As NASA prepares for its ambitious Artemis program, the agency recognizes that power is the lifeline for sustaining life and work on the Moon. With this in mind, NASA has embarked on its Fission Surface Power Project, aiming to develop a small nuclear fission reactor that can generate electricity on the lunar surface. This article
Photon-number resolution is a crucial aspect of quantum information technology, and it plays a vital role in various quantum systems such as quantum computation, quantum communication, and quantum metrology. Superconducting nanostrip single-photon detectors (SNSPDs) are considered the leading technology for single-photon detection due to their near-perfect efficiency and high-speed performance. However, these detectors have faced
In a groundbreaking development, researchers at Cornell University have successfully detected the presence of the Bragg glass phase, a previously elusive phase of matter, using a combination of X-ray data and a state-of-the-art machine learning data analysis tool. This discovery has laid to rest a long-standing question in the field of physics, providing tangible evidence
Photocatalysts with highly reducing or oxidizing properties are crucial in the field of photochemistry. The existing transition metal complexes that possess excited state oxidants, such as chromium, iron, and cobalt, necessitate high energy light for excitation and their oxidizing potential remains underutilized. Moreover, these photocatalysts rely on precious and expensive metals, which poses limitations on
In a groundbreaking development, engineers at the University of Cincinnati have revolutionized the process of converting carbon dioxide into valuable products, addressing climate change concerns while maximizing efficiency. Associate Professor Jingjie Wu and his team have successfully modified a copper catalyst, significantly enhancing the electrochemical conversion of carbon dioxide into ethylene. This innovation holds immense
Quantum computing has garnered significant attention for its potential to revolutionize the realms of speed and memory usage in computational tasks. Unlike classical computers that rely on binary digital bits (0s and 1s), quantum computers utilize quantum bits (qubits) that can store information in values between 0 and 1. This unique ability empowers quantum algorithms
Water is a fundamental molecule that plays a crucial role in numerous scientific fields, including astrochemistry and corrosion of metals. Understanding the ionization of water is of utmost importance for physical chemists, as it not only influences biological processes and radiation chemistry but also promotes corrosion at the interface between water and metals. In a
The discovery of charge density waves (CDW) and the transition of materials into an excitonic insulator phase have opened up new possibilities in the field of quantum physics. Recently, a team of researchers from Shanghai Jiao Tong University, along with other institutes, conducted a study to investigate the potential occurrence of metal-insulator transitions and excitonic
In a stunning turn of events, a river of magma flowed beneath an Icelandic fishing village last year at an unprecedented rate, leaving scientists astounded and the region in chaos. With volcanic activity resurfacing after 800 dormant years, the western Reykjanes peninsula finds itself in a state of emergency once again. This article delves into
The global semiconductor industry is facing significant challenges, and OpenAI chief Sam Altman is determined to address them head-on. Altman is seeking to raise trillions of dollars to reshape the industry and has already engaged in talks with potential investors, including the UAE government. His goal is to solve the major hurdles hindering the rapidly-expanding
Centenarians, individuals who live past the age of 100, are no longer a rarity in today’s world. In fact, they are the fastest-growing demographic group worldwide, with their numbers doubling approximately every decade since the 1970s. The desire to understand the secrets behind exceptional longevity has been a topic of interest for millennia, with philosophers
The Moon, our beloved natural satellite, may not be as stable as it appears. According to a new study by researchers in the US, the Moon is slowly shrinking in size as it cools down. Although this process occurs at a rate of about 45 meters (more than 150 feet) every few hundred million years,
Protein synthesis is a fundamental process in cells that is essential for their survival. Ribosomes, which act as the cell’s “protein factories,” play a crucial role in this process. They are large molecules found in all living organisms. Ribosomes read the blueprint for a specific protein on a messenger molecule called messenger RNA (mRNA) and
Amidst the vast expanse of Earth’s timeline, more than 700 million years ago, a remarkable ice age gripped the planet, causing a near-complete freeze over the entire globe. For decades, the cause of this extreme climate event has eluded scientists, leaving behind a perplexing mystery. However, Australian geologists have recently unraveled this enigma through groundbreaking
Radiation and its interaction with water have long fascinated scientists and raised important questions about the behavior of free electrons in this crucial substance. In an effort to shed light on this topic, a team of theoretical physicists from DESY collaborated with colleagues from the Argonne National Laboratory in the United States. Using data collected