Lifeboat Foundation

Every day, researchers at the Department of Energy’s SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory tackle some of the biggest questions in science and technology—from laying the foundations for new drugs to developing new battery materials and solving big data challenges associated with particle physics and cosmology.

To get a hand with that work, they are increasingly turning to artificial intelligence. “AI will help accelerate our science and technology further,” said Ryan Coffee, a SLAC senior scientist. “I am really excited about that.”

The type of semiconductive nanocrystals known as quantum dots is not only expanding the forefront of pure science but also playing a crucial role in practical applications, including lasers, quantum QLED televisions and displays, solar cells, medical devices, and other electronics.

A new technique for growing these microscopic crystals, recently published in Science, has not only found a new, more efficient way to build a useful type of quantum dot, but also opened up a whole group of novel chemical materials for future researchers’ exploration.

“I am excited to see how researchers across the globe can harness this technique to prepare previously unimaginable nanocrystals,” said first author Justin Ondry, a former postdoctoral researcher in UChicago’s Talapin Lab.

Scientists made a major advancement in X-ray science by creating high-power attosecond hard X-ray pulses with megahertz repetition rates, allowing for ultrafast electron dynamics study and atomic-level non-destructive measurements.

These pulses are significant due to their ability to capture quick electron movements, leading to potential applications in attosecond crystallography and transformative impacts across various scientific disciplines.

Breakthrough in X-Ray Pulse Technology.

A groundbreaking system promises to greatly accelerate research on the fundamental properties of antimatter.

By achieving lower temperatures of trapped antiprotons, they aim to uncover why the universe favors matter over antimatter, a pivotal question in physics.

Antimatter Research Enhancements

Distortions in pulsar signals reveal flaws in galactic models, pointing to new opportunities for understanding the universe and studying cosmic waves.

By analyzing patterns in pulsar signals, researchers discovered discrepancies in existing models of how the galaxy impacts pulsar signals, suggesting that these models need updates. The findings not only deepen our understanding of the universe but also improve our ability to study phenomena like gravitational waves.

Dr. Sofia Sheikh from the SETI Institute led a groundbreaking study that explores how pulsar signals—emissions from the spinning remnants of massive stars—become distorted as they travel through space. Published on November 26 in The Astrophysical Journal, this research was conducted by a group of undergraduate students from the Penn State branch of the Pulsar Search Collaboratory, a student club dedicated to pulsar science.

Researchers have achieved high gate fidelities up to 99.98% using a new double-transmon coupler. This development enhances quantum computing performance and supports the advancement toward fault-tolerant systems.

Researchers from the RIKEN Center for Quantum Computing and Toshiba have developed a quantum computer gate using a double-transmon coupler (DTC), a device previously proposed in theory to enhance the fidelity of quantum gates significantly. With this innovation, the team achieved a fidelity of 99.92% for a two-qubit device known as a CZ gate and 99.98% for a single-qubit gate.

This milestone, part of the Q-LEAP project, not only improves the performance of noisy intermediate-scale quantum (NISQ) devices but also lays the groundwork for fault-tolerant quantum computation through more effective error correction.

A new technique employing monochromatic light improves the study of internal structures in materials affected by light scattering, enabling detailed observation of particle concentrations.

When driving through a bank of fog, car headlights are only moderately helpful since the light is scattered by the water particles suspended in the air. A similar situation occurs when trying to observe the inside of a drop of milk in water or the internal structure of an opal gem with white light. In these cases, multiple light scattering effects prevent examination of the interior.

Continue reading “Revealing Hidden Worlds: Monochromatic Light Unveils the Secrets of Crystalline Drops” »

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1065953

Researchers have explored a fascinating cooling phenomenon within halide perovskite-based “dots-in-crystal” materials, uncovering both their promise and challenges.

In a groundbreaking study, scientists from Chiba University investigated the potential of solid-state optical cooling through perovskite quantum dots. Central to their research was anti-Stokes photoluminescence, a rare process where materials emit photons with higher energy than those absorbed. This innovative approach could transform cooling technology, offering a path to more efficient, energy-saving solutions. Their work not only highlights the immense promise of this technique but also reveals key limitations that pave the way for further advancements in the field.

In space, astronauts are exposed to extreme stressors our bodies don’t experience on Earth. Microgravity, higher radiation, and a high workload can impact cognitive performance. To find out which cognitive domains are affected by spaceflight, researchers analyzed data from 25 professional astronauts. They found that while on the ISS, astronauts took longer to perform tasks concerned with processing speed, working memory, and attention, but that a six-month stay in space did not result in lasting cognitive impairment once crews returned to Earth.

A stay in space exerts extreme pressures on the human body. Astronauts’ bodies and brains are impacted by radiation, altered gravity, challenging working conditions, and sleep loss – all of which could compromise cognitive functioning. At the same time, they are required to perform complex tasks, and minor mistakes can have devastating consequences.

Little is known, however, about whether astronauts’ cognitive performance changes while in space. Now, working with 25 astronauts who spent an average of six month on the International Space Station (ISS), researchers in the US have examined changes in a wide range of cognitive performance domains. This dataset makes up the largest sample of cognitive performance data from professional astronauts published to date.