DOE News - SciTechDaily

Stretching the Limits: How Diamond Manipulation Enhances Quantum Bits

Louise Lerner, University of Chicago — Tue, 05 Dec 2023 18:33:47 +0000

Breakthrough by Argonne, UChicago researchers could help pave way for quantum infrastructure. In work supported by the Q-NEXT quantum research center, scientists “stretch” thin films...

Superconductors’ Secret: Old Physics Law Stands the Test of Time in Quantum Material Conundrum

Glennda Chui, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory — Tue, 05 Dec 2023 05:46:38 +0000

This surprising result is important for understanding unconventional superconductors and other materials where electrons band together to act collectively. Long before researchers discovered the electron...

Cracking Earth’s Deepest Secrets: Iron’s Quantum Role in Planetary Formation

SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory — Mon, 04 Dec 2023 12:18:12 +0000

New research exploring the quantum properties of elements in extreme environments has significant implications for our understanding of Earth’s history, the interpretation of unique seismic...

Science Made Simple: What Is Cosmology?

U.S. Department of Energy — Mon, 27 Nov 2023 22:35:27 +0000

What Is Cosmology? Cosmology is the study of the origin, development, structure, history, and future of the entire universe. In modern science, cosmology is divided...

Science Made Simple: What Is the Theory of Relativity?

U.S. Department of Energy — Sat, 25 Nov 2023 08:35:35 +0000

What Is the Theory of Relativity? Relativity is two related theories: special relativity, which explains the relationship between space, time, mass, and energy; and general...

Simulating the Cosmos: Is a Miniature Universe Possible?

Kimberly Hickok, Symmetry — Fri, 24 Nov 2023 17:33:41 +0000

Wouldn’t it be nice to have a computer answer all of the biggest questions in the universe? In his first year of graduate school, in...

Science Made Simple: What Is Antimatter?

U.S. Department of Energy — Fri, 24 Nov 2023 09:22:29 +0000

What Is Antimatter? Antimatter is the twin of almost all the subatomic particles that make up our universe. The matter in our universe comes in...

NASA’s New Power Play: Plutonium-238 for Distant Space Journeys

NASA — Wed, 22 Nov 2023 18:18:49 +0000

The DOE’s shipment of 0.5 kilograms of plutonium-238 to Los Alamos National Laboratory marks a milestone in producing fuel for NASA’s radioisotope power systems, crucial...

Triangular Triumph: Unraveling the Mystery of Quantum Spin Liquids After 50 Years

Oak Ridge National Laboratory — Sun, 19 Nov 2023 23:29:58 +0000

A collaborative research team has confirmed quantum spin liquid behavior in the material KYbSe2, validating a decades-old hypothesis. This breakthrough, significant for quantum computing and...

Science Made Simple: What Is Quantum Mechanics?

U.S. Department of Energy — Sun, 19 Nov 2023 09:52:24 +0000

Quantum mechanics is a key physics theory that explains the unique behavior of atomic and subatomic particles, introducing revolutionary concepts like quantization and wave-particle duality....

Revolutionizing CRISPR: Quantum Biology and AI Merge to Enhance Genome Editing

Stephanie Seay, Oak Ridge National Laboratory — Sat, 11 Nov 2023 12:57:29 +0000

Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s research in quantum biology and AI has significantly improved the efficiency of CRISPR Cas9 genome editing in microbes, aiding in renewable...

Can the Cool Copper Collider Redefine Energy Efficiency in Particle Physics?

Nathan Collins, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory — Tue, 07 Nov 2023 23:24:14 +0000

The future of experimental particle physics is exciting – and energy intensive. SLAC physicists are thinking about how to make one proposal, the Cool Copper...

Unraveling the Universe: Supernovae Secrets Decoded via Supercomputers

U.S. Department of Energy — Mon, 30 Oct 2023 22:39:42 +0000

Using supercomputers, scientists are enhancing the accuracy of supernovae simulations, moving from one-dimensional to detailed three-dimensional models. Supernovae – massive exploding stars – are some...

SLAC to the Future: How Light Reveals Potential Breakthrough Biomedical Molecule

SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory — Wed, 25 Oct 2023 19:11:39 +0000

SLAC researchers are developing a new, light-activated method to produce the molecule, nitroxide, which opens doors for future biomedical applications. Unveiling the Potential of Nitroxide...

The Future of Nuclear Reactors: Deciphering Electron Behavior in Molten Salts

Oak Ridge National Laboratory — Sat, 21 Oct 2023 22:17:27 +0000

Scientists reveal three unique electron states in molten salts, a crucial discovery for future salt-fueled nuclear reactors’ radiation impacts. In a finding that helps elucidate...

Unraveling the Secrets of the Early Universe – Ringing Protons Provide New Insight

Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility — Sun, 15 Oct 2023 11:28:53 +0000

New research sheds light on the 3D structure of nucleon resonances. During the mid-20th century, scientists discovered that protons have the ability to resonate, akin...

Ripples in Spacetime: Unraveling the Secrets of Gravitational Waves

Shannon Brescher Shea, U.S. Department of Energy — Sat, 14 Oct 2023 19:48:50 +0000

When two black holes collide, the impact is so big that we can detect it all the way here on Earth. These objects are so...

One-Millionth of One-Millionth of a Second – Scientists View the “Transition State” of a Photochemical Reaction in Real-Time

US Department of Energy — Fri, 13 Oct 2023 11:44:25 +0000

Scientists used ultrafast electron diffraction to image the structure of the pericyclic minimum, the “transition state” of electrocyclic reactions. In chemical reactions, molecules proceed during...

Snapshots of Speedy Protons: SLAC’s Ultrafast “Electron Camera” Freezes Time

SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory — Mon, 09 Oct 2023 12:53:25 +0000

Proving the technique works puts scientists one step closer to unraveling the mysteries of hydrogen transfers. Scientists have caught fast-moving hydrogen atoms – the keys...

Shattering 60-Year Debate: Defects Spread Through Diamond Faster Than the Speed of Sound

SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory — Sun, 08 Oct 2023 00:37:58 +0000

Defects can make a material stronger or make it fail catastrophically. Knowing how fast they travel can help researchers understand things like earthquake...

New Technology Transforms Traditionally Unrecyclable Plastics Into Useful Chemicals

Oak Ridge National Laboratory — Wed, 04 Oct 2023 02:13:41 +0000

Mixed plastics can be transformed into useful chemicals. Nearly 80% of plastic waste ultimately finds its way to landfills or lingers in the environment. Scientists...

Breaking the Born-Oppenheimer Approximation – Experiments Unveil Long-Theorized Quantum Phenomenon

Argonne National Laboratory — Tue, 03 Oct 2023 21:16:22 +0000

Ultrafast lasers and X-rays have revealed the coupling between electronic and nuclear dynamics in molecules. Nearly a century ago, physicists Max Born and J. Robert...

Pivotal Discovery Signals a Huge Leap Forward in Fusion Energy Reactor Progress

Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory — Mon, 02 Oct 2023 00:40:16 +0000

Researchers have utilized Alfvén waves to mitigate runaway electrons in tokamak fusion devices, offering significant implications for future fusion energy projects, including the ITER in...

Chi-Nu Experiment’s Final Insights: Pioneering Data for Nuclear Security & Reactor Design

Los Alamos National Laboratory — Sun, 01 Oct 2023 07:17:05 +0000

Experiment measures the energy spectrum of neutrons emitted from neutron-induced fission. The results of the Chi-Nu physics experiment at the Department of Energy’s Los Alamos...