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Physicsworld

11h

229

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Why electrochemistry lies at the heart of modern technology

Electrochemistry plays a crucial role in the development of modern technologies including batteries, semiconductor chips, and pharmaceuticals.
Colm O'Dwyer, professor of chemical energy at University College Cork in Ireland and president of the Electrochemical Society, discusses the importance of electrochemistry in advancing science and technology.
The Electrochemical Society actively contributes to the theory and practice of electrochemistry and solid-state science.
Electrochemists collaborate with scientists and engineers in various fields, including physics, to drive innovation and shape the future of electrochemistry.

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Physicsworld

11h

284

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China’s Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak smashes fusion confinement record

China's Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST) has broken its previous fusion record by maintaining a steady-state high-confinement plasma for 1066 seconds.
EAST is an experimental superconducting tokamak fusion device located in Hefei, China, and is operated by the Institute of Plasma Physics.
The tokamak has recently undergone upgrades and serves as a testbed for the ITER fusion reactor being built in France.
The new record achieved by EAST is seen as a critical step towards realizing a functional fusion reactor for continuous power generation.

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Knowridge

274

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Scientists create a ‘Schrödinger’s cat’ in a silicon chip

Scientists at UNSW Sydney have created a real-life version of the famous 'Schrödinger's cat' thought experiment inside a silicon chip.
This breakthrough could lead to a more robust way to perform quantum computations and address the challenge of error correction in quantum computers.
In the experiment, an atom of antimony was used as the 'cat' with eight spin states, making it more resilient than traditional qubits.
The 'Schrödinger's cat' was embedded in a silicon chip, allowing precise control of its quantum state and potential scalability.

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COSMOS

129

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SMART nuclear fusion reactor a step closer with first plasma

The experimental nuclear fusion device known as SMART has successfully generated its first tokamak plasma.
SMART, a small aspect ratio tokamak, is being assembled at the University of Seville in Spain.
SMART's unique design, with a negative triangularity in the plasma's shape, enhances its performance by preventing energy and particles from being expelled and damaging the tokamak wall.
The achievement marks an important milestone, and the researchers are excited about the potential of SMART in future compact fusion reactors.

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Medium

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Function Calling with Vertex AI Gemini API

Function calling is an effective solution to delegate specific calculations to external functions.
Using function calling, key information can be extracted and passed to relevant functions for accurate answers.
Sample code and instructions for implementing function calling with Vertex AI SDK for Python are provided.
Gemini demonstrates the ability to handle math problems and call external functions for tasks like weather queries.

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Popsci

380

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Curious and hungry physicists whip up perfect pasta pan salt rings

A group of physicists conducted a study to determine the ingredients needed to create uniform and attractive salt rings when boiling water for pasta.
They found that releasing larger salt particles from a greater height leads to more uniform salt deposits at the bottom of the pan.
The experiment involved dropping salt particles of various sizes at different speeds into a tank of boiling water.
By understanding the physics behind salt ring formation, the researchers can now create nice salt rings consistently in the kitchen.

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Medium

237

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Revisiting Black Holes: Why Plasma Cosmology Deserves Its Due

Black holes have been the subject of fascination in astrophysics, but their portrayal as cosmic vacuum cleaners is being questioned.
There is a growing shift in the mainstream narrative regarding the nature of black holes, with attempts to correct misconceptions.
Plasma-electromagnetic cosmology (EPEMC) offers alternative explanations and empirical evidence that challenge the singularity concept.
Mainstream astrophysics is gradually incorporating aspects of plasma cosmology while marginalizing its origins.

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Fyfluiddynamics

163

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Tracking Meltwater Through Flex

Greenland's ice sheet holds enough water to raise global sea levels by several meters.
Researchers used a network of Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) stations to track how the ground shifted and flexed as meltwater collected and moved.
The bedrock moved as much as 5 millimeters during the height of the summer melt, indicating the presence of hidden meltwater.
The study reveals that meltwater spends months collecting in subterranean pools before reaching the ocean, contrary to current climate models.

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Physicsworld

16h

223

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New candidate emerges for a universal quantum electrical standard

German physicists have created a way to define the standard unit of electrical resistance, using the quantum anomalous Hall effect rather than the ordinary quantum Hall effect. This technique avoids the need for applied magnetic fields, and the advancement could allow quantum-based voltage and resistance standards to be integrated into a universal quantum electrical reference.
Since 2019, all base units in the International System of Units (SI) have been defined with reference to fundamental constants of nature, necessitating new ways of measuring and defining elements.
Currently, to determine the value of Planck's constant, physicists use quantum-based electrical resistance and voltage measurements. It requires the large external magnetic fields essential to the quantum Hall effect, which renders Josephson devices inoperable.
Researchers from the Institute for Topological Insulators at the University of Würzburg have created a new method that does not require the use of external magnetic fields. They used the quantum anomalous Hall effect (QAHE) instead of the QHE, which arises from electron transport phenomena in a family of materials called ferromagnetic topological insulators.
The team found that resistance can be quantized even at weak and zero magnetic fields, making it possible to determine Planck's constant value with previously unachievable precision.
Although the present form of this measurement requires very low temperatures and low electrical currents, an improved version could make a universal quantum electrical reference simple, compact and possible.
The possible applications of this technique have attracted attention from the European Union, with the creation of a metrology consortium called QuAHMET, which aims to further exploit operating the new standard at more relaxed experimental conditions.
The study was made possible by two teams from the Institute for Topological Insulators and the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt respectively, who combined their expertise and methods to make the measurement possible.
The international System of Units (SI) now requires measurement based on fundamental constants of nature, necessitating innovative methods of measuring and defining units. The latest method uses the quantum anomalous Hall effect, which avoids the use of magnetic fields to determine Planck’s constant with greater precision than before.
While it currently requires low temperature and current levels, the method may be used to create an all-in-one compact quantum electrical reference that could be used universally.
The quantum anomalous Hall effect may even provide a quantum standard of voltage, resistance, and current in one experiment.

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Guardian

190

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Nuclear fusion: it’s time for a reality check | Letters

A letter from Luca Garzotti points out the challenges that need to be addressed for nuclear fusion to become a commercially viable source of energy.
These challenges include running a burning plasma for extended periods without disruptions, handling and exhausting the heat, producing more tritium than is burned, ensuring materials can withstand the neutron fluence, and operating and maintaining a fusion reactor reliably.
Although progress is being made, the solution to these challenges is not expected in the near future.
The letter emphasizes the need for continued research and urges against overoptimistic or triumphalist statements that can undermine the credibility of scientists and engineers.

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Fyfluiddynamics

228

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The Underwater Effects of Volcanoes

A recent research voyage aimed to study the underwater effects of volcanoes in the Patagonian Sea near the site of the 2008 Chaitén eruption.
The researchers mapped the seafloor, finding massive dunes shaped by strong currents and collected sediments reaching back 15,000 years.
They also located ash from the 2008 eruption over 24 kilometers from the volcano.
The data collected will help understand how the recent eruption and older eruptions have affected the marine environment in the area.

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Physicsworld

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IOP president Keith Burnett outlines a ‘pivotal’ year ahead for UK physics

Governments starting new terms this year will need to address mounting economic, social, security, environmental and technological challenges. Science, including physics funding, will need to form part of the UK government’s spending review this spring. A 10-year funding cycle for R&D activities could instil confidence in researchers but physics funding will need to be protected if UK economic growth through industry is to be successful. The new government’s strategic defence review, due for publication later this year, will need to consider research security needs to protect, not hamper, future UK physics research. As we celebrate the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology that marks the centenary of the initial development of quantum mechanics by Werner Heisenberg, 2025 is a reminder of how the benefits of physics span over decades.
The physics sector in the UK generates £229bn gross value added, or 11% of total UK gross domestic product. Labour productivity in physics-based businesses is strong at £84 300 per worker, per year. A pivotal year for UK universities will see securing financial stability and future, and protecting physics departments' world-leading research and preparing the next generation of physicists that they do so well, as major challenges.
Emerging technologies, enabled by physicists’ breakthroughs, promise to transform the way we live and work, and create new business opportunities and open up new markets. A clear, comprehensive and long-term vision for R&D would instil confidence among researchers and innovators, and long-term and sustainable R&D funding would enable people and disruptive ideas to flourish and drive tomorrow’s breakthroughs.
Decisions over the next few months will shape outcomes for years, perhaps decades, to come, for science as well as health and social care, education or international relations.
The strategic defence review, due for publication later this year, will be important for physics given its core role in many of the technologies that contribute to the UK’s defence capabilities. Intellectual property and scientific innovation are some of the UK’s greatest strengths and it is right to secure them.
Last year, the pressures faced by higher education institutions became apparent, with announcements of course closures, redundancies and restructures as a way of saving money. The rise in tuition fees has far from solved the problem, so we need to be prepared for more turbulence coming for the higher education sector.
Physics-based industries are a foundation stone for the UK economy and are highly productive. If physics is not at the heart of this effort, then the government’s mission of economic revival is in danger of failing to get off the launch pad.
The focus of the UK's industrial strategy will be on science and technology in positioning the UK for economic growth. Physics discoveries often take time to realise in full, but their transformational nature is indisputable, from fibre-optic communications to magnetic resonance imaging.
The decisions over the next few months will shape outcomes for years, perhaps decades, to come. Urgency should not come at the cost of thinking long-term, because the implications of the decisions could be significant.
Physics discoveries in particular can be hampered by overzealous security measures. Decisions about research security need to protect the future of UK physics research.
2025 is a reminder of the benefits of physics that span over decades. The country needs a stronger scientific workforce and that workforce will be strongly dependent on physics skills.

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Physicsworld

195

Image Credit: Physicsworld

Why telling bigger stories is the only way to counter misinformation

Politicians and influencers often use pre-existing stories to counter scientific evidence of issues like AIDS, autism and climate change, instead, believing that the whole story will eventually reveal the scientific data as being deceptive.
Acquiring knowledge happens through deferential, civic and melodramatic epistemology, which draw on a mixture of awareness, experience, habit and trusted source to approach daily life decisions, with melodramatic approaches often becoming the most powerful way to emotionally digest emotionally charged events.
Melodramatic epistemology presents risks as it is both dangerous and nearly impervious to alteration or countering contrary data, studies and expert judgement, for all are voice of opposition to strengthen the melodramatic approach.
Misinformation therefore spreads faster than accurate information as it evokes more outrage and anger and encourages more sharing of that outrage.
To counter misinformation we must tell bigger, more complex and encompassing stories that reveal the dangers of single-issue narratives and highlight the nuances within them, such as the importance of medical techniques, the origins of toxin regulations, the benefits of testing by-products and the role of fear and it's manipulation.
By telling such stories, we can combat melodramatic epistemology that has the potential to lead people away from scientific thinking and counter misinformation.

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Arstechnica

321

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How to get a perfect salt ring deposit in your pasta pot

Physicist Mathieu Souzy of the University Twente and his colleagues conducted experiments to understand how to create a perfect circular pattern for a salt ring in a pasta pot.
They identified three factors contributing to the formation of a salt ring: diameter of the particles, settling height, and the number of particles released simultaneously.
A previous phenomenon known as the 'coffee ring effect' occurs when a liquid evaporates and the dissolved solids form a ring. The effect is reduced with small drops and increased with large drops.

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Fyfluiddynamics

200

Image Credit: Fyfluiddynamics

Swimming Like a Ray

Researchers have built a new soft robot inspired by swimming mantas.
The robot flaps its pectoral fins, creating vortices that propel it forward.
Air inflates the robot's body cavity for a downstroke, controlling swimming speed and depth.
The robot's efficient stroke allows it to maneuver around obstacles.

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