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MIT scientists and colleagues have created a simple superconducting device that could transfer current through electronic devices much more efficiently than is possible today. As a result, the new diode, a kind of switch, could dramatically cut the amount of energy used in high-power computing systems, a major problem that is estimated to become much worse.

Even though it is in the early stages of development, the diode is more than twice as efficient as similar ones reported by others. It could even be integral to emerging quantum computing technologies. The work, which is reported in the July 13 online issue of Physical Review Letters, is also the subject of a news story in Physics Magazine.

“This paper showcases that the superconducting diode is an entirely solved problem from an engineering perspective,” says Philip Moll, Director of the Max Planck Institute for the Structure and Dynamics of Matter in Germany. Moll was not involved in the work. “The beauty of [this] work is that [Moodera and colleagues] obtained record efficiencies without even trying [and] their structures are far from optimized yet.”

The stars have always held significance for humans, but it is only recently that we have begun to comprehend vast groups of them, or galaxies, in the far reaches of the universe. The Webb telescope was anticipated by everybody as a game-changer in the field of astronomy. And we knew exactly what we believed Webb would completely astound us with. However, its most recent findings have blown away the proportions of our expectations. The Webb Telescope, according to American astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, has allowed us to glimpse ghosts from the past.

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The Anthropic Principle and why we might live in a multiverse.

Hi! I’m Jade. Subscribe to Up and Atom for physics, math and computer science videos!

The Big Bang theory suggests that the universe emerged out of nothing, signifying the beginning of the universe. Before this, there was nothing — no time, no space. However, what if I told you that time doesn’t exist and that the Big Bang Theory is incorrect? Recent discoveries made by the James Webb Telescope provide evidence that challenges the validity of the Big Bang Theory.

In September 2020 we sat down with Robert Sapolsky, Stanford professor and the author of Human Behavioral Biology lectures (https://youtu.be/NNnIGh9g6fA) to discuss if it’s possible for our society to reconcile our understanding of justice with scientific understanding of human behaviour.

Why do humans, most likely, have no free will? How does that link to depression and other psychiatric disorders? Can people accept the idea that there is no free will and start using, what science tells us about the reasons behind our behaviour, as a basis for making sense of justice and morality? If yes, can we even imagine what such society would look like?

This is a third interview with Robert. The first (https://youtu.be/VrQkl7PaA1s) and the second (https://youtu.be/yp9HE5xfojY) talks are available on our channel.

Robert Sapolsky is one of the world’s leading neuroscientists, with a focus on the physiological effects of stress. (For years, he spent his summers in Kenya, alone except for the baboons he was observing.) Steve asks Robert why we value human life over animals, why he’s lost faith in the criminal justice system, and how to look casual when you’re about to blow-dart a very large and potentially unhappy primate.

This episode was originally published March 5, 2021.
For a full transcript, resources, and more, visit: https://freak.ws/3WQAjmF

ABOUT PEOPLE I (MOSTLY) ADMIRE:
People I (Mostly) Admire is hosted by Steven Levitt, the unorthodox University of Chicago economist and co-author of the Freakonomics book series, who tracks down other high achievers and asks questions that only he would think to ask. Guests include all-time Jeopardy! champion (and now host) Ken Jennings, YouTube C.E.O. Susan Wojcicki, W.N.B.A. champion Sue Bird, Operation Warp Speed chief Moncef Slaoui, and neuroscientist/actress (also now Jeopardy! host) Mayim Bialik. Winner of Adweek‘s 2021 Best Interview Podcast of the Year.

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An international team of scientists has succeeded in experimentally confirming a characteristic of topological materials.

Scientists from around the globe have experimentally confirmed a unique characteristic of topological materials. Using ‘3D glasses’-like technology and particle accelerators, they successfully visualized the relationship between an electron’s topology and its quantum mechanical properties, marking a significant step forward in understanding these future-focused materials.

Topological quantum materials are seen as a beacon of hope for energy-saving electronics and the high-tech of the future. A defining feature of these materials is their ability to conduct spin-polarized electrons on their surface, while remaining non-conductive inside. To put this into perspective: In spin-polarized electrons, the intrinsic angular momentum, i.e. the direction of rotation of the particles (spin), is not purely randomly aligned.