Computer Science: Quantum Computers Offbeat: Computers and Math Physics: General Physics: Optics Physics: Quantum Computing Physics: Quantum Physics
Published

In the world's smallest ball game, scientists throw and catch single atoms using light      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Researchers show that individual atoms can be caught and thrown using light. This is the first time an atom has been released from a trap -- or thrown -- and then caught by another trap. This technology could be used in quantum computing applications.

Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Energy: Nuclear Physics: General Physics: Quantum Computing Physics: Quantum Physics
Published

Hitting nuclei with light may create fluid primordial matter      (via sciencedaily.com) 

A new analysis supports the idea that photons colliding with heavy ions create a fluid of 'strongly interacting' particles. The results indicate that photon-heavy ion collisions can create a strongly interacting fluid that responds to the initial collision geometry and that these collisions can form a quark-gluon plasma. These findings will help guide future experiments at the planned Electron-Ion Collider.

Environmental: Water Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Paleontology: Climate
Published

Short-distance migration critical for climate change adaptation      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Short-distance migration, which accounts for the vast majority of migratory movements in the world, is crucial for climate change adaptation, according to new research. Contrary to common assumptions, most migratory movements are people moving short distances, largely due to economic, social and environmental factors, such as climate change.

Biology: Marine Ecology: Sea Life Geoscience: Earth Science Paleontology: Fossils Paleontology: General
Published

Paleontologists flip the script on anemone fossils      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Billions of sea anemones adorn the bottom of the Earth's oceans -- yet they are among the rarest of fossils because their squishy bodies lack easily fossilized hard parts. Now a team of paleontologists has discovered that countless sea anemone fossils have been hiding in plain sight for nearly 50 years. It turns out that fossils long-interpreted as jellyfish were anemones. To do so, a team of scientists has simply turned the ancient animals upside down.

Biology: Botany Biology: Zoology Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Extinction Ecology: General Ecology: Nature Ecology: Research Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: Ecosystems Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Plant roots fuel tropical soil animal communities      (via sciencedaily.com) 

A research team has shed new light on the importance of plant roots for below-ground life, particularly in the tropics. Millions of small creatures toiling in a single hectare of soil including earthworms, springtails, mites, insects, and other arthropods are crucial for decomposition and soil health. For a long time, it was believed that leaf litter is the primary resource for these animals. However, this recent study is the first to provide proof that resources derived from plant roots drive soil animal communities in the tropics.

Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry Geoscience: Geology
Published

Gas monitoring at volcanic fields outside Naples, Italy, exposes multiple sources of carbon dioxide emissions      (via sciencedaily.com) 

The Phlegraean volcanic fields just west of Naples, Italy, are among the top eight emitters of volcanic carbon dioxide in the world. Since 2005, the Solfatara crater -- one of many circular depressions in the landscape left by a long history of eruptions --has been emitting increased volumes of gas. Today it emits 4,000-5,000 tons of carbon dioxide each day, equivalent to the emissions from burning ~500,000 gallons of gasoline. Researchers estimate that as much as 20%--40% of the current carbon dioxide emissions are from the dissolution of calcite in the rocks, while 60%--80% is from underground magma.

Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry Geoscience: Oceanography Paleontology: Climate
Published

Elegantly modeling Earth's abrupt glacial transitions      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Milutin Milankovitch hypothesized that the timing of glacial transitions has been controlled by the orbital parameters of the Earth, which suggests that there may be some predictability in the climate, a notoriously complex system. Now researchers propose a new paradigm to simplify the verification of the Milankovitch hypothesis. The new 'deterministic excitation paradigm' combines the physics concepts of relaxation oscillation and excitability to link Earth's orbital parameters and the glacial cycles in a more generic way.

Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography
Published

Study into global daily air pollution shows almost nowhere on Earth is safe      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

In a new study of daily ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5) across the globe, a new study has found that only 0.18% of the global land area and 0.001% of the global population are exposed to levels of PM2.5 -- the world's leading environmental health risk factor -- below levels of safety recommended by Word Health Organization (WHO). Importantly while daily levels have reduced in Europe and North America in the two decades to 2019, levels have increased Southern Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Latin America and the Caribbean, with more than 70% of days globally seeing levels above what is safe.

Engineering: Graphene Engineering: Nanotechnology Physics: General Physics: Optics Physics: Quantum Computing Physics: Quantum Physics
Published

Graphene quantum dots show promise as novel magnetic field sensors      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Trapped electrons traveling in circular loops at extreme speeds inside graphene quantum dots are highly sensitive to external magnetic fields and could be used as novel magnetic field sensors with unique capabilities, according to a new study.

Biology: Botany Biology: Marine Biology: Microbiology Ecology: Sea Life Environmental: Water Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Geology
Published

Mineral particles and their role in oxygenating the Earth's atmosphere      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Mineral particles played a key role in raising oxygen levels in the Earth's atmosphere billions of years ago, with major implications for the way intelligent life later evolved, according to new research.

Computer Science: Quantum Computers Physics: General Physics: Optics Physics: Quantum Computing Physics: Quantum Physics
Published

Two-dimensional quantum freeze      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Researchers have succeeded in simultaneously cooling the motion of a tiny glass sphere in two dimensions to the quantum ground-state. This represents a crucial step towards a 3D ground-state cooling of a massive object and opens up new opportunities for the design of ultra-sensitive sensors.

Environmental: Water Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Geology Geoscience: Landslides
Published

Mississippi River Delta study reveals which human actions contribute to land loss      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Scientists reveal new information about the role humans have played in large-scale land loss in the Mississippi River Delta -- crucial information in determining solutions to the crisis.

Chemistry: General Computer Science: Quantum Computers Engineering: Nanotechnology Physics: General Physics: Quantum Computing Physics: Quantum Physics
Published

An innovative twist on quantum bits: Tubular nanomaterial of carbon makes ideal home for spinning quantum bits      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Scientists develop method for chemically modifying nanoscale tubes of carbon atoms, so they can host spinning electrons to serve as stable quantum bits in quantum technologies.

Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Cheap charcoal air filters offer improvements to in-vehicle air quality      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A cheap charcoal air filter can reduce nitrogen dioxide (NO2) inside vehicles by as much as 90%, compared to levels outside the vehicle.

Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Computer Science: Quantum Computers Offbeat: Computers and Math Physics: General Physics: Quantum Computing Physics: Quantum Physics
Published

Quantum chemistry: Molecules caught tunneling      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Quantum effects can play an important role in chemical reactions. Physicists have now observed a quantum mechanical tunneling reaction in experiments. The observation can also be described exactly in theory. The scientists provide an important reference for this fundamental effect in chemistry. It is the slowest reaction with charged particles ever observed.

Chemistry: General Computer Science: General Computer Science: Quantum Computers Engineering: Graphene Physics: General Physics: Quantum Computing Physics: Quantum Physics
Published

New material may offer key to solving quantum computing issue      (via sciencedaily.com) 

A new form of heterostructure of layered two-dimensional (2D) materials may enable quantum computing to overcome key barriers to its widespread application, according to an international team of researchers.

Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Energy: Technology Engineering: Nanotechnology Physics: General Physics: Quantum Computing Physics: Quantum Physics
Published

Heterostructures support predictions of counterpropagating charged edge modes at the v=2/3 fractional quantum Hall state      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have tested models of edge conduction with a device built on top of the semiconductor heterostructure which consists of gold gates that come close together. Voltage is applied on the gates to direct the edge states through the middle of the point contact, where they are close enough that quantum tunneling can occur between the edge states on opposite sides the sample. Changes in the electrical current flowing through the device are used to test the theorists' predictions.

Computer Science: Quantum Computers Engineering: Nanotechnology Physics: General Physics: Optics Physics: Quantum Computing Physics: Quantum Physics
Published

Let there be (controlled) light      (via sciencedaily.com) 

In the very near future, quantum computers are expected to revolutionize the way we compute, with new approaches to database searches, AI systems, simulations and more. But to achieve such novel quantum technology applications, photonic integrated circuits which can effectively control photonic quantum states -- the so-called qubits -- are needed. Physicists have made a breakthrough in this effort: for the first time, they demonstrated the controlled creation of single-photon emitters in silicon at the nanoscale.

Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Computer Science: General Computer Science: Quantum Computers Mathematics: General Mathematics: Modeling Physics: General Physics: Quantum Computing Physics: Quantum Physics
Published

Theory can sort order from chaos in complex quantum systems      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Theoretical chemists have developed a theory that can predict the threshold at which quantum dynamics switches from 'orderly' to 'random,' as shown through research using large-scale computations on photosynthesis models.