Matter and energy from Science Daily Feed

Researchers have demonstrated an ideal Weyl semimetal, marking a breakthrough in a decade-old problem of quantum materials.

While entangled photons hold incredible promise for quantum computing and communications, they have a major inherent disadvantage. After one use, they simply disappear. In a new study physicists propose a new strategy to maintain communications in a constantly changing, unpredictable quantum network. By rebuilding these disappearing connections, the researchers found the network eventually settles into a stable -- albeit different -- state.

Perovskite solar cells are a flexible and sustainable alternative to conventional silicon-based solar cells. Researchers were able to find -- within only a few weeks -- new organic molecules that increase the efficiency of perovskite solar cells. The team used a clever combination of artificial intelligence (AI) and automated high-throughput synthesis. Their strategy can also be applied to other areas of materials research, such as the search for new battery materials.

A team has identified a strain of bacteria that can break down and transform at least three types of PFAS, and, perhaps even more crucially, some of the toxic byproducts of the bond-breaking process.

Chirality is a fundamental property of matter that determines many biological, chemical and physical phenomena. Chiral solids, for example, offer exciting opportunities for catalysis, sensing and optical devices by enabling unique interactions with chiral molecules and polarized light. These properties are however established when the material is grown, that is, the left- and right-handed enantiomers cannot be converted into one another without melting and recrystallization. Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for the Structure and Dynamics of Matter (MPSD) and the University of Oxford have shown that terahertz light can induce chirality in a non-chiral crystal, allowing either left- or right-handed enantiomers to emerge on demand. The finding, reported in Science, opens up exciting possibilities for exploring novel non-equilibrium phenomena in complex materials.

Our bodies are made up of around 75 billion cells. But what function does each individual cell perform and how greatly do a healthy person's cells differ from those of someone with a disease? To draw conclusions, enormous quantities of data must be analyzed and interpreted. For this purpose, machine learning methods are applied. Researchers have now tested self-supervised learning as a promising approach for testing 20 million cells or more.

Researchers have derived a formula for viral behavior in the Wild Cards, a science fiction series written by a collection of authors about an alien virus called the Wild Card that mutates human DNA. The formula he derived is a Lagrangian formulation, which considers the different ways a system can evolve. It's also a fundamental physics principle, which also makes the fictional example a powerful teaching tool.

A research team has uncovered the molecular mechanism behind the remarkable underwater adhesion of hairy mussels. Their findings reveal an oxidation-independent adhesion process driven by interactions between EGF/EGF-like domains and GlcNAc-based biopolymers.

Engineers have invented a microscopic spectral sensor that can identify myriad materials with unprecedented accuracy.

Researchers have developed a new type of optical memory called a programmable photonic latch that is fast and scalable, enabling temporary data storage in optical processing systems and offering a high-speed solution for volatile memory using silicon photonics.

Researchers have succeeded in controlling the arrangement of photochromic crystals known as diarylethenes.

A research team has recently developed a novel algorithm in quantum physics known as 'entanglement microscopy' that enables visualization and mapping of this extraordinary phenomenon at a microscopic scale. By zooming in on the intricate interactions of entangled particles, one can uncover the hidden structures of quantum matter, revealing insights that could transform technology and deepen the understanding of the universe.

Researchers have shown for the first time that heat transfer in the form of infrared radiation can influence chemical reactions more strongly than traditional convection and conduction methods.

Researchers have identified a new class of quantum states in a custom-engineered graphene structure. The study reports the discovery of topological electronic crystals in twisted bilayer -- trilayer graphene, a system created by introducing a precise rotational twist between stacked two-dimensional materials.

Researchers have developed a breakthrough method to detect inflammation in the body using positron emission tomography (PET) imaging. This innovative probe targets CD45, a marker abundantly expressed on all immune cells but absent from other cell types.

Scientists have developed an artificial photosynthesis technology that produces precursors of biodegradable nylon from biomass-derived compounds and ammonia.

Unraveling the chemical processes in soot particle filters reveals new ways to produce synthetic fuels.

Despite significant therapeutic advances, breast cancer remains a leading cause of cancer-related death in women. Treatment typically involves surgery and follow-up hormone therapy, but late effects of these treatments include osteoporosis, sexual dysfunction and blood clots. Now, researchers have created a novel treatment that eliminated small breast tumors and significantly shrank large tumors in mice in a single dose, without problematic side effects.

Porous land such as foliage significantly lowers noise made by drones and air taxis which could reduce disturbances for urban communities as Urban Air Mobility (UAM) grows.

A group of researchers have analyzed thousands of reports from the past decade, identifying a tin-based catalyst that aids the production of formic acid, an indispensable chemical in various industries, and makes the process greener.