Technology

Atomic clocks that excite the nucleus of thorium-229 embedded in a transparent crystal when hit by a laser beam could yield the most accurate measurements ever of time and gravity, and even rewrite some of the fundamental laws of physics. Thorium-229-doped crystals are both scarce and radioactive. A thin film using a dry precursor of

New research suggests that the making of string figures, a globally documented practice, may point to shared cultural heritage stretching back millennia. The research offers a new way to investigate the evolution and distribution of cultural phenomena using mathematical methods. New research suggests that the making of string figures, a globally documented practice, may point

Engineers have reported a significant advancement in engineering biology and clean energy. A team of researchers has developed an innovative light-driven hybrid nanoreactor that merges natural efficiency with cutting-edge synthetic precision to produce hydrogen -- a clean and sustainable energy source. The University of Liverpool has reported a significant advancement in engineering biology and clean

New technology could remotely identify various types of plastics, offering a valuable tool for future monitoring and analysis of oceanic plastic pollution. A new hyperspectral Raman imaging lidar system can remotely detect and identify various types of plastics, which could help address the critical issue of plastic pollution in the ocean by providing better tools

After taking the first images of black holes, the groundbreaking Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) is poised to reveal how black holes launch powerful jets into space. Now, a research team has shown that the EHT will be able to make exciting images of a supermassive black hole and its jets in the galaxy NGC 1052.

Step into a world so tiny, it defies imagination -- the nanoscale. Picture a single strand of hair, now shrink it a million times. You've arrived. Here, atoms and molecules are the architects of reality, building properties and phenomena that challenge everything we thought we knew -- until now. Researchers have now unlocked a stunning

The quantum Hall effect, a fundamental effect in quantum mechanics, not only generates an electric but also a magnetic current. It arises from the motion of electrons on an orbit around the nuclei of atoms. These results can potentially be used to develop new types of inexpensive and energy-efficient devices. The quantum Hall effect, a

Pile up blocks until the tower collapses. But why does the tower always end up collapsing? Is it possible that it can be built ad infinitum? A new study explores the fascinating and complex dynamics of the stacking of blocks subjected to hazards. Pile up blocks until the tower collapses. But why does the tower

A future where lightweight car parts can be made with a 3D printer is here, thanks to multi-material additive manufacturing research. Researchers at Tohoku University's Institute for Materials Research and New Industry Creation Hatchery Center have made a breakthrough in a multi-material 3D printing technique, demonstrating the process for creating a lightweight yet durable automobile

Researchers propose a unique numerical decision-making framework for solar panel protection against extreme weather conditions. The framework combines advanced wind simulations with machine learning to optimize individual solar panel angles under strong winds. Unlike previous methods, this new method treats panels as independent decision-makers and identifies creative, data-driven solutions to reduce stress, significantly outperforming current

String theory remains elusive as a 'provable' phenomenon. But a team of physicists has now taken a significant step forward in validating string theory by using an innovative mathematical method that points to its 'inevitability.' String theory, conceptualized more than 50 years ago as a framework to explain the formation of matter, remains elusive as

An international team of researchers has detected a binary star orbiting close to Sagittarius A*, the supermassive black hole at the centre of our galaxy. It is the first time a stellar pair has been found in the vicinity of a supermassive black hole. The discovery helps us understand how stars survive in environments with