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Categories: Computer Science: Quantum Computers, Space: General
Published Mimas' surprise: Tiny moon of Saturn holds young ocean beneath icy shell
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Saturn's moon Mimas harbors a global ocean beneath its icy shell, discovered through analysis of its orbit by Cassini spacecraft data. This ocean formed just 5-15 million years ago, making Mimas a prime candidate for studying early ocean formation and potential for life. This discovery suggests life-essential conditions might exist on seemingly inactive moons, expanding our search for life beyond Earth.
Published Astrophysicists crack the case of 'disappearing' Sulphur in planetary nebulae
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Two astrophysicists have finally solved a 20-year-old astrophysical puzzle concerning the lower-than-expected amounts of the element sulphur found in Planetary Nebulae (PNe) in comparison to expectations and measurements of other elements and other types of astrophysical objects. The expected levels of sulphur have long appeared to be 'missing in action'. However, they have now finally reported for duty after hiding in plain sight, as a result of leveraging highly accurate and reliable data.
Published A long, long time ago in a galaxy not so far away
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Employing massive data sets collected through NASA's James Webb Space Telescope, astronomers are unearthing clues to conditions existing in the early universe. The team has catalogued the ages of stars in the Wolf--Lundmark--Melotte (WLM) galaxy, constructing the most detailed picture of it yet, according to the researchers. WLM, a neighbor of the Milky Way, is an active center of star formation that includes ancient stars formed 13 billion years ago.
Published Newly discovered carbon monoxide-runaway gap can help identify habitable exoplanets
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A carbon monoxide (CO)-runaway gap identified in the atmospheres of Earth-like planets can help expand the search for habitable planets. This gap, identified through atmospheric modeling, is an indicator of a CO-rich atmosphere on Earth-like planets orbiting Sun-like stars. CO is an important compound for the formation of prebiotic organic compounds, which are building blocks for more complex molecules for the formation of life.
Published Understanding the moon's history with Chang'e-5 sample
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source China's Chang'e-5, the first lunar sample return mission since the Soviet Union's Luna 24 in 1976, delivered 1.73 kilograms of regolith from the Oceanus Procellarum, a plane named for its vast size. The sample landed with CE-5 in late 2020 and included a new mineral, Changesite-(Y), as well as a perplexing combination of silica minerals. Researchers now compare CE-5's material composition to other lunar and Martian regolith samples and examine potential causes and origins for the lunar sample's unique makeup.
Published Which came first: Black holes or galaxies?
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Black holes not only existed at the dawn of time, they birthed new stars and supercharged galaxy formation, a new analysis of James Webb Space Telescope data suggests.
Published Direct view of tantalum oxidation that impedes qubit coherence
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists have used a combination of scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) and computational modeling to get a closer look and deeper understanding of tantalum oxide. When this amorphous oxide layer forms on the surface of tantalum -- a superconductor that shows great promise for making the 'qubit' building blocks of a quantum computer -- it can impede the material's ability to retain quantum information. Learning how the oxide forms may offer clues as to why this happens -- and potentially point to ways to prevent quantum coherence loss.
Published Magnesium protects tantalum, a promising material for making qubits
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists have discovered that adding a layer of magnesium improves the properties of tantalum, a superconducting material that shows great promise for building qubits, the basis of quantum computers. The scientists show that a thin layer of magnesium keeps tantalum from oxidizing, improves its purity, and raises the temperature at which it operates as a superconductor. All three may increase tantalum's ability to hold onto quantum information in qubits.
Published A physical qubit with built-in error correction
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have succeeded in generating a logical qubit from a single light pulse that has the inherent capacity to correct errors.
Published Neptune-like exoplanets can be cloudy or clear
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Astronomers have shown new atmospheric detail in a set of 15 exoplanets similar to Neptune. While none could support humanity, a better understanding of their behavior might help us to understand why we don't have a small Neptune, while most solar systems seem to feature a planet of this class.
Published Gas on the run -- ALMA spots the shadow of a molecular outflow from a quasar when the Universe was less than one billion years old
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Theoretical predictions have been confirmed with the discovery of an outflow of molecular gas from a quasar when the Universe was less than a billion years old.
Published Scientists make breakthrough in quantum materials research
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers describe the discovery of a new method that transforms everyday materials like glass into materials scientists can use to make quantum computers.
Published Bright galaxies put dark matter to the test
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The earliest galaxies are thought to have formed as the gravitational pull of dark matter, which has been impossible to study directly, slowly drew in enough hydrogen and helium to ignite stars. But astrophysicists now show that after the Big Bang, hydrogen and helium gas bounced at supersonic speeds off dense, slowly moving clumps of cold dark matter. When the gas fell back in millennia later, stars formed all at once, creating small, exceptionally bright galaxies. If models of cold dark matter are correct, the James Webb Space Telescope should be able to find patches of bright galaxies in the early universe, potentially offering the first effective test for theories about dark matter. If it doesn't, scientists have to go back to the drawing board with dark matter.
Published The hottest catalog of the year: Comprehensive list of slow-building solar flares
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Although solar flares have been classified based on the amount of energy they emit at their peak, there has not been significant study into differentiating flares since slow-building flares were first discovered in the 1980s. Scientists have now shown that there is a significant amount of slower-type flares worthy of further investigation.
Published Staggering structure in 19 nearby spiral galaxies
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The James Webb Space Telescope observed 19 nearby face-on spiral galaxies in near- and mid-infrared light as part of its contributions to the Physics at High Angular resolution in Nearby GalaxieS (PHANGS) program.
Published Scientists pull off quantum coup
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists have discovered a first-of-its-kind material, a 3D crystalline metal in which quantum correlations and the geometry of the crystal structure combine to frustrate the movement of electrons and lock them in place.
Published Researchers spying for signs of life among exoplanet atmospheres
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The next generation of advanced telescopes could sharpen the hunt for potential extraterrestrial life by closely scrutinizing the atmospheres of nearby exoplanets, new research suggests.
Published Astronomers spot 18 black holes gobbling up nearby stars
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists have identified 18 new tidal disruption events (TDEs) -- extreme instances when a nearby star is tidally drawn into a black hole and ripped to shreds. The detections more than double the number of known TDEs in the nearby universe.
Published Cosmic building blocks of life discovered through the electron microscope
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Meteorites are fragments of asteroids which find their way to Earth as shooting stars and provide information on the origins of our solar system. A team of researchers has examined the so-called Winchcombe meteorite and demonstrated the existence in it of nitrogen compounds such as amino acids and heterocyclic hydrocarbons -- without applying any chemical treatment and by using a new type of detector design.
Published Confirmation of ancient lake on Mars builds excitement for Perseverance rover's samples
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Ground-penetrating radar on board NASA's Mars Perseverance rover has confirmed that the Jezero Crater, formed by an ancient meteor impact just north of the Martian equator, once harbored a vast lake and river delta. Over eons, sediment deposition and erosion within the crater shaped the geologic formations visible on the surface today. The discovery of lake sediments reinforces the hope that traces of life might be found in soil and rock samples collected by Perseverance.