Physics

Over 10 years of monitoring

Probabilistic computers can solve certain problems more efficiently than traditional computers, but are usually saddled with a power-hungry, bulky, analog component. That is, until a research team developed a fully digital p-bit design.

Listening to the "whispers" of electrons and crystals has lead to a quantum discovery with terahertz light that could help us advance technological innovations and life science research.

Rechargeable batteries get a supercharged boost from newly developed RAMOFs that don’t break down in water, which was previously a major problem for this material.

Slow earthquakes have been discovered to exhibit anomalously slow, long-lasting, and small slips, adjacent to regular earthquakes where we sometimes feel catastrophic vibration. However, no one knows the reason why they show such strange characteristics. In a study published in a scientific journal Nature Communications, researchers at The University of Osaka succeeded in experimentally reproducing the multiple features of slow earthquakes in the lab and suggested the grain-scale origin of them based on their direct observations.

Surface-bound gels may have provided the structure and chemistry for life to take root on Earth, and perhaps beyond

Superconductive materials can conduct electricity with no resistance, but typically only at very low temperatures. Realizing superconductivity at room temperature could enable advanced, energy-efficient electronics and other technologies. Now, an international research team is one step closer to such an achievement.

Researchers from the Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo detect the motion of hydrogen atoms in palladium at low temperatures using channeling nuclear reaction analysis

Physicists at The University of Osaka have unveiled a breakthrough theoretical framework that uncovers the hidden physical rule behind one of the most powerful compression methods in laser fusion science — the stacked-shock implosion. While multi-shock ignition has recently proven its effectiveness in major laser facilities worldwide, this new study identifies the underlying law that governs such implosions, expressed in an elegant and compact analytic form.

Researchers at Tohoku University used the Digital Hydrogen Platform - which combines data from over five thousand meticulously curated experimental records - as a tool to guide materials design for hydrogen storage.

A discovery of electrically controlled triple quantum dots in zinc oxide by the Advanced Institute for Materials Research (WPI-AIMR), Tohoku University, moves us closer to energy-efficient quantum devices can be used practically.

Untangling cosmic knots, Samurai jellyfish, Controlling rogue antibodies, Search for anti-ulcer vaccine & Metal-recovering yeast. Plus next SciCom coffee talk on experiences in science journalism in the AI era and WHO guide to reporting on non communicable diseases. Read all in the latest Editor's Choice.

Researchers at the Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI), Kanazawa University, report in ACS Applied Nano Materials a new method to precisely measure nuclear elasticity—the stiffness or softness of the cell nucleus—in living cells. By employing a technique called Nanoendoscopy-AFM (NE-AFM), which inserts a nanoneedle probe directly into cells, the team revealed how cancer cell nuclei stiffen or soften depending on chromatin structure and environmental conditions. The findings provide fundamental insights into how the physical properties of cancer cell nuclei change during disease progression, highlighting their potential as biomarkers for diagnosis and treatment evaluation.

Researchers at Tohoku University found that a certain catalyst tends towards different reaction mechanisms at high versus low temperatures. This finding can be used to tailor catalysts with more stability, which ultimately could lead to upgrades for electrochemical devices such as batteries.

The Yabu Laboratory at the Tohoku University Advanced Institute for Materials Research (WPI-AIMR) has recently demonstrated a novel strategy that yields a highly efficient electrocatalyst.

An international team has provided experimental evidence of bulk altermagnetism in MnTe. Using resonant X-ray nanoimaging, they resolved magnetic domains and confirmed their altermagnetic nature, establishing a powerful tool for future 3D and real-time studies of magnetic textures.

In 1867, Lord Kelvin imagined atoms as knots in the aether. It was soon disproven. But a new study suggests his discarded idea may yet hold the key to why the universe exists.

Scientists at Tohoku University have uncovered how electric fields, surface properties, and charge dynamics work together to shape catalytic reactions. The findings reveal why pH so strongly influences reaction efficiency, and how understanding this interplay can guide the design of smarter, more sustainable catalysts.

A research team has broken down walls, or moved magnetic domain walls to be exact, in the field of spintronics. They uncovered a new mechanism that enables faster and more efficient movement of magnetic domain walls in spintronic materials. By harnessing dual spin torques in a cobalt–iridium–platinum multilayer structure, the team demonstrated a unique form of spin-driven motion. The findings could inform the design of next-generation, low-power spintronic memory devices.

Researchers at Tohoku University have taken a major step forward in the global hunt for dark matter, an invisible substance that makes up about 27% of the universe, by designing a new type of quantum sensor network that could significantly improve our chances of detecting it.

Tohoku University researchers dispel the “plasma effect” myth in spark plasma sintering, showing that both SPS and hot pressing achieve equally effective, rapid densification of LLZO solid electrolytes.

A rock described as a flaky pastry may sound delicate, but researchers at Tohoku University found that when they fold under compressive forces in just the right way, they can actually be strong. These findings may help with earthquake risk assessment.

Producing ammonia – a valuable chemical compound used in many fields – takes enormous amounts of energy. Researchers at Tohoku University have found a more efficient option that converts harmful pollutants in water to ammonia.

Researchers from The University of Osaka, AIST, Okayama University, and the University of Tokyo applied an innovative computational-analysis technique to clarify the atomic structure of soft, easily deformable regions in amorphous silicon. They discovered that these regions combine medium-range order with local disorder, a finding that will guide the design of more durable amorphous materials.

Researchers at Tohoku University developed a photonic router that can direct single and entangled (quantum) photons at unprecedented levels of efficiency. This may bring us closer to realizing superfast quantum tech.

Element-selective atomic-scale observations of the magnetovolume effect in ferromagnetic Fe-Ni fcc-based alloys

Solves a long-standing challenge in fundamental physics

【Intriguing behavior of such electrons in particular materials produced by chemical synthesis】 Unpaired electrons located at linear band dispersion (LBD) are exceptional and called Dirac electrons (DE). They are paid attention to because of the unique electronic properties such as temperature (T)-independent resistivity, as if they belong to neither metallic nor non-metallic substances. In this study, we have developed a series of new organic Dirac electron systems and discovered universal features of magnetic behavior originating from LBD.

This promising new catalyst can speed up the oxygen evolution reaction to create clean energy.

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