Electron whirlpools: Scientists witness electricity behaving like water

Researchers at MIT have observed “electron whirlpools” for the first time. The bizarre behavior arises when electricity flows as a fluid, which could make for more efficient electronics.Continue ReadingCategory: Physics, ScienceTags: Electron Microscop… Continue reading Electron whirlpools: Scientists witness electricity behaving like water

Harvard’s acoustic computer chip uses sound waves to encode data

Traditional computer chips run on electricity, while the emerging photonic chips use light. Now, scientists at Harvard have demonstrated a new kind of chip that transmits data in the form of sound waves.Continue ReadingCategory: Computers, TechnologyTa… Continue reading Harvard’s acoustic computer chip uses sound waves to encode data

Mobile system treats crop seeds using electrons instead of fungicides

Because seeds may contain yield-reducing fungi, bacteria or viruses, they’re often chemically treated before they’re sold to farmers. A new mobile system, however, substitutes microbe-killing electrons for harsh and eco-unfriendly chemicals.Continue Re… Continue reading Mobile system treats crop seeds using electrons instead of fungicides

World’s most powerful X-ray laser now fires a million bursts per second

The world’s most powerful X-ray laser is ready for operation after a massive overhaul. A powerful upgrade to Stanford’s Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS), LCLS-II uses temperatures colder than deep space to accelerate electrons to near light-speed and… Continue reading World’s most powerful X-ray laser now fires a million bursts per second

Superfast electron rains detected pouring down onto Earth

Researchers at UCLA have discovered a new form of space weather – superfast electron rains that precipitate into the atmosphere from the radiation belts. The team says the events could affect satellites, spacecraft and astronauts, but aren’t accounted … Continue reading Superfast electron rains detected pouring down onto Earth

Scientists calculate absolute quantum speed limit for electronics

It often feels like electronics will continue to get faster forever, but at some point the laws of physics will intervene to put a stop to that. Now scientists have calculated the ultimate speed limit – the point at which quantum mechanics prevents mic… Continue reading Scientists calculate absolute quantum speed limit for electronics

Quasiparticles used to generate millions of truly random numbers a second

Random numbers are crucial for computing, but our current algorithms aren’t truly random. Researchers at Brown University have now found a way to tap into the fluctuations of quasiparticles to generate millions of truly random numbers per second.Contin… Continue reading Quasiparticles used to generate millions of truly random numbers a second

Silicon quantum computing surpasses 99% accuracy in three studies

Three teams of scientists from around the world have achieved a major milestone in quantum computing. All three groups demonstrated better than 99 percent accuracy in silicon-based quantum devices, paving the way for practical, scalable quantum compute… Continue reading Silicon quantum computing surpasses 99% accuracy in three studies

Harvard scientists observe new state of matter, a quantum spin liquid

An exotic state of matter originally hypothesized almost 50 years ago has been observed for the first time. Created by Harvard researchers, this material called quantum spin liquid could eventually help improve quantum computers.Continue ReadingCategor… Continue reading Harvard scientists observe new state of matter, a quantum spin liquid

“Electron family” state of matter hints at new type of superconductivity

Superconductivity occurs when electrons in a metal pair up and move through the material without resistance. But there may be more to the story than we thought, as scientists in Germany have now discovered that electrons can also group together into fa… Continue reading “Electron family” state of matter hints at new type of superconductivity