeating cycles—were first theorized and then discovered about a decade ago. While scientists have yet to create commercial or industrial applications for this intriguing form of matter, these crystals hold great promise for advancing quantum computing and data storage, among other uses.

Over the years, different types of time crystals have been observed or created, with their varying properties offering a range of potential uses.

Scientists Are Building Detectors to Reveal the Invisible Universe

Most of the universe is made of dark matter and dark energy, yet scientists still don’t know what either one is. New ultra-sensitive detectors are being built to spot incredibly rare particle interactions that could finally reveal their nature. Scientists have made remarkable progress in understa

UCLA Chemists Have Created “Impossible” 3D Bonds That Shouldn’t Exist

UCLA chemists proved that some of chemistry’s oldest rules can be broken—and new molecules emerge when they are.

Organic chemistry is built on well-known principles that describe how atoms connect, how chemical bonds form, and how molecules take shape. These rules are often treated as firm boundaries that define what structures are possible. Researchers at UCLA, however, are showing that some of these limits are more flexible than long assumed.

Challenging a Century Old Rule.

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