Global Energy Awards

In a groundbreaking use of teleportation, critical units of a quantum processor have been successfully spread across multiple computers, proving the potential of distributing quantum modules without compromising on their performance. While the transfer only took place over a space of two meters (about six feet) in an Oxford University laboratory, the leap was more than enough to emphasize the feasibility of scaling quantum technology by teleporting quantum states across an 'internet' of connected systems. Teleportation is a quirk of physics that only makes sense through a quantum lens, where objects exist in a blur of possible characteristics until processes of measurement force them to adopt each state. By mingling the undecided states of different objects in an act known as entanglement , and then carefully choosing the right kinds of measurements to make on one, it's possible to use the answers to force an entangled object some distance away to adopt (and destroy) the ...

Scientists have taken a bold step toward understanding dark matter , the invisible force shaping the cosmos. Using atomic clocks and ultra-stable lasers , they tracked subtle changes in time to detect hidden dark matter waves. By measuring precision shifts across vast distances, the study opens doors to new discoveries in fundamental physics. Unveiling Dark Matter with a Bold New Approach A team of international researchers has developed a novel method to investigate dark matter, the mysterious substance believed to hold galaxies together. The study was co-led by University of Queensland PhD student Ashlee Caddell in collaboration with Germany’s Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB), a leading metrology institute. Their approach used atomic clocks and ultra-stable lasers to detect possible signs of dark matter. “Despite many theories and experiments scientists are yet to find dark matter, which we think of as the ‘glue’ of the galaxy holding everything together,” Ms. Caddell s...

Scientists measured a pulse of light in 37 dimensions, revealing a quantum paradox that defies classical reality and pushes the limits of physics . A team of physicists has taken quantum weirdness to new heights by measuring a pulse of light in 37 dimensions. Their experiment, designed to explore the limits of quantum mechanics, pushes past classical expectations and challenges long-held assumptions about the nature of reality. Using a fiber-based photonic processor, the researchers demonstrated a Greenberger–Horne–Zeilinger (GHZ) paradox in an unprecedented way, showing that quantum physics is more nonclassical than previously thought. The GHZ Paradox and Local Realism In the classical world, reality follows predictable rules. If a letter is in your mailbox, it must have been placed there by a postal worker. This concept, known as local realism, assumes that objects and events exist in a well-defined state before being observed and that they are only influenced by their immediate su...

Researchers have discovered a method to induce chirality in non-chiral materials using terahertz light. This groundbreaking technique, which involves manipulating crystal lattice structures on ultrafast timescales, could revolutionize applications in ultrafast memory devices and optoelectronics , highlighting a significant advancement in the dynamic control of material properties. Breakthrough in Chirality Induction Scientists from the University of Oxford and the Max Planck Institute for the Structure and Dynamics of Matter (MPSD) have discovered that terahertz light can induce chirality in a crystal that is naturally non-chiral. This breakthrough allows the crystal to take on either a left- or right-handed form on demand. Their findings, published on January 23 in Science, open new possibilities for studying complex materials and their dynamic behaviors. Chirality is a key property of matter that plays a crucial role in biological, chemical, and physical processes. It describes obj...

Matter in intergalactic space is distributed in a vast network of interconnected filamentary structures, collectively referred to as the cosmic web. With hundreds of hours of observations, an international team of researchers has now obtained an unprecedented high-definition image of a cosmic filament inside this web, connecting two active forming galaxies dating back to when the universe was about 2 billion years old. A pillar of modern cosmology is the existence of dark matter , which constitutes about 85% of all matter in the universe. Under the influence of gravity, dark matter forms an intricate cosmic web composed of filaments, at whose intersections the brightest galaxies emerge. This cosmic web acts as the scaffolding on which all visible structures in the universe are built: within the filaments, gas flows to fuel star formation in galaxies. Direct observations of the fuel supply of such galaxies would advance our understanding of galaxy formation and evolution. However, stud...

Pioneering research in quantum field theory around 50 years ago proposed that the universe may be trapped in a false vacuum  meaning it appears stable but in fact could be on the verge of transitioning to an even more stable, true vacuum state. While this process could trigger a catastrophic change in the Universe’s structure, experts agree that predicting the timeline is challenging, but it is likely to occur over an astronomically long period, potentially spanning millions of years. In an international collaboration between three research institutions, the team report gaining valuable insights into false vacuum decay  a process linked to the origins of the cosmos and the behaviour of particles at the smallest scales. The collaboration was led by Professor Zlatko Papic, from the University of Leeds, and Dr Jaka Vodeb, from the Jülich Supercomputing Centre (JSC) at Forschungszentrum Jülich, Germany. The paper’s lead author Professor Papic, Professor of Theoretical Physics in ...

Classical and quantum mechanics don’t really get along as the science of the subatomic can get, well, weird. Take, for instance, quantum entanglement , which says that the state of one particle can be determined by examining the state of its entangled pair regardless of distance. This strange fact flies in the face of classical physics, and even led Albert Einstein to famously describe this quantum quirk as “spooky action at a distance.” This is what is known as “ quantum nonlocality ,” where objects are influenced across distances (seeming beyond the speed of light) whereas classical physics follows local theory, the idea that objects are influenced by their immediate surroundings. This is a pretty sharp divide as explained by the famous no-go theorem known as the Greenberger–Horne–Zeilinger (GHZ) paradox, which essentially details how quantum theory cannot be described by local realistic description. Named for the physicists who described the paradox in 1989, GHZ-type paradoxes show...