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Categories: Computer Science: Quantum Computers, Geoscience: Earth Science
Published New Nevada experiments will improve monitoring of nuclear explosions
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source On an October morning in 2023, a chemical explosion detonated in a tunnel under the Nevada desert was the launch of the next set of experiments by the National Nuclear Security Administration, with the goal to improve detection of low-yield nuclear explosions around the world.
Published For microscopic organisms, ocean currents act as 'expressway' to deeper depths
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Some of the ocean's tiniest organisms get swept into underwater currents that act as a conduit that shuttles them from the sunny surface to deeper, darker depths where they play a huge role in affecting the ocean's chemistry and ecosystem, according to new research.
Published Oil palm plantations are driving massive downstream impact to watershed
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The global demand for palm oil -- the most widely consumed vegetable oil on the planet, in everything from instant noodles to lipstick -- is driving worldwide tropical deforestation. While many studies have shown the loss of biodiversity when rainforests are converted to oil palm plantations, researchers have now shown the far-reaching and wide-ranging disturbances to the watersheds in which such plantations occur.
Published Physicists arrange atoms in extremely close proximity
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Physicists developed a technique to arrange atoms in much closer proximity than previously possible, down to 50 nanometers. The group plans to use the method to manipulate atoms into configurations that could generate the first purely magnetic quantum gate -- a key building block for a new type of quantum computer.
Published Human activity is causing toxic thallium to enter the Baltic sea, according to new study
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Human activities account for 20% to more than 60% of toxic thallium entering the Baltic Sea over the past eight decades, according to new research. Currently, the amount of thallium, which is considered the most toxic metal for mammals, remains low in Baltic seawater. Much of the thallium in the Baltic, which is the largest human-induced hypoxic area on Earth, has been accumulated in the sediment thanks to sulfide minerals.
Published Scientists test for quantum nature of gravity
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new study reports on a deep new probe into the interface between the theories of gravity and quantum mechanics, using ultra-high energy neutrino particles detected by a particle detector set deep into the Antarctic glacier at the south pole.
Published Significant new discovery in teleportation research -- Noise can improve the quality of quantum teleportation
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers succeeded in conducting an almost perfect quantum teleportation despite the presence of noise that usually disrupts the transfer of quantum state.
Published Physicists build new device that is foundation for quantum computing
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists have adapted a device called a microwave circulator for use in quantum computers, allowing them for the first time to precisely tune the exact degree of nonreciprocity between a qubit, the fundamental unit of quantum computing, and a microwave-resonant cavity. The ability to precisely tune the degree of nonreciprocity is an important tool to have in quantum information processing. In doing so, the team derived a general and widely applicable theory that simplifies and expands upon older understandings of nonreciprocity so that future work on similar topics can take advantage of the team's model, even when using different components and platforms.
Published Researchers unlock potential of 2D magnetic devices for future computing
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A research team has created an innovative method to control tiny magnetic states within ultrathin, two-dimensional van der Waals magnets -- a process akin to how flipping a light switch controls a bulb.
Published Do earthquake hazard maps predict higher shaking than actually occurred?
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A research team studied earthquake hazard maps from five countries and found that all the maps seemed to overpredict the historically observed earthquake shaking intensities. In analyzing the possible causes, the researchers discovered the issue was with the conversion equations used in comparing the maps predicting future quakes with actual shaking data, rather than systemic problems with the hazard modeling itself.
Published New computer algorithm supercharges climate models and could lead to better predictions of future climate change
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A study describes a new computer algorithm which can be applied to Earth System Models to drastically reduce the time needed to prepare these in order to make accurate predictions of future climate change. During tests on models used in IPCC simulations, the algorithm was on average 10 times faster at spinning up the model than currently-used approaches, reducing the time taken to achieve equilibrium from many months to under a week.
Published Mystery behind huge opening in Antarctic sea ice solved
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have discovered the missing piece of the puzzle behind a rare opening in the sea ice around Antarctica, which was nearly twice the size of Wales and occurred during the winters of 2016 and 2017. A study reveals a key process that had eluded scientists as to how the opening, called a polynya, was able to form and persist for several weeks.
Published Rock solid evidence: Angola geology reveals prehistoric split between South America and Africa
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A research team has found that ancient rocks and fossils from long-extinct marine reptiles in Angola clearly show a key part of Earth's past -- the splitting of South America and Africa and the subsequent formation of the South Atlantic Ocean.
Published Scientists show that there is indeed an 'entropy' of quantum entanglement
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists have shown, through probabilistic calculations, that there is indeed, as had been hypothesized, a rule of 'entropy' for the phenomenon of quantum entanglement. This finding could help drive a better understanding of quantum entanglement, which is a key resource that underlies much of the power of future quantum computers.
Published Climate change and mercury pollution stressed plants for millions of years
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The link between massive flood basalt volcanism and the end-Triassic (201 million years ago) mass-extinction is commonly accepted. However, exactly how volcanism led to the collapse of ecosystems and the extinction of entire families of organisms is difficult to establish. Extreme climate change from the release of carbon dioxide, degradation of the ozone layer due to the injection of damaging chemicals, and the emissions of toxic pollutants, are all seen as contributing factors. One toxic element stands out: mercury.
Published The end of the quantum tunnel
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Quantum mechanical effects such as radioactive decay, or more generally: 'tunneling', display intriguing mathematical patterns. Researchers now show that a 40-year-old mathematical discovery can be used to fully encode and understand this structure.
Published From disorder to order: Flocking birds and 'spinning' particles
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have demonstrated that ferromagnetism, an ordered state of atoms, can be induced by increasing particle motility and that repulsive forces between atoms are sufficient to maintain it. The discovery not only extends the concept of active matter to quantum systems but also contributes to the development of novel technologies that rely on the magnetic properties of particles, such as magnetic memory and quantum computing.
Published Warming Arctic reduces dust levels in parts of the planet
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Dust can have a huge impact on local air quality, food security, energy supply and public health. Previous studies have found that dust levels are decreasing across India, particularly northern India, the Persian Gulf Coast and much of the Middle East, but the reason has remained unclear. Researchers found that the decrease in dust can be attributed to the Arctic warming much faster than the rest of the planet, a phenomenon known as Arctic amplification. This process destabilizes the jet stream and changes storm tracks and wind patterns over the major sources of dust in West and South Asia.
Published Unveiling the lionfish invasion in the Mediterranean Sea
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have published a comprehensive study on the invasion of lionfish in the Mediterranean Sea, highlighting a rapid spread and the potential ecological impacts. The research shows the lionfish species Pterois miles has significantly expanded its territory in the Mediterranean since the invasion began around ten years ago. The invasive species has established presence in the eastern Mediterranean, with observations now extending to colder waters previously thought to be unsuitable for the species.
Published Human activities have an intense impact on Earth's deep subsurface fluid flow
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Hydrologists predict human-induced underground fluid fluxes to rise with climate change mitigation strategies like carbon sequestration.