D-Wave Systems, a Canadian company, has made a significant breakthrough in quantum computing by using quantum annealing to simulate quantum magnetic phase transitions. The company claims that its calculations are beyond the capabilities of the most powerful classical computers, achieving quantum advantage. However, two independent groups of researchers have challenged this claim, suggesting that similar…
Physics on The Soothsayer / page 4
Researchers at the University of Maryland have made a significant breakthrough in detecting radioactive material from a distance using short-pulse CO2 lasers. This method, which leverages ionization in the surrounding air, has the potential to revolutionize nuclear disaster response and security. The team’s technique has already demonstrated a 10-meter detection range, surpassing previous methods by…
A groundbreaking study has revealed that quantum mechanics may play a crucial role in how our brains function. Theoretical physicist Partha Ghose and theoretical neuroscientist Dimitris Pinotsis have derived a Schrödinger-like equation for neurons, which describes neuronal noise and suggests that quantum phenomena, including entanglement, might survive at larger scales. This discovery could have significant…
Researchers in France have made a breakthrough in quantum sensing by developing a hybrid system that combines the precision of quantum devices with the robustness of classical sensors. The new technique uses trapped ultracold atoms to detect acceleration and rotation, and when paired with a classical inertial sensor, it can measure inertial quantities with unprecedented…
Researchers at the IBS Center for Climate Physics have simulated the effects of a medium-sized asteroid impact on Earth’s climate. The study reveals that such an event would lead to a dramatic disruption of the climate, atmospheric chemistry, and global photosynthesis. The impact would cause a “global impact winter” with reduced sunlight, cold temperatures, and…
Scientists in Japan and Taiwan have made a groundbreaking discovery that could reshape our understanding of the Earth’s interior. Experiments conducted by Haruki Takezawa and Kei Hirose at the University of Tokyo suggest that the Earth’s core could contain a vast reservoir of primordial helium-3, a light noble gas that was present when the planet…
A team of researchers from Linköping University in Sweden and Cornell University in the US has made a significant breakthrough in recycling perovskite solar cells, a promising material for next-generation solar panels. The team has developed a simple, non-toxic, water-based solvent to recycle almost all components of perovskite solar cells, which can be used to…
Researchers from the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Center for Quantum Computing have announced a breakthrough in quantum error correction using cat qubits, which could shorten the time required to develop large-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computers by up to five years. This innovation uses a special type of qubit called a cat qubit to reduce the total…
Researchers in Australia have developed a nanosensor that can detect the onset of gestational diabetes with 95% accuracy. The superparamagnetic “nanoflower” sensor uses specially engineered nanoparticles to isolate and detect biomarkers in the blood associated with complications in early pregnancy. This technology has the potential to revolutionize risk assessment and improve clinical decision-making in obstetric…
Physicists in Austria have successfully verified a long-predicted phenomenon from Einstein’s special theory of relativity, known as the “Terrell effect.” This effect states that objects moving near the speed of light will appear rotated to an external observer. Researchers used a laser and an ultrafast stop-motion camera to capture the rotation of a sphere and…