Fysik & material

Researchers have solved a decades-old puzzle about how dark matter relates to the smallest galaxies in the universe, pinpointing why measurements scatter so wildly. The breakthrough could reshape models used to test dark matter theories and refine how astronomers estimate the universe's fundamental composition.EN

Researchers have directly observed a close-orbiting companion star around an aging giant star—a phenomenon never before captured on camera. The discovery reveals gaps in current models of stellar physics and demonstrates how advanced radio imaging can detect binary systems, opening new ways to understand how stars evolve and influence one another.EN

Chemists have engineered a new class of photoswitches that respond to blue light with unprecedented speed and tunability. The breakthrough uses a simpler manufacturing process and could unlock applications in optical computing, smart displays, and medical diagnostics where precise, rapid switching is critical.EN

Supernova SN 2024abfl förändrar förståelsen av lågenergikärnkollapser och kan påverka materialvetenskapliga modeller för högenergetiska processer. Observationen är den svagaste Type IIP-supernovan dokumenterad, med en extraordinärt platt ljuskurva och ett förälderstjärnmaterial begränsat till under 10 solmassor. Hydrodynamisk simulering visar en explosionsenergi under 0,05 foe och nickelmassor på endast 0,003 solmassor — värden långt under normalt förväntade parametrar. Forskare från Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Stockholm University och japanska Hiroshima University analyserade multiväglängdsdata från galaxen NGC 2146 och gav oberoende avståndsuppskattningar på 7–9 megaparsec. Resultaten begränsar teorier om kärnkollapsmekanismer och ger referensvärden för modellering av exotiska stjärnexplosioner. Upptäckten öppnar för nya klassificeringar av lågenergihändelser inom astrofysiken.

Researchers have developed EPOS, a method that uses enzymes to precisely monitor when proteins interact with each other—a capability valuable for drug development and diagnostics. The approach could accelerate how quickly companies screen potential therapeutics and validate biomarkers for disease detection.EN

Researchers analyzing over 130,000 islands found that Earth's coastlines follow a mathematical pattern—but differently depending on location. The discovery reveals how erosion and sediment buildup reshape islands over time, with implications for coastal development, infrastructure planning, and predicting how shorelines will change.EN

Researchers have identified a superior method to extract clues about the universe's first billion years using radio telescopes. The approach uses topological data patterns rather than traditional spectral analysis, potentially accelerating scientific discovery and informing billion-dollar investments in next-generation observatories like the Square Kilometre Array.EN

Scientists used advanced polarimetry to study a black hole candidate near Earth's galactic center, finding that polarization measurements can precisely determine the orientation and spin of distant black holes. The technique offers a new tool for understanding accretion physics around compact objects, with implications for gravitational wave detection and astrophysics instrumentation.EN

Scientists have published a practical playbook for using Bayesian optimization—an AI technique that finds winning material formulas faster and cheaper than traditional trial-and-error. The method cuts the number of expensive experiments needed, making it economically viable for companies developing new materials, drugs, and chemicals to compete in innovation races.EN

Researchers have developed a parallel computing method that generates hundreds of optimized radiation treatment plans simultaneously, rather than one at a time. The advance could let doctors interactively explore treatment options while patients wait, potentially accelerating Gamma Knife surgery scheduling and improving clinical outcomes.EN

Researchers discovered that hydroxide ions, not external mechanical stress, drive the internal distortions that reshape barium titanate nanorods during synthesis. The finding reframes how manufacturers should control nanorod properties for electronics and energy applications, shifting focus from mechanical processing to chemical composition management.EN

Scientists have mapped how ferroelectric liquid crystals spontaneously twist themselves when squeezed between thin plates, a finding that could improve the design of display technologies and smart materials. The work reveals a critical thickness threshold—around 5 micrometers—where these exotic fluids shift from ordered to twisted states, offering engineers new ways to control molecular behavior in confined systems.EN

A new simulation study reveals that ancient radiation from the early universe left permanent fingerprints on dwarf galaxies—some stopped forming stars entirely while others recovered. The findings provide a roadmap for understanding galaxy formation that could improve models used in cosmology research and telescope observation planning.EN

Researchers have resolved a century-old debate about how quantum mechanics actually works by showing that Heisenberg's famous thought experiment can be made mathematically consistent with the real world—but only if properties depend on context. The finding matters because it clarifies which quantum technologies are fundamentally possible and which are not.EN

Researchers have catalogued dozens of overlapping implementations of a critical quantum simulation algorithm, revealing massive duplication of effort across academia and industry. Consolidating these tools could accelerate quantum materials discovery and drug development by years—if competitors agree to collaborate on shared infrastructure.EN

Researchers have identified specific operating conditions that significantly boost the capacity and stability of aqueous aluminum batteries—a cheaper, safer alternative to lithium-ion cells. By adjusting electrode spacing, voltage range, and current density, the team achieved 80 mAh/g capacity with improved cycling stability, suggesting a clear path to commercialization for sustainable battery technologies.EN

Researchers have developed a new method to predict how materials transform when molecules inside them start spinning randomly at elevated temperatures. The advance could accelerate design of better batteries, ceramics, and heat-resistant compounds—a critical capability as industries seek materials that perform reliably across wide temperature ranges.EN

A major update to GROMACS, the world's most widely used molecular dynamics software, promises to accelerate computational drug discovery and materials research. The release improves how scientists model molecular interactions, potentially cutting simulation times while maintaining accuracy—a shift that could reduce development costs for pharmaceutical and materials companies.EN

Researchers have developed a technique combining rapid cooling with high-pressure treatment to improve copper made via 3D extrusion printing, boosting its strength and internal consistency. The method could make additive manufacturing more viable for applications requiring durable copper components, from electronics to aerospace.EN

Physicists at CERN have deployed a transformer-based AI system that identifies heavy-quark jets 3.5 times more accurately than previous methods, dramatically accelerating the search for rare Higgs boson interactions. The advance signals how machine learning is becoming essential to unlocking discoveries at the Large Hadron Collider—with implications for fundamental physics research funding and computational infrastructure needs.EN

Researchers analyzed data from three major geomagnetic storms in 2024 to understand how solar wind batters Earth's magnetosphere—critical for protecting power grids, satellites, and communications networks. The study pinpointed time delays and hidden patterns in this coupling process, offering a roadmap for better forecasting extreme space weather events that cost industries billions annually.EN

Researchers have demonstrated gallium nitride transistors that remain stable and efficient from room temperature to 150°C, a requirement for electric vehicles, industrial equipment, and renewable energy systems. The advance could accelerate adoption of smaller, more efficient power converters by solving a longstanding thermal reliability challenge.EN

A severe geomagnetic storm in April 2023 scrambled ionospheric conditions in wildly different ways depending on geographic location, disrupting GPS accuracy far more in some regions than others. The finding reveals that space weather impacts—critical for telecommunications, aviation, and power grids—cannot be predicted with a one-size-fits-all model, forcing operators to develop region-specific monitoring strategies.EN

Researchers combined three different measurement techniques to watch proteins degrade collagen and elastin as it happens—without chemical labels. The advance could accelerate drug development for arthritis, wound healing, and other diseases where abnormal tissue breakdown is the problem.EN

Researchers mapped exactly how cracks spread through tungsten grain boundaries — and what happens when phosphorus contaminants are present. The findings could inform material selection and quality standards for aerospace, nuclear, and semiconductor applications where tungsten's brittleness under stress is a critical failure risk.EN