Scientists have used a new method to determine the characteristics of optical, i.e. light-based, quantum states. For the first time, they are using certain photon detectors -- devices that can detect individual light particles -- for so-called homodyne detection. The ability to characterize optical...

Researchers have unveiled a novel concept termed 'supercritical coupling' that enables several folds increase in photon upconversion efficiency. This discovery not only challenges existing paradigms, but also opens a new direction in the control of light emission....

Physicists have observed fractional quantum Hall effect in simple pentalayer graphene. The finding could make it easier to develop more robust quantum computers....

A team composed of engineers, physicists, and data scientists have harnessed the power of artificial intelligence to predict -- and then avoid -- the formation of a specific plasma problem in real time. The research opens the door for more dynamic control of a fusion reaction than current approaches...

Engineers have developed a new chip that uses light waves, rather than electricity, to perform the complex math essential to training AI. The chip has the potential to radically accelerate the processing speed of computers while also reducing their energy consumption....

The springtime emergence of vast swarms of cicadas can be explained by a mathematical model of collective decision-making with similarities to models describing stock market crashes....

For decades scientists have been trying to solve Feynman's Sprinkler Problem: How does a sprinkler running in reverse work? Through a series of experiments, a team of mathematicians has figured out how flowing fluids exert forces and move structures, thereby revealing the answer to this...

The branch of mathematics known as topology has become a cornerstone of modern physics thanks to the remarkable -- and above all reliable -- properties it can impart to a material or system. Unfortunately, identifying topological systems, or even designing new ones, is generally a tedious process...

A new advancement in theoretical physics could, one day, help engineers develop new kinds of computer chips that might store information for longer in very small objects....

Researchers are presenting a novel concept for the mathematical modeling of genetic interactions in biological systems. The team has successfully identified master regulators within the context of an entire genetic network. The research results provide a coherent theoretical framework for analyzing...