Euclid "Dark Universe" Telescope

The huge mosaic released by ESA’s Euclid space telescope on October 15, 2024, accounts for 1% of the wide survey that Euclid will capture over six years. The location and actual size of the mosaic on the Southern Sky is shown in yellow. This all-sky view is an overlay of ESA Gaia’s star map from its second data release in 2018 and ESA Planck’s dust map from 2014. Credit: ESA/Euclid/Euclid Consortium/NASA; ESA/Gaia/DPAC; ESA/Planck Collaboration

A new 208-gigapixel cosmic map, capturing 132 square degrees of the Southern Sky, was unveiled, marking the start of a six-year journey by the Euclid mission to create the largest 3D cosmic map, revealing the universe in unprecedented detail.

The first section of Euclid’s map, a massive 208-gigapixel mosaic, was unveiled at the International Astronautical Congress in Milan, Italy, by ESA’s Director General Josef Aschbacher and Director of Science Carole Mundell.

This mosaic is composed of 260 observations taken between March 25 and April 8, 2024. In just two weeks, Euclid managed to capture 132 square degrees of the Southern Sky with incredible clarity—an area over 500 times larger than the full Moon.               READ MORE...

Increasing Longevity

A study found that phytoene, a carotenoid, extends the lifespan of Caenorhabditis elegans and reduces Alzheimer’s-related plaque effects. Researchers are exploring its broader potential in disease prevention.

Researchers from the Color and Food Quality group at the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Seville, in partnership with Dr. Marina Ezcurra’s team at the University of Kent (UK), have demonstrated that the carotenoid phytoene extends the lifespan of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. 

Additionally, it delays the onset of paralysis linked to amyloid plaque formation in an Alzheimer’s disease model.  Specifically, increases in longevity of between 10 and 18.6% and decreases in the proteotoxic effect of plaques of between 30 and 40% were observed. 

The studies, which form part of Ángeles Morón Ortiz’s doctoral thesis, tested pure phytoene and extracts rich in this carotenoid obtained from microalgae.     READ MORE...

Proven With Electromagnetic Waves

Scientists at the University of Southampton have experimentally proven the Zel’dovich effect by amplifying electromagnetic waves using a spinning metal cylinder, confirming a theoretical prediction from the 1970s and opening new avenues in technology and quantum physics. Credit: SciTechDaily.com

University of Southampton researchers have confirmed the Zel’dovich effect, where twisted waves are amplified by a rotating object. This finding, previously only demonstrated with sound waves, now applies to electromagnetic waves, with promising implications for quantum physics and energy-efficient technologies.


Physicists at the University of Southampton have successfully tested and confirmed a 50-year-old theory for the first time using electromagnetic waves.

Their experiments demonstrated that the energy of waves can be amplified by bouncing ‘twisted waves’—waves with angular momentum—off a rotating object under specific conditions.


This is known as the ‘Zel’dovich effect’, named after Soviet physicist Yakov Zel’dovich who developed a theory based on this idea in the 1970s. Until now, it was believed to be unobservable with electromagnetic fields.     READ MORE...

Quantum Basis for Conciousness

A groundbreaking study has provided experimental evidence suggesting a quantum basis for consciousness.

By demonstrating that drugs affecting microtubules within neurons delay the onset of unconsciousness caused by anesthetic gases, the study supports the quantum model over traditional classical physics theories. 

This quantum perspective could revolutionize our understanding of consciousness and its broader implications, potentially impacting the treatment of mental illnesses and our understanding of human connection to the universe.

Exploring the Quantum Basis of Consciousness
For decades, one of the most fundamental and vexing questions in neuroscience has been: what is the physical basis of consciousness in the brain? Most researchers favor classical models, based on classical physics, while a minority have argued that consciousness must be quantum in nature, and that its brain basis is a collective quantum vibration of “microtubule” proteins inside neurons.

New research by Wellesley College professor Mike Wiest and a group of Wellesley College undergraduate students has yielded important experimental results relevant to this debate, by examining how anesthesia affects the brain. 

Wiest and his research team found that when they gave rats a drug that binds to microtubules, it took the rats significantly longer to fall unconscious under an anesthetic gas. 

The research team’s microtubule-binding drug interfered with the anesthetic action, thus supporting the idea that the anesthetic acts on microtubules to cause unconsciousness.      READ MORE...

Transforming Copper Wire into a Cosmic Furnace

Using a novel laser method, scientists mimicked the extreme environments of stars and planets, enhancing our understanding of astrophysical phenomena and supporting nuclear fusion research.

Extreme conditions prevail inside stars and planets. The pressure reaches millions of bars, and it can be several million degrees hot. Sophisticated methods make it possible to create such states of matter in the laboratory – albeit only for the blink of an eye and in a tiny volume. 

So far, this has required the world’s most powerful lasers, such as the National Ignition Facility (NIF) in California. But there are only a few of these light giants, and the opportunities for experiments are correspondingly rare.

A research team led by the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), together with colleagues from the European XFEL, has now succeeded in creating and observing extreme conditions with a much smaller laser. 

At the heart of the new technology is a copper wire, finer than a human hair, as the group reports in the journal Nature Communications.     READ MORE...

Faster Than Speed of Light

The inside of the Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) experiment at the Large Hadron Collider. Rochester physicists working at the detector have observed spin entanglement between top quarks and top antiquarks persisting at long distances and high speeds. Credit: CERN




Researchers have confirmed that quantum entanglement persists between top quarks, the heaviest known fundamental particles.

Physicists have demonstrated quantum entanglement in top quarks and their antimatter partners, a discovery made at CERN. This finding extends the behavior of entangled particles to distances beyond the reach of light-speed communication and opens new avenues for exploring quantum mechanics at high energies.

An experiment by a group of physicists led by University of Rochester physics professor Regina Demina has produced a significant result related to quantum entanglement—an effect that Albert Einstein called “spooky action at a distance.”

Entanglement concerns the coordinated behavior of minuscule particles that have interacted but then moved apart. Measuring properties—like position or momentum or spin—of one of the separated pair of particles instantaneously changes the results of the other particle, no matter how far the second particle has drifted from its twin. In effect, the state of one entangled particle, or qubit, is inseparable from the other.       READ MORE...

Your Brain's Memory Resets

A new study from Cornell University reveals that sleep not only consolidates memories but also resets the brain’s memory storage mechanism. This process, governed by specific regions in the hippocampus, allows neurons to prepare for new learning without being overwhelmed. This insight opens potential pathways for enhancing memory and treating neurological disorders like Alzheimer’s and PTSD.

While everyone knows that a good night’s sleep restores energy, a new Cornell University study finds it resets another vital function: memory.

Learning or experiencing new things activates neurons in the hippocampus, a region of the brain vital for memory. Later, while we sleep, those same neurons repeat the same pattern of activity, which is how the brain consolidates those memories that are then stored in a large area called the cortex. But how is it that we can keep learning new things for a lifetime without using up all of our neurons?
Mechanisms of Memory Resetting

A new study published in the journal Science, finds at certain times during deep sleep, certain parts of the hippocampus go silent, allowing those neurons to reset.

“This mechanism could allow the brain to reuse the same resources, the same neurons, for new learning the next day,” said Azahara Oliva, assistant professor of neurobiology and behavior and the paper’s corresponding author.         READ MORE...

THIRTY-FOUR Million Year Old Snake Discovered

The fossilized skeleton of the newly discovered snake species Hibernophis breithaupti, which lived 38 million years ago in what is now western Wyoming, reveals insights into the evolution and social behavior of its modern descendants. Credit: Jasmine Croghan

Ancient snakes have been unearthed, shedding light on the continent’s slithering past.
A newly discovered fossil snake species in Wyoming is transforming our understanding of snake evolution. Unearthed from a burrow where four well-preserved specimens were found intertwined, this species, named Hibernophis breithaupti, lived in North America 34 million years ago. This discovery provides valuable insights into the origins and diversification of boas and pythons.


Hibernophis breithaupti has unique anatomical features, in part because the specimens are articulated—meaning they were found all in one piece with the bones still arranged in the proper order—which is unusual for fossil snakes. Researchers believe it may be an early member of Booidea, a group that includes modern boas and pythons. Modern boas are widespread in the Americas, but their early evolution is not well understood. These new and very complete fossils add important new information, in particular, on the evolution of small, burrowing boas known as rubber boas.           READ MORE...

Faster than the Speed of Light

The inside of the Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) experiment at the Large Hadron Collider. Rochester physicists working at the detector have observed spin entanglement between top quarks and top antiquarks persisting at long distances and high speeds. Credit: CERN





Researchers have confirmed that quantum entanglement persists between top quarks, the heaviest known fundamental particles.

Physicists have demonstrated quantum entanglement in top quarks and their antimatter partners, a discovery made at CERN. This finding extends the behavior of entangled particles to distances beyond the reach of light-speed communication and opens new avenues for exploring quantum mechanics at high energies.

An experiment by a group of physicists led by University of Rochester physics professor Regina Demina has produced a significant result related to quantum entanglement—an effect that Albert Einstein called “spooky action at a distance.”

Entanglement concerns the coordinated behavior of minuscule particles that have interacted but then moved apart. Measuring properties—like position or momentum or spin—of one of the separated pair of particles instantaneously changes the results of the other particle, no matter how far the second particle has drifted from its twin. In effect, the state of one entangled particle, or qubit, is inseparable from the other.        READ MORE...

New Solar Technology

UIC engineers developed a method to produce hydrogen from water using solar power and agricultural waste, cutting energy needs by 600%. This process uses biochar to lower electricity requirements, achieving high efficiency and offering potential net-zero emissions.

UIC engineers have introduced a groundbreaking method for producing hydrogen gas using solar power and agricultural waste, drastically reducing energy consumption and enabling net-zero greenhouse emissions.

Engineers from the University of Illinois Chicago have developed a novel method to produce hydrogen gas from water using solely solar power and agricultural byproducts like manure and husks. This technique slashes the energy required to extract hydrogen from water by 600%, paving the way for more sustainable and environmentally friendly chemical manufacturing.

Hydrogen-based fuels are one of the most promising sources of clean energy. But producing pure hydrogen gas is an energy-intensive process that often requires coal or natural gas and large amounts of electricity.         READ MORE...

Infinite Possibilities of Quantum States

A spin (blue ball with arrow) interacts with the surrounding bosons described by non-Gaussian states – a new computational method to accurately describe what happens inside quantum devices. Credit: Jiří Minář

A new method developed by Amsterdam researchers uses non-Gaussian states to efficiently describe and configure quantum spin-boson systems, promising advancements in quantum computing and sensing.

Many modern quantum devices operate using groups of qubits, or spins, which have just two energy states: ‘0’ and ‘1’. However, in actual devices, these spins also interact with photons and phonons, collectively known as bosons, making the calculations much more complex. In a recent study published in Physical Review Letters, researchers from Amsterdam have developed a method to effectively describe these spin-boson systems. This breakthrough could help in efficiently setting up quantum devices to achieve specific desired states.     READ MORE...

Rewriting Molecular Rules

Researchers have developed new guidelines for molecular design that prevent electrons from losing energy through atomic vibrations. These innovations promise to revolutionize the effectiveness of organic molecules used in OLEDs, sensors, and biomedical imaging. Credit: SciTechDaily.com

New molecular design rules discovered through laser-based spectroscopic techniques enable the uncoupling of electrons from atomic vibrations, leading to significantly improved performance in applications such as OLEDs and biomedical imaging.

Since the discovery of quantum mechanics more than a hundred years ago, it has been known that electrons in molecules can be coupled to the motion of the atoms that make up the molecules. Often referred to as molecular vibrations, the motion of atoms act like tiny springs, undergoing periodic motion.

For electrons in these systems, being joined to the hip with these vibrations means they are constantly in motion too, dancing to the tune of the atoms, on timescales of a millionth of a billionth of a second. But all this dancing around leads to a loss of energy and limits the performance of organic molecules in applications like light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), infrared sensors, and fluorescent biomarkers used in the study of cells and for tagging diseases such as cancer cells.         READ MORE...

Beyond Hydrogen

Recent discoveries in quantum physics have revealed simpler atomic structures than hydrogen, involving pure electromagnetic interactions between particles like electrons and their antiparticles. 

This advancement has significant implications for our understanding of quantum mechanics and fundamental physics, highlighted by new methods for detecting tauonium, which could revolutionize measurements of particle physics.

The hydrogen atom was once considered the simplest atom in nature, composed of a structureless electron and a structured proton. However, as research progressed, scientists discovered a simpler type of atom, consisting of structureless electrons (e-), muons (μ-), or tauons (τ-) and their equally structureless antiparticles. 

These atoms are bound together solely by electromagnetic interactions, with simpler structures than hydrogen atoms, providing a new perspective on scientific problems such as quantum mechanics, fundamental symmetry, and gravity.  READ MORE...

Dark Matter to Visible Light

Explorations in dark matter are advancing with new experimental techniques designed to detect axions, leveraging advanced technology and interdisciplinary collaboration to uncover the secrets of this elusive component of the cosmos.

A ghost is haunting our universe. This has been known in astronomy and cosmology for decades. Observations suggest that about 85% of all the matter in the universe is mysterious and invisible. These two qualities are reflected in its name: dark matter.    READ MORE...

Increasing Efficiency of Solar Panels

Lehigh University researchers have created a revolutionary solar cell material with up to 190% external quantum efficiency, pushing beyond conventional efficiency limits and showing great promise for enhancing future solar energy systems. Further development is required for practical application, supported by a U.S. Department of Energy grant.




It shows great potential for advancing the development of highly efficient next-generation solar cells, which are vital for meeting global energy demands.

A team from Lehigh University has created a material that could significantly enhance the efficiency of solar panels.

A prototype using the material as the active layer in a solar cell exhibits an average photovoltaic absorption of 80%, a high generation rate of photoexcited carriers, and an external quantum efficiency (EQE) up to an unprecedented 190%—a measure that far exceeds the theoretical Shockley-Queisser efficiency limit for silicon-based materials and pushes the field of quantum materials for photovoltaics to new heights.     READ MORE...

Rethinking Happiness

Finland is consistently ranked as the happiest country in the world. The basis for this is the annual World Happiness Report, which is based on a simple question about happiness asked to people around the world. 

However, a new study led by Lund University in Sweden suggests that it makes people think more about power and wealth.

Using the same question to measure happiness over time and cultures, is arguably a simple and fair way to compare results on a global scale – no easy task, after all. How happy are countries around the world really? 

The question at the center of the World Happiness Report is known as The Cantril Ladder: Please imagine a ladder with steps numbered from 0 at the bottom to 10 at the top. The top of the ladder represents the best possible life for you and the bottom of the ladder represents the worst possible life for you. 

On which step of the ladder would you say you personally feel you stand at this time?  READ MORE...

An "Intelligent" Liquid

Harvard researchers have created a versatile programmable metafluid that can change its properties, including viscosity and optical transparency, in response to pressure. This new class of fluid has potential applications in robotics, optical devices, and energy dissipation, showcasing a significant breakthrough in metamaterial technology. (Artist’s concept). Credit: SciTechDaily.com

Scientists have developed a metafluid with programmable response.

Scientists at the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) have developed a programmable metafluid with tunable springiness, optical properties, viscosity and even the ability to transition between a Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluid.

The first-of-its-kind metafluid uses a suspension of small, elastomer spheres — between 50 to 500 microns — that buckle under pressure, radically changing the characteristics of the fluid. The metafluid could be used in everything from hydraulic actuators to program robots, to intelligent shock absorbers that can dissipate energy depending on the intensity of the impact, to optical devices that can transition from clear to opaque.

The research is published in Nature.     READ MORE...

Synthetic Antiferromagnets

Researchers have discovered merons in synthetic antiferromagnets, advancing the field of spintronics toward more efficient, compact, and sustainable computing.

For the first time, teams from Germany and Japan have successfully identified collective topological spin formations known as merons within layered synthetic antiferromagnets.

Our everyday electronic devices, such as living room lights, washing machines, and televisions, operate thanks to electrical currents. Similarly, the functioning of computers is based on the manipulation of information by small charge carriers known as electrons. Spintronics, on the other hand, introduces a unique approach to this process.

Instead of the charge of electrons, the spintronic approach is to exploit their magnetic moment, in other words, their spin, to store and process information – aiming to make the computers of the future more compact, fast, and sustainable. 

One way of processing information based on this approach is to use the magnetic vortices called skyrmions or, alternatively, their still little understood and rarer cousins called ‘merons’.   READ MORE...

Six Flux Composite Fermions

A team of physicists at Purdue University has discovered a new particle, the six-flux composite fermion, expanding the understanding of the fractional quantum Hall effect beyond the known two-flux and four-flux states. This significant finding highlights the critical role of high-quality semiconductor materials and supports the advancement of quantum physics research.

If the fractional quantum Hall regime were a series of highways, these highways would have either two or four lanes. The flow of the two-flux or four-flux composite fermions, like automobiles in this two- to four-flux composite fermion traffic scenario, naturally explains the more than 90 fractional quantum Hall states that form in a large variety of host materials.

Physicists at Purdue University have recently discovered, though, that fractional quantum Hall regimes are not limited to two-flux or four-flux and have discovered the existence of a new type of emergent particle, which they are calling six-flux composite fermion. They have recently published their groundbreaking findings in Nature Communications.    READ MORE...

Ancient Japanese Art

Inspired by Kintsugi, scientists at PPPL have developed a method to manage plasma in fusion reactors by utilizing magnetic field imperfections, enhancing stability and paving the way for more reliable and efficient fusion power. Credit: SciTechDaily.com




Scientists take advantage of imperfections in magnetic fields to enhance fusion plasma.

In the Japanese art of Kintsugi, an artist takes the broken shards of a bowl and fuses them back together with gold to make a final product more beautiful than the original.

That idea is inspiring a new approach to managing plasma, the super-hot state of matter, for use as a power source. Scientists are using the imperfections in magnetic fields that confine a reaction to improve and enhance the plasma in an approach outlined in a new paper in the journal Nature Communications.  READ MORE...