Cutting through the noise: AI enables high-fidelity quantum computing

Researchers led by the Institute of Scientific and Industrial Research (SANKEN) at Osaka University have trained a deep neural network to correctly determine the output state of quantum bits, despite environmental noise. The team's novel approach may allow quantum computers to become much more widely used.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-10-noise-ai-enables-high-fidelity-quantum.html

Tuning transparency and opacity

Making a dark human hair transparent, or even an opaque bar of silicon: this optical "sorcery" is possible by manipulating the incident light. This new phenomenon is called "mutual extinction and transparency." Until now only existing in theory, photonics researchers of the University of Twente's MESA+ Institute demonstrated the effect with experiments. Applications include, for example, broadening the applicability of microscopy, as to include observation of opaque objects. The research team published its findings in Physical Review A.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-10-tuning-transparency-opacity.html

The kids who'd get the most out of extracurricular activities are missing out: How to improve access

One-third of Australian children aged 12 to 13 in low-income suburbs do not take part in any extracurricular activities. That's 2.5 times as many as those from higher-income suburbs—only 13% of them don't take part—according to research we will present next week to the Australian Social Policy Conference. Yet research also shows it is children from disadvantaged backgrounds who are likely to benefit most from taking part in extracurricular activities.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-10-kids-whod-extracurricular-access.html

Astronomer's research suggests 'magnetic tunnel' surrounds our solar system

A University of Toronto astronomer's research suggests the solar system is surrounded by a magnetic tunnel that can be seen in radio waves.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-10-astronomer-magnetic-tunnel-solar.html

Did the Earth tip on its side 84 million years ago?

Hold on to your hats, because scientists have found more evidence that Earth tips over from time to time. We know that the continents are moving slowly due to plate tectonics, but continental drift only pushes the tectonic plates past each other. It has been debated for the past few decades whether the outer, solid shell of the Earth can wobble about, or even tip over relative to the spin axis. Such a shift of Earth is called "true polar wander," but the evidence for this process has been contentious. New research published in Nature Communications, led by the Earth-Life Science Institute (ELSI) at Tokyo Institute of Technology's Principle Investigator Joe Kirschvink (also a Professor at Caltech) and Prof. Ross Mitchell at the Institute of Geology and Geophysics in Beijing, provides some of the most convincing evidence to date that such planetary tipping has indeed occurred in Earth's past.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-10-earth-side-million-years.html

The orbital flatness of planetary systems

The planets of the solar system all orbit the Sun more-or-less in a plane. Compared to the Earth's orbit, which defines the plane at zero degrees, the orbit with the largest angle is Mercury's whose inclination is 7 degrees (the angle of the orbit of the dwarf planet Pluto is 17. 2 degrees). The orbital characteristics of planets evolve as the protoplanetary disk of gas and dust dissipates, and as the young planets themselves migrate in the disk in response to their mutual gravitational influences and effects of material in the disk. Astronomers recognize therefore that the orbital appearance of a planetary system reflects its evolutionary story.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-10-orbital-flatness-planetary.html

AI predicts extensive material properties to break down a previously insurmountable wall

If the properties of materials can be reliably predicted, then the process of developing new products for a huge range of industries can be streamlined and accelerated. In a study published in Advanced Intelligent Systems, researchers from The University of Tokyo Institute of Industrial Science used core-loss spectroscopy to determine the properties of organic molecules using machine learning.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-10-ai-extensive-material-properties-previously.html

Ford to make electric power units in northwest England

Ford Motor Co. plans to spend up to 230 million pounds ($315 million) to turn a transmission factory in northwest England into a plant that will make electric power units for cars and trucks sold throughout Europe.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-10-ford-electric-power-northwest-england.html

Apple supplier Foxconn unveils electric vehicles

Taiwanese tech giant Foxconn unveiled three electric vehicles on Monday, boosting its bid to be a major player in the rapidly expanding EV market as it seeks companies to partner with.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-10-smartphone-foxconn-electric-car-venture.html

Philips takes fresh hit from safety recall

Dutch electronics firm Philips said on Monday that sales had taken a fresh hit from a recall of faulty sleep and respiratory care equipment and from supply chain issues.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-10-philips-fresh-safety-recall.html

New research can help planners leverage the wave-damping benefits of marsh plants

Marsh plants, which are ubiquitous along the world's shorelines, can play a major role in mitigating the damage to coastlines as sea levels rise and storm surges increase. Now, a new MIT study provides greater detail about how these protective benefits work under real-world conditions shaped by waves and currents.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-10-planners-leverage-wave-damping-benefits-marsh.html

How the Sun affects asteroids in our neighborhood

Asteroids embody the story of our solar system's beginning. Jupiter's Trojan asteroids, which orbit the Sun on the same path as the gas giant, are no exception. The Trojans are thought to be left over from the objects that eventually formed our planets, and studying them might offer clues about how the solar system came to be.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-10-sun-affects-asteroids-neighborhood.html

Image: Hubble uncovers a burst of star formation

NGC 4666 takes center stage in this image from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope. This majestic spiral galaxy lies about 80 million light-years away in the constellation Virgo and is undergoing a particularly intense episode of star formation. Astronomers refer to galaxies that rapidly form stars as starburst galaxies. NGC 4666's starburst is likely due to gravitational interactions with its unruly neighbors—including the nearby galaxy NGC 4668 and a dwarf galaxy, which is a small galaxy made up of a few billion stars.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-10-image-hubble-uncovers-star-formation.html

Nanoscale lattices flow from 3D printer

Weaving intricate, microscopic patterns of crystal or glass is now possible thanks to engineers at Rice University.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-10-nanoscale-lattices-3d-printer.html

Energy-stricken S.Africa weighs need to save climate and keep lights on

When you fly into Johannesburg, solar panels seem to gleam everywhere, from the roofs of mansions and small township homes alike.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-10-energy-stricken-safrica-climate.html

Mining firm, eco-activists battle over unique Chile archipelago

The Humboldt archipelago off the northern Pacific coast of Chile is a "natural treasure" and refuge for unique species of fauna, including a particular type of penguin and an otter on the brink of extinction.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-10-firm-eco-activists-unique-chile-archipelago.html

From oil to renewables, winds of change blow on Scottish islands

In the far north of the United Kingdom, where the wind blows and the sea rages, the islands of Orkney and Shetland have long relied on oil and gas for prosperity.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-10-oil-renewables-scottish-islands.html

'Running out of time': Asia struggles to kick coal addiction

Smokestacks belch noxious fumes into the air from a massive coal-fired power plant on the Indonesian coast, a stark illustration of Asia's addiction to the fossil fuel which is threatening climate targets.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-10-asia-struggles-coal-addiction.html

Facebook announces 10,000 EU jobs to build 'metaverse'

Facebook on Monday announced plans to hire 10,000 people in the European Union to build the "metaverse", a virtual reality version of the internet that the tech giant sees as the future.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-10-facebook-hire-eu-metaverse.html

Bacteria can develop strong immunity for protection against viruses

A new study led by a team of bioscientists from Durham University, UK, in collaboration with University of Liverpool, Northumbria University and New England Biolabs, hopes to exploit newly characterized defense systems in bacteria to compare changes to the human genome.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-10-bacteria-strong-immunity-viruses.html

Delicious discoveries: Scientists just described a new onion species from the Himalaya

The genus Allium contains about 1,100 species worldwide, including many staple foods like onion, garlic, scallion, shallot and chives. Even though this group of vegetables has been making appearances at family dinners for centuries, it turns out that it is a long way from running out of surprises, as a group of researchers from India recently found out.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-10-delicious-discoveries-scientists-onion-species.html