Quantum states can only be prepared and observed under highly controlled conditions. A research team from Innsbruck, Austria, has now succeeded in creating so-called hot Schrödinger cat states in a superconducting microwave resonator. The study, published in Science Advances, shows that quantum phenomena can also be observed and used in less perfect, warmer conditions.
Schrödinger cat states are a fascinating phenomenon in quantum physics in which a quantum object exists simultaneously in two different states. In Erwin Schrödinger’s thought experiment, it is a cat that is alive and dead at the same time.
In real experiments, such simultaneity has been seen in the locations of atoms and molecules and in the oscillations of electromagnetic resonators.
Syngenta Biotechnology China-led research, with partners in the U.S., France, the UK, Chile, the Netherlands, Argentina, and across China, has discovered that sunflowers can form viable haploid seeds through parthenogenesis in the absence of pollination. This discovery opens the possibility of a scalable doubled haploid system in sunflowers, a technique that could reduce the time needed to produce fully inbred lines from six years to ~10 months.
Some animals, including certain birds, reptiles, fish, and crustaceans like Daphnia, can reproduce without fertilization through a process known as facultative parthenogenesis. In these species, females can produce offspring without male involvement. Charles Darwin first documented unusual reproductive patterns in plants, but many aspects of plant reproduction remain poorly understood.
In most flowering plants, seed formation depends on a process called double fertilization. This involves one sperm fertilizing the egg and another fertilizing a separate cell that forms the endosperm, a tissue that nourishes the embryo. Without fertilization, viable seeds rarely develop.
In a new study published in ACM Transactions on the Web, researchers from Queen Mary University of London have unveiled the intricate mechanisms behind one of the most dramatic collapses in the cryptocurrency world: the downfall of the TerraUSD stablecoin and its associated currency, LUNA. Using advanced mathematical techniques and cutting-edge software, the team has identified suspicious trading patterns that suggest a coordinated attack on the ecosystem, leading to a catastrophic loss of $3.5 billion in value virtually overnight.
The study, led by Dr. Richard Clegg and his team, employs temporal multilayer graph analysis—a sophisticated method for examining complex, interconnected systems over time. This approach allowed the researchers to map the relationships between different cryptocurrencies traded on the Ethereum blockchain, revealing how the TerraUSD stablecoin was destabilized by a series of deliberate, large-scale trades.
Stablecoins like TerraUSD are designed to maintain a steady value, typically pegged to a fiat currency like the US dollar. However, in May 2022, TerraUSD and its sister currency, LUNA, experienced a catastrophic collapse. Dr. Clegg’s research sheds light on how this happened, uncovering evidence of a coordinated attack by traders who were betting against the system, a practice known as “shorting.”
Scientists at La Trobe University have discovered how a diarrhea-causing strain of bacteria uses “molecular scissors” to cut open and destroy gut cells, leading to severe illness and sometimes death.
Published in Gut Microbes, the research reveals for the first time the three-dimensional structure of a toxin secreted by enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) bacteria, and shows how the bacteria use the toxin to invade and destroy the epithelial cells that line the gut.
The toxin, which is an enzyme called EspC, destroys the cells by cutting up their internal protein structure.
The field of spintronics, which integrates the charge and spin properties of electrons to develop electronic devices with enhanced functionality and energy efficiency, has expanded into new applications.
Beyond current technologies such as hard disk drive read heads and magnetic random-access memory (MRAM), researchers are now investigating flexible spintronics for use in wearable devices and sheet-type sensors.
For these applications, detecting small changes in mechanical stress through electrical resistance modulation is essential. This requires not only materials with significant magnetoresistance effects but also control over their magnetoelastic properties.
Image quality often makes the difference between an amazing multimedia experience, like feeling immersed in a high-definition movie, and a visual letdown. When it comes to biomolecular imaging, the details matter even more. When scientists increase resolution in quantitative imaging, they improve accuracy and confidence in results, ultimately facilitating discoveries in studies of proteins, cells and other biomedical applications.
Scientists have long been able to look at single molecules to study their nanoscale structures and dynamics in biological systems. However, distinguishing between two closely spaced dipole emitters, which are fluorescent molecules that can emit light in specific directions and intensities, has remained a major challenge, especially when such molecules emit light at the same time and are spatially coincident, or located at nearly the same point in space.
This limitation has hindered researchers’ ability to measure the orientation and angular separation of dipoles accurately, which is vital to understanding their rotational dynamics in crowded cellular environments.
Fluids play a crucial role in industrial processes like cooling, heating, and mixing. Traditionally, most industries would utilize Newtonian fluids—which have a constant viscosity—for such processes. However, many are now adopting viscoelastic fluids, which can behave as both liquids and elastic materials.
These fluids can suppress turbulence in simple flows like straight pipes or channels, leading to reduced wall friction. This “drag reduction effect” has attracted significant interest due to its potential to enhance energy efficiency.
To advance the industrial applications of such fluids, it is critical to understand how these fluids interact with turbulence.
Although the heart has its own nervous system, its organization and functionality remain largely unknown. Here, the authors reveal the molecular, chemical, and functional diversity of neurons within the intracardiac nervous system and their role in controlling the heart’s rhythm in the zebrafish.
Scientists Just Merged Human Brain Cells With AI – Here’s What Happened! What happens when human brain cells merge with artificial intelligence? Scientists have just achieved something straight out of science fiction—combining living neurons with AI to create a hybrid intelligence system. The results are mind-blowing, and they could redefine the future of computing. But how does it work, and what does this mean for humanity?
In a groundbreaking experiment, researchers successfully integrated human brain cells with AI, creating a system that learns faster and more efficiently than traditional silicon-based computers. These “biocomputers” use lab-grown brain organoids to process information, mimicking human thought patterns while leveraging AI’s speed and scalability. The implications? Smarter, more adaptive machines that think like us.
Why is this such a big deal? Unlike conventional AI, which relies on brute-force data crunching, this hybrid system operates more like a biological brain—learning with less energy, recognizing patterns intuitively, and even showing early signs of creativity. Potential applications include ultra-fast medical diagnostics, self-improving robots, and brain-controlled prosthetics that feel truly natural.
But with great power comes big questions. Could this lead to conscious machines? Will AI eventually surpass human intelligence? And what are the ethical risks of blending biology with technology? This video breaks down the science, the possibilities, and the controversies—watch to the end for the full story.
How did scientists merge brain cells with AI? What are biocomputers? Can AI become human-like? What is hybrid intelligence? Will AI replace human brains?This video will answer all these question. Make sure you watch all the way though to not miss anything.
