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8c9990dc34085af4e9509dde4b128b01510b952d51bfb579480ebb1a8ba87e0f
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2026-01-15T17:40:46+00:00
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Live updates: Trump warns Minnesota amid protests; Machado visits White House
|
After days of sometimes violent protests in Minneapolis, including a shooting Wednesday involving Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE), President Trump on Thursday morning threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act. That would allow him to send the military to quell unrest. “If the corrupt politicians of Minnesota don’t obey the law and stop the professional agitators and…
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https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5689241-live-updates-trump-venezuela-greenland-minnesota/
|
World & Politics
| |
e3b228e53d0c7ccf6757d159d69c283684ca9430d130501ec7b7d4b3af73de75
|
2026-01-15T17:30:34+00:00
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Courts allow another wind farm to resume construction after Trump pause
|
A major offshore wind farm is allowed to resume construction, a federal judge ruled Thursday, the second such ruling in the wake of the Trump administration’s latest attempt to block these projects. Judge Carl Nichols, a Trump appointee, granted a preliminary injunction allowing Empire Wind to keep building.  The project, which would supply power to New York,…
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https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/5691088-wind-farm-trump-new-york/
|
World & Politics
| |
9b57498e332d15a4ef077f0aac1cf5a10cfd8fcd6e6a83f62f540fbbdfa6e3cd
|
2026-01-15T17:29:29+00:00
|
Minneapolis mayor on Trump threat: Minnesota doesn’t need additional troops
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Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey (D) on Thursday urged federal immigration authorities to leave the city amid unrest over the killing of Renee Good. Good was shot by an immigration officer during a traffic stop after being asked to step out of her vehicle. Citywide protests have ensued as residents express outrage for the presence of…
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https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/5690999-unrest-minneapolis-ice-presence/
|
World & Politics
| |
05413df3d27ac042df071e9208d35ef45da4aaedef39a0b3b1f16d9e8c442932
|
2026-01-15T17:26:54+00:00
|
Watch live: White House holds briefing amid Iran turmoil
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White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt will brief reporters Thursday afternoon as tensions with Iran heat up. President Trump earlier this week encouraged Iranian protesters to continue pressuring the regime and vowed that “help is on the way” amid the unrest, signaling potential U.S. intervention. Tehran has pushed back, however, with its own threats. The…
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https://thehill.com/video-clips/5690964-watch-live-white-house-briefing-donald-trump-iran-venezuela-health-care/
|
World & Politics
| |
18e652965a728c332af88d06cb28562ceeefa8b0fbf760675dae29355846114f
|
2026-01-15T17:25:48+00:00
|
Noem: Walz, Frey have to get Minneapolis ‘under control’
|
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem slammed Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey (D) on Thursday amid unrest in the Twin Cities over the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown.  “Mayor Frey and Governor Walz have to get their city under control,” Noem wrote on the social platform X. “They are…
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https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5690992-noem-criticizes-walz-frey/
|
World & Politics
| |
ab1d5ae1152810de9519ac9b52a971c1b68f1c73a67ca8ac435f72a6638f104c
|
2026-01-15T17:23:37+00:00
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Danish diplomat: ‘No way’ US will pay for Scandinavian welfare system in Greenland
|
Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen brushed off reports Wednesday that the Trump administration is weighing direct payments to Greenlanders to encourage them to split from Denmark. Officials, including White House aides, have reportedly discussed different lump sum figures, ranging from $10,000 to $100,000 per person, according to Reuters. Rasmussen, during an appearance on Fox…
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https://thehill.com/policy/international/5690979-denmark-greenland-us-payments/
|
World & Politics
| |
14228cbc77347bc95fbd3a311bd9f4b74e300b505a2f37133e2696d31455bd99
|
2026-01-15T17:18:17+00:00
|
Buttigieg: Trump has figuratively been giving autoworkers the finger for some time
|
Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg criticized President Trump for flipping off a factory worker during a tour of a Ford F-150 plant in Michigan this week, but he said it was consistent with Trump’s policies toward the industry’s workforce. The worker, 40-year-old TJ Sabula, shouted at the president during his walk through the factory on…
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https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5690957-buttigieg-trump-factory-incident/
|
World & Politics
| |
e4f4febf710c80790e37777f94293918a4752bb816181627d272db42b7cea685
|
2026-01-15T17:13:34+00:00
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Trump administration restores funding to Planned Parenthood, other groups after lawsuit
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The Trump administration has agreed to unfreeze millions in federal funding to Planned Parenthood and other family planning groups, according to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) paused $27.5 million in funding for 16 organizations last year pending an investigation, citing potential violations of federal civil rights…
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https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/5690881-trump-administration-planned-parenthood-funding/
|
World & Politics
| |
ec44d9775b5d9dff4cb7db99edf1c6d7be54d8a3c4da11b5af7a0b21e9d4cb1f
|
2026-01-15T17:13:20+00:00
|
Trump unveils health care affordability plan
|
President Trump on Thursday unveiled an affordability framework for health care aimed at lowering drug prices and insurance premiums, as he seeks to address a major Republican political liability ahead of the midterm elections. Affordability is a key issue for voters, and the health plan is part of the administration’s efforts to reassure the public that everyday costs are going…
|
https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/5691065-trump-health-care-affordability-plan/
|
World & Politics
| |
29dc937a8dd16acb65123efdd0355f230fb85edce83512d4ae03a6431caae27a
|
2026-01-15T17:09:34+00:00
|
Senate tees up final vote on trio of government funding bills
|
The Senate on Thursday cleared a final procedural hurdle toward passing a trio of spending bills, a move that would ensure that half of the fiscal 2026 funding measures are complete two weeks before the deadline to avert a partial government shutdown. Lawmakers overwhelmingly advanced the three-bill minibus, 85-14. It included measures to fund the…
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https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/5690933-senate-advances-funding-bills/
|
World & Politics
| |
b2702086b07b428b6da28a68fd6f06dd11257b5721ae60a47f723defea2ebdcc
|
2026-01-15T17:07:03+00:00
|
Walz to Trump after threat of troops: ‘Let’s turn the temperature down’
|
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) made a direct appeal to President Trump to “turn the temperature down” after the president threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act to deploy more federal troops to Walz’s state amid escalating protests. “I am making a direct appeal to the President: Let’s turn the temperature down. Stop this campaign of…
|
https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/5691004-minnesota-gov-appeals-trump/
|
World & Politics
| |
7922156d5fb28fd157db806de20844de3b8fffaf4f393fc501d321e499e3cc98
|
2026-01-15T16:55:42+00:00
|
Republicans divided on Trump immigration crackdown: Survey
|
Republicans are split on President Trump’s sweeping immigration crackdown, according to a Reuters/Ipsos survey released days after an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer shot and killed a woman in Minnesota. The poll, released Thursday, found 59 percent of Republican respondents said they prefer that federal immigration officers prioritize arrests even if people get hurt,…
|
https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5690877-republicans-split-trump-immigration-policies/
|
World & Politics
| |
2e5e27ac8e10724b4e5983f6037707e6db37835f4cda8ffcba9d9cd54ab65812
|
2026-01-15T16:32:39+00:00
|
More Democratic lawmakers say they’re under investigation after illegal orders video
|
Five Democratic lawmakers have now said they are being investigated for participating in a video calling on service members to reject unlawful orders.  Reps. Chrissy Houlahan (D-Pa.) and Maggie Goodlander (D-N.H.) said that the Justice Department sought to interview them after they reiterated the principle of military law in the video with four other Democrats, released…
|
https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/5690645-more-democratic-lawmakers-say-theyre-under-investigation-after-illegal-orders-video/
|
World & Politics
| |
a1f61db1516feab09394e385fe7089710338b5a8c309fc8aaf79eba4eb5beff7
|
2026-01-15T16:30:00+00:00
|
Public health cannot survive Trump’s me-first worldview
|
The consequences of the erosion of public health policies will be real and are becoming increasingly palpable.
|
https://thehill.com/opinion/healthcare/5689000-trump-administration-public-health-clash/
|
World & Politics
| |
551d0438dd38974b30701941ca3ab9debd1e92c9258a1b10dd3aafca090822d6
|
2026-01-15T16:26:39+00:00
|
Education Department announces some personnel shifting to Labor Department with programs
|
The Education Department announced Thursday it will be moving some employees to the Department of Labor as it looks to integrate some postsecondary education and workforce development programs with the other agency.  Starting next week, employees with the Higher Education Programs division of the department’s Office of Postsecondary Education will head to the Labor Department to begin the…
|
https://thehill.com/homenews/education/5690853-education-department-labor/
|
World & Politics
| |
c5c8118fa3bc986793598c54ee27908f2d35693eeb35f9c8fe70c65efba804b4
|
2026-01-15T16:21:46+00:00
|
Appeals court rules judge had no power to free Mahmoud Khalil
|
An appeals court panel ruled Thursday that a federal judge had no power to order the release of Mahmoud Khalil, the pro-Palestinian Columbia University graduate whom the Trump administration jailed for months.  The 2-1 decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit could lead to Khalil’s rearrest, though he is able to continue appealing. “Today’s ruling is deeply disappointing, but it does…
|
https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/5690897-appeals-court-rules-against-khalil/
|
World & Politics
| |
94ab6bb66fc2f639641b8fa96697e8342e4d14013d624c3b2727bf5ad4160d36
|
2026-01-15T16:09:06+00:00
|
Carville: Trump reaction to autoworker exposes ‘sore spot’
|
Democratic strategist James Carville said Wednesday that President Trump’s reaction to being called a “pedophile protector” revealed a “sore spot” for the leader. “Trump had a massive negative reaction to it. And when you find a sore spot, you keep hitting it. Keep hitting it,” Carville said on his “Politics War Room” podcast Wednesday. “Hit…
|
https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5690777-carville-trump-michigan-ford-auto-worker-exchange/
|
World & Politics
| |
40d7589c4b2dcb9410a93ac2ff24aa6a70885030312671873f19a768bdf6e613
|
2026-01-15T16:03:43+00:00
|
ICE deputy director leaving agency to run for Congress in Ohio
|
Madison Sheahan, the deputy director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), is resigning from the agency to run for Congress in Ohio.  In a video launch on Thursday, Sheahan pitched herself as a pro-Trump conservative, touting her work on the president’s immigration crackdown.  “In just one year, we’ve made history, recruiting 12,000 new ICE…
|
https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/5690800-ice-ohio-madison-sheahan/
|
World & Politics
| |
ecf72991de6ee982d6584fc39896646053e67dce9379de23026a3e3aba873ebc
|
2026-01-15T16:00:00+00:00
|
Why oil markets are shrugging off Trump’s plans for Venezuela
|
Outside of political turmoil and military oversight, nothing about Venezuelan production is cheap or easy. I
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https://thehill.com/opinion/energy-environment/5689025-rebuilding-venezuelas-oil-infrastructure/
|
World & Politics
| |
2d6dbfb1b5f6555c8bc6cde1969b359a1ac841c1cc837fa5eae481a1835d5fd1
|
2026-01-15T15:59:19+00:00
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Verizon offers $20 credit for outage: ‘We are sorry’
|
Verizon said Thursday it would offer a $20 credit to customers one day after a massive outage cut off service for users across the country. “Yesterday, we did not meet the standard of excellence you expect and that we expect of ourselves. To help provide some relief to those affected, we will give you a…
|
https://thehill.com/business/5690799-verizon-20-credit-outage/
|
World & Politics
| |
a2e35f2a5e2d95c427cf74a1a3151611835133a5cf67f9aa19ca400d815bcdfe
|
2026-01-15T15:58:29+00:00
|
Trump threatens to deploy troops to Minnesota: What is the Insurrection Act?
|
President Trump has threatened to deploy more federal troops to Minnesota using a seldom-used law passed by Congress over 200 years ago.  The Insurrection Act of 1807, in conjunction with several other laws, permits the president to deploy members of the military or federalize members of the state National Guard to contain an insurrection in…
|
https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5690771-trump-invoke-insurrection-act/
|
World & Politics
| |
b0a6314dac3807edb841dc03edfef1bf3d9f85910f717854ae097a57c376f6a5
|
2026-01-15T15:38:22+00:00
|
20+ candidates enter race to succeed Greene
|
Nearly two dozen candidates have filed for the special election race to replace retired Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) in Congress.  As of Wednesday’s filing deadline, 22 candidates — including 17 Republicans and 3 Democrats — were in the ring to succeed the former congresswoman, according to data from the Georgia Secretary of State’s office. …
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https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/5690724-candidates-file-for-greene-seat/
|
World & Politics
| |
65ed477c26deb81117d8a154d8301f9a858cd3619671677ab675bfda8140270e
|
2026-01-15T15:30:00+00:00
|
Shutdowns should be painful for members of Congress, too
|
Sen. John Kennedy has introduced a resolution to withhold pay for members of Congress during future government shutdowns, which would require the secretary of the Senate to place each member's paycheck in a vault until the government reopens.
|
https://thehill.com/opinion/congress-blog/economy-budget/5689699-federal-workers-shutdown-impact/
|
World & Politics
| |
eaded0cd2588c9451d91d01d8b9314ec07e4b54c24ee0a2a9270b7a059e1872b
|
2026-01-15T15:28:56+00:00
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20 people charged with rigging college, overseas basketball games
|
More than a dozen people have been indicted by federal authorities with a reported scheme to rig college and overseas basketball games, according to court documents unsealed Thursday. The federal indictment, filed in Philadelphia, cites charges of “bribery in sporting contest” and conspiracy to commit wire fraud, naming more than 20 people who authorities say…
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https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/5690622-college-basketball-rigging-charges/
|
World & Politics
| |
a59877a8459445e616ea0945a2d0dda0a5761feec101e11279f7dcf5ecfeecba
|
2026-01-15T15:28:38+00:00
|
House Democrat introducing legislation to abolish ICE: ‘Beyond reform’
|
Rep. Shri Thanedar (D-Mich.) is making a push to dismantle Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), calling the federal law enforcement agency “beyond reform.” Thanedar plans to introduce the “Abolish ICE Act” this week, which his office said would dissolve the agency and end its enforcement authority. “We must reform ICE, but it looks at this…
|
https://thehill.com/homenews/5690679-shri-thanedar-calls-for-ice-dismantling/
|
World & Politics
| |
e43e3a7e4d92151a73c1e7a6b143c0d553e3e7a1e849881cde2d2bade61c5c84
|
2026-01-15T15:25:45+00:00
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US seizes 6th Venezuela-linked tanker ahead of Trump, Machado meeting
|
The U.S. seized its sixth Venezuela-linked oil tanker Thursday morning in the Caribbean, just ahead of President Trump’s meeting with Venezuela’s opposition leader María Corina Machado. The U.S. Coast Guard’s tactical team seized oil tanker Veronica, part of the so-called ghost fleet that was operating in “defiance” of Trump’s quarantine on sanctioned vessels coming in…
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https://thehill.com/policy/defense/5690714-us-seizes-6th-oil-tanker-venezuela/
|
World & Politics
| |
9715ac84164ac6ba00c8f09cf9f8e3fb1d7e733d9a4d4994549460d4e4564253
|
2026-01-15T15:24:06+00:00
|
Democrats mock Rollins over chicken, broccoli, tortilla comment
|
Democrats pounced on Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins after she suggested Americans could save money by eating a piece of chicken, a piece of broccoli, a corn tortilla and “one other thing” to afford a nutritious dinner. In a NewsNation interview, Rollins addressed concerns that the White House’s newly revamped dietary guidelines — which prioritize protein…
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https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5690711-democrats-mock-rollins-meal-plan/
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World & Politics
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fff8d07058fb025eff245ed36231c662f70faa415f9d19f0e9cb8762c831eb4c
|
2026-01-15T15:22:56+00:00
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Graham contradicts Trump on Iran executions stopping
|
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) says the Iranian regime is still killing protesters at an alarming rate, contradicting President Trump’s statement Wednesday that Iran has stopped indiscriminate executions of anti-government demonstrators. “Every indication that I’ve seen says that the Iranian regime’s killing of protesters I still very much in full swing. The death toll is mounting…
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https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/5690678-graham-trump-iran-executions/
|
World & Politics
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20689ee24ed22ed09c63e2a3b3fc0d719010f21a599654fd71bc2eb0eadd0e50
|
2026-01-15T15:19:06+00:00
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Musk’s X further restricts Grok image editing after criticism
|
Elon Musk’s social platform X is further restricting image editing tools available with its AI chatbot Grok in the face of growing criticism over a recent surge in AI-generated sexualized images of women and children on the platform. X’s safety team said Wednesday it is implementing measures to block all users, including paid subscribers, from…
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https://thehill.com/policy/technology/5690662-musks-x-further-restricts-grok-image-editing-after-criticism/
|
World & Politics
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69a0b6a25a0feaba3778b118fcfa9e0dd9e35f23f4ec1ca46e13c6207b2b2a25
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2026-01-15T15:16:42+00:00
|
European troops arrive in Greenland
|
Troops from multiple European countries arrived in Greenland on Thursday amid President Trump’s escalating interest in acquiring the Arctic island. French President Emmanuel Macron wrote Wednesday on social platform X that France will participate in the joint exercises organized by Denmark in the semi-sovereign territory, dubbed “Operation Arctic Endurance.” Macron noted that the first French…
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https://thehill.com/policy/international/5690646-france-sweden-troops-greenland/
|
World & Politics
| |
e978d3d6b390314a3a363b8f02aed398d5dadb75c9467ec44caae48f50d4b154
|
2026-01-15T15:00:00+00:00
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Is a declaration of not-war in Venezuela a stretch?
|
The U.S. invasion of Venezuela was justified by Secretary of State Marco Rubio as a law enforcement operation to arrest President Nicolas Maduro and his wife on narco-terrorism charges, but international law experts dispute the legality of the operation and the War Powers Resolution was invoked to remove U.S. forces from Venezuela.
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https://thehill.com/opinion/congress-blog/5689008-senate-debate-venezuela-withdrawal/
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World & Politics
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13fb85ff46e0715112122fc980cfa35817d0c8d4dda4a65c2376334723d6629f
|
2026-01-15T15:00:00+00:00
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Don’t let the severely mentally ill kill and then pretend it’s compassion
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A legal system that waits for bloodshed before acting is not humane.
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https://thehill.com/opinion/healthcare/5688821-psychotic-treatment-abandonment/
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World & Politics
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76d0ace2527a5bf134f9b24bdb37c4a059bfa2cc229714a9a942b83c02b30b03
|
2026-01-15T14:53:17+00:00
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Education Department investigating state agencies, 15 schools over transgender athletes policies
|
The Education Department announced Wednesday it is investigating 15 K-12 schools, one university and two state education departments over their transgender athlete policies. The educational institutions, spanning 10 states, are under investigation for alleged Title IX violations over policies that allow students to participate in sports based on their gender identity. “In the same week that the Supreme Court hears…
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https://thehill.com/homenews/education/5690617-education-department-transgender-athletes-policies/
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World & Politics
| |
0c574958ef4eccb2e5085ce9c7b9e8d1f80313ae27fb2ee2fa2bb57a246102ed
|
2026-01-15T14:39:29+00:00
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Washington Post editorial board: Search of reporter’s home ‘aggressive attack’ on press freedom
|
The Washington Post’s editorial board blasted the FBI search conducted at the home of a reporter for the outlet this week. The editorial board called the search “an aggressive attack on the press freedom of all journalists” and said “anyone who believes the raid will deter reporters from doing their jobs is sorely mistaken.” “Leaks…
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https://thehill.com/homenews/media/5690555-press-freedom-attack-washington-post/
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World & Politics
| |
f056577031cc8914abf670c579a3a3c5236e18e00f55d52e41cf63d5a0a3046c
|
2026-01-15T14:35:25+00:00
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Watch live: Trump nominees for Southcom, NSA testify before Senate
|
Lt. Gen. Francis Donovan, acting commander of the U.S. Southern Command (Southcom), will testify before the Senate Armed Services Committee on his nomination to lead the military agency. President Trump tapped Donovan to head Southcom last month amid the U.S. strikes on alleged drug boats in the Caribbean. The attacks have sparked widespread critique and…
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https://thehill.com/video-clips/5690421-watch-live-francis-donovan-joshua-rudd-senate-armed-services-confirmation-hearings/
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World & Politics
| |
08d080664d873aa00c559f8d54955babba73d2e76cafccf850272c1f5054722f
|
2026-01-15T14:32:14+00:00
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Ossoff enters year with $25M in bank amid competitive Senate race
|
Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), considered the Senate’s most vulnerable Democratic incumbent up for reelection this November, is entering the midterm year with $25 million in the bank as he tries for a second term representing Georgia in the upper chamber. Ossoff’s cash on hand includes $9.9 million raised in the fourth quarter of 2025 from…
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https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/5690552-jon-ossoff-war-chest-senate-race-2026/
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World & Politics
| |
c92b0aef4c947c8d49516420a2ec983999531b1ce7e74640e689def8325ed7d2
|
2026-01-15T14:20:54+00:00
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NTSB investigators pinpoint failed part in UPS plane crash
|
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) identified the failed part that contributed to a fatal UPS plane crash in Louisville, Ky., last year. A Wednesday report from the NTSB notes Boeing warned operators in 2011 of four prior failures of the part, a spherical bearing race — which helps secure the cargo plane’s engine to…
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https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/5690424-ntsb-investigation-failed-part-ups-crash-louisville/
|
World & Politics
| |
8e5e30dd08aee66ed03bc8461480d172ef388292100f8ea614178c8dedeefa7a
|
2026-01-15T14:04:52+00:00
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Ailing astronaut, colleagues return to Earth in first NASA medical evacuation
|
NASA completed its first medical evacuation early Thursday, when an ailing astronaut and three others splashed down in the Pacific Ocean, more than a month ahead of schedule. The four astronauts — NASA’s Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, along with Japan’s Kimiya Yui and Russia’s Oleg Platonov — returned to Earth at 3:41 a.m. EST…
|
https://thehill.com/homenews/space/5690484-nasa-medical-evacuation-splashdown/
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World & Politics
| |
2d06e4f37b2e80373ebf78666a335c8c2ea7beda5746cc326d5659b9d5366407
|
2026-01-15T14:00:00+00:00
|
The death penalty is not justice for Charlie Kirk’s killer
|
To honor him, we must reject vengeance disguised as justice.
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https://thehill.com/opinion/criminal-justice/5689141-death-penalty-kirk-case/
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World & Politics
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6aa3d5242e7f2ffa6603e46bdf7a855e5e222e167768a126ad9bd55717a483b1
|
2026-01-15T13:30:31+00:00
|
Trump threatens to invoke Insurrection Act in Minnesota
|
President Trump early Thursday threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act following another shooting involving a federal agent overnight in Minneapolis.  “If the corrupt politicians of Minnesota don’t obey the law and stop the professional agitators and insurrectionists from attacking the Patriots of I.C.E., who are only trying to do their job, I will institute the…
|
https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5690449-donald-trump-minnesota-insurrection-act/
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World & Politics
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741115704447639f28ba727df7954986b81accbab115066e0547d4c5aa7883b8
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2026-01-15T13:30:00+00:00
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Trump’s ego and Republican prospects are mutually exclusive
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The president must be willing to overcome his well-earned reputation for never admitting a mistake.
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https://thehill.com/opinion/campaign/5688405-republicans-trouble-2026-midterms/
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World & Politics
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8473c17f4fc42fb66a4262fabda4ef79d39fbc58cc1cee5899b04f64c0cd7c99
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2026-01-15T13:25:53+00:00
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Another shooting involving federal officer in Minneapolis sparks new protests
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Protests in Minneapolis escalated Wednesday night after a federal officer shot and injured a Venezuelan migrant after being attacked with a shovel and broom handle — a week after an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer killed a resident in the same city. The latest shooting, which was not fatal, further inflamed tensions in a…
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https://thehill.com/immigration/5690422-second-minnesota-ice-shooting-sparks-protests/
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World & Politics
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0cf237372c634dea31e1b3a14b2327767432f61c21b82661f681927f06a25f5e
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2026-01-15T13:00:00+00:00
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Weaker job growth could actually be a good sign for the labor market
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The U.S. labor market is not weakening — rather, it is adjusting to new demographic and economic realities.
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https://thehill.com/opinion/finance/5688623-labor-market-job-growth/
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World & Politics
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f0420c80ef7265f9e0b9d39641a465e6de8cdb0f818f4e99561c3b6d3e8a411a
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2026-01-15T12:47:20+00:00
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WHO calls for higher taxes on alcohol, sugary drinks
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The health organization is calling on countries to tax alcohol and sugary drinks to prevent health conditions linked to the substances.
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https://thehill.com/business/5689497-world-health-organization-sugar-drink-tax/
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World & Politics
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5d12ae36c7dd3c9f86265dafe81b234800570ebf587bb7a9ff2ee78601a56582
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2026-01-15T12:36:57+00:00
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Congress and telemarketers rank at the bottom on ethics: Gallup
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What do members of Congress and telemarketers have in common? Most Americans don't trust them.
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https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/5689558-congress-telemarketers-ethics-rankings-gallup/
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World & Politics
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8459f05dd7f9efa23e90dcbd71454b8e8cb973289d6e55baf90a042785a37e7b
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2026-01-15T12:30:00+00:00
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How to disarm China’s weaponized soybean purchases
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Beijing has made clear that soybean purchases are not normal commerce any more; they are a tool of political coercion.
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https://thehill.com/opinion/international/5685497-how-to-disarm-chinas-weaponized-soybean-purchases/
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World & Politics
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1527d63fb75b92c8bd227d1848e3f4a8be5f77518794d5b5f10f31ea4a25e4b0
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2026-01-15T12:28:57+00:00
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Jenna Bush Hager set to produce US Marshal drama ‘Protection’
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Bush Hager first joined the “Today” show in 2009 as a correspondent and currently hosts “Today with Jenna & Sheinelle.”
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https://thehill.com/blogs/in-the-know/5689902-jenna-bush-hager-producer-drama-us-marshals/
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World & Politics
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fe7d26faa7cdb0b12b86d6d7d1b25dea9dede337015fdaae827d686c95d88a47
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2026-01-15T12:21:48+00:00
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Nick Reiner’s former attorney Alan Jackson won’t explain exit from murder case
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LA County Deputy Public Defender Kimberly Greene is now defending Nick Reiner.
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https://thehill.com/blogs/in-the-know/5690251-nick-reiner-former-attorney-alan-jackson-resignation/
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World & Politics
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428d0fa6ead900da4cb9396af3cd6dcd86e3c154b968cf4a519cf25c9f5d5f75
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2026-01-15T12:00:00+00:00
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On Iran, Trump needs to make good on his promises
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Khamenei is now daring Trump to keep his word.
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https://thehill.com/opinion/national-security/5688757-on-iran-trump-needs-to-put-up-or-shut-up/
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World & Politics
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694d260375922e2ca6d7d728dde737a554f8759b5e7d9d641eb36bdb3a72672e
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2026-01-15T11:00:00+00:00
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RFK Jr.’s new food pyramid heads to school cafeterias as advocates cry for more funding
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The release of a new food pyramid has been met with mixed reactions by school food advocates, who say changes to the cafeteria menu will need financial backing. While there is skepticism regarding the science behind the new guidelines, which were unveiled last week by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., schools are more concerned about…
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https://thehill.com/homenews/education/5689296-rfk-jr-food-pyramid-school-lunch/
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World & Politics
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34a49051fbb342775703f10931a1e489fd6aedf626e5470e2be25c5355c9b272
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2026-01-15T11:00:00+00:00
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Republicans vow to block Trump from seizing Greenland by force
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Senate Republicans are vowing to block any effort by President Trump to seize Greenland by military force, as Trump officials on Wednesday refused to back off their demands to control the island during a meeting with top diplomats at the White House.  Republican senators are flummoxed by Trump’s insistence that he’s willing to use military…
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https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/5689820-senate-republicans-block-trump-greenland/
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World & Politics
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1a43b9f1ff7b52b06c5e2728e7bb1669aa68bf7c5a9b38293948f9db395df7f6
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2026-01-15T11:00:00+00:00
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Abortion threatens to derail Senate ObamaCare deal
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A push by Senate negotiators to strike a deal on extending enhanced ObamaCare subsidies is running into a brick wall as they struggle to clear a key hurdle on abortion. Members have been engaged in talks for about a month on a potential extension. But the subsidies expired at the end of last year and…
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https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/5689744-abortion-senate-obamacare-deal/
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World & Politics
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c38d9ac583f5c78a7139dbeafdc2c7264b8d4422cdb3f9ecea89663953bb85b2
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2026-01-15T11:00:00+00:00
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The Memo: Trump faces risks as foreign issues overshadow domestic agenda
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President Trump may face some real political risks as global issues encroach further and further into his agenda. What once seemed a strong tendency toward isolationism on Trump’s part has been increasingly supplanted by a focus overseas. The shift holds obvious dangers, especially given public discontent with domestic issues, most notably the economy. An Economist/YouGov…
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https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5689746-trump-greenland-china-russia-tensions/
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World & Politics
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a0dff6f276da1f32ede6bd86232d3130a498727cfd154a27b0a436b11ea11a91
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2026-01-16T05:01:00+00:00
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Blooming Seas Around the Chatham Islands
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At about 800 kilometers (500 miles) east of New Zealand’s South Island, the sparsely populated Chatham Islands are rugged, remote, and often inconspicuous. In January 2026, however, a ring of bright green and blue swirls in the ocean put a natural spotlight on the far-flung specks of land. A bloom of phytoplankton—tiny photosynthetic organisms that become visible to satellites when their numbers explode—encircled the Chatham Islands in austral summer. Surface currents and eddies carried the floating organisms into intricate wisps and swirls. The VIIRS (Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite) on the NOAA-20 satellite captured this image of the display on January 10, 2026. The Chatham Islands sit on the Chatham Rise, an underwater plateau that extends eastward from the South Island of New Zealand. The top of the rise is relatively shallow and separates areas of deeper water to the north and south. These seafloor contours make blooms common along the Chatham Rise, where cold, nutrient-rich currents from the Antarctic and warm, nutrient-poor water from the subtropics converge. The well-mixed water, coupled with long daylight hours, can boost phytoplankton populations. With phytoplankton at the base of the food web, the waters around the Chatham Islands support productive fisheries, with valuable species such as pāua, rock lobster, and blue cod. The region is also home to an array of marine mammals, including five seal species and 25 whale and dolphin species. Amid this abundance, however, the islands are a hotspot for whale and dolphin strandings, in which hundreds of animals are sometimes beached. NASA Earth Observatory image by Lauren Dauphin, using VIIRS data from NASA EOSDIS LANCE, GIBS/Worldview, and the Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS). Story by Lindsey Doermann.
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https://science.nasa.gov/earth/earth-observatory/blooming-seas-around-the-chatham-islands/
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Space & Physics
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svg
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4e2e6ff968e9930be9b13a67c9d338f10a16d70fadf22f4950d6c9cb17f87cee
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2026-01-15T20:58:45+00:00
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NASA Adds Two F-15 Aircraft to Support Supersonic Flight Research
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Two retired U.S. Air Force F-15 jets have joined the flight research fleet at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, transitioning from military service to a new role enabling breakthrough advancements in aerospace. The F-15s will support supersonic flight research for NASA’s Flight Demonstrations and Capabilities project, including testing for the Quesst mission’s X-59 quiet supersonic research aircraft. One of the aircraft will return to the air as an active NASA research aircraft. The second will be used for parts to support long-term fleet sustainment. “These two aircraft will enable successful data collection and chase plane capabilities for the X-59 through the life of the Low Boom Flight Demonstrator project” said Troy Asher, director for flight operations at NASA Armstrong. “They will also enable us to resume operations with various external partners, including the Department of War and commercial aviation companies.” The aircraft came from the Oregon Air National Guard’s 173rd Fighter Wing at Kingsley Field. After completing their final flights with the Air Force, the two aircraft arrived at NASA Armstrong Dec. 22, 2025. “NASA has been flying F-15s since some of the earliest models came out in the early 1970s,” Asher said. “Dozens of scientific experiments have been flown over the decades on NASA’s F-15s and have made a significant contribution to aeronautics and high-speed flight research.” The F-15s allow NASA to operate in high-speed, high-altitude flight-testing environments. The aircraft can carry experimental hardware externally – under its wings or slung under the center – and can be modified to support flight research. Now that these aircraft have joined NASA’s fleet, the team at Armstrong can modify their software, systems, and flight controls to suit mission needs. The F-15’s ground clearance allows researchers to install instruments and experiments that would not fit beneath many other aircraft. NASA has already been operating two F-15s modified so their pilots can operate more comfortably at up to 60,000 feet, the top of the flight envelop for the X-59, which will cruise at 55,000 feet. The new F-15 that will fly for NASA will receive the same modification, allowing for operations at altitudes most standard aircraft cannot reach. The combination of capability, capacity, and adaptability makes the F-15s uniquely suited for flight research at NASA Armstrong. “The priority is for them to successfully support the X-59 through completion of that mission,” Asher said. “And over the longer term, these aircraft will help position NASA to continue supporting advanced aeronautics research and partnerships.”
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https://www.nasa.gov/image-article/nasa-adds-two-f-15-aircraft-to-support-supersonic-flight-research/
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Space & Physics
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svg
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2f27bc530a20caeb3a60f90ca7cec4984534144a35e7ae1075a0116523b73a6d
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2026-01-15T20:37:23+00:00
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NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 Wraps Up Space Station Science
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NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission with agency astronauts Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Kimiya Yui, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov returned to Earth after a long-duration mission aboard the International Space Station. During their stay, Cardman, Fincke, and Yui contributed more than 850 hours of research to help prepare humanity for the return to the Moon and future missions to Mars, while improving life back on Earth. Here’s a glimpse into the science completed during the Crew-11 mission: NASA astronaut Zena Cardman works with bone stem cells aboard the International Space Station to improve our understanding of how bone loss occurs during spaceflight. Studying bone cell activity in microgravity could help researchers learn how to control bone loss to protect astronauts’ bone density during future long-duration space missions and inform treatments for diseases like osteoporosis on Earth. Learn more about MABL-B. JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Kimiya Yui photographs the Earth from the International Space Station’s cupola. For more than 40 years, astronauts have used hand-held cameras to capture millions of images documenting Earth’s geographic features, weather patterns, urban growth, changes to its surface, and the impacts of natural disasters such as hurricanes and floods. Astronauts also use the cupola and other viewports aboard the space station to gaze into the cosmos without Earth’s atmospheric interference. Just as viewing Earth from 250 miles above provides a new perspective on our home planet, looking out into the stars from the orbiting laboratory offers a clearer view of our universe. NASA astronaut Mike Fincke poses aboard the International Space Station with a new device designed to test an inflatable capture bag’s ability to open, close, and stay airtight in microgravity. This technology could be used to remove space debris from orbit, protecting future spacecraft and crew members. It also may enable trapping samples during exploration missions and support the capture and mining of small asteroids. Learn more about Capture Bag Demo. NASA astronaut Mike Fincke wears a temperature-monitoring headband that tracks how the human body regulates its core temperature during spaceflight. Adjusting to living and working aboard the International Space Station can influence human temperature regulation. This headband provides an easy, non-invasive way to collect temperature data while astronauts conduct their daily activities. The sensor is also being tested on Earth and may help prevent hyperthermia in people working in high-temperature environments. Learn more about T-Mini. JAXA’s (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) new cargo resupply spacecraft, HTV-X1, is shown after being captured by the International Space Station’s Canadarm2 robotic arm during the Crew-11 mission. The spacecraft launched from Tanegashima Space Center on Oct. 26, 2025, delivering approximately 12,800 pounds of science, supplies, and hardware to the orbital complex. New cargo spacecraft expand the station’s capability to support more research and receive critical supplies. JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Kimiya Yui holds yogurt bags produced aboard the International Space Station that could provide important nutrients during missions far from Earth. Certain nutrients degrade when stored for long periods of time, and deficiency in even one can lead to illness. Researchers are building on previous experiments to develop a method for producing on-demand vitamins and nutrients in space using microorganisms. Learn more about BioNutrients-3. The Expedition 73 crew poses for a portrait to commemorate 25 years of continuous human presence aboard the International Space Station. In the front row from left, NASA astronaut Jonny Kim, Roscosmos cosmonaut Sergey Ryzhikov, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexey Zubritsky. In the back row, Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov, NASA astronauts Mike Fincke and Zena Cardman, and JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Kimiya Yui. A truly global endeavor, the space station has been visited by more than 290 people from 26 countries, along with a variety of international and commercial spacecraft. Since the first crew arrived, NASA and its partners have conducted thousands of research investigations and technology demonstrations to advance exploration of the Moon and Mars and benefit life on Earth.
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https://www.nasa.gov/missions/station/iss-research/nasas-spacex-crew-11-wraps-up-space-station-science/
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Space & Physics
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8fd8f65ded5fe5c864607368cc8927180b49e5cb0950d354240defbe9fe5a5ec
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2026-01-15T16:28:21+00:00
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NASA Data Helps Maine Oyster Farmers Choose Where to Grow
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When oyster farmer Luke Saindon went looking for a place to grow shellfish in Maine, he knew that picking the wrong patch of water could sink the farm before it began. So Saindon did something oyster farmers couldn’t have done a generation ago: He used NASA satellite data to view the coastline from space. “Starting a farm is a big venture,” said Saindon, the director for The World Is Your Oyster farm in Wiscasset, Maine. “If you choose the wrong spot, you can blow through a lot of money without ever bringing oysters to market.” NASA satellites had been passing over these waters for years, recording temperatures and other conditions. Using a site-selection tool created by University of Maine researchers, Saindon examined satellite maps showing where water temperatures and food levels might be best for growing oysters. The maps pointed him toward a wide, shallow bay near his home. Four years later, the farm is still there — and the oysters are thriving. Saindon believes that using the satellite data to select his oyster farm site resulted in faster-than-average growth rates. “This is an example of how NASA’s Earth science program supports our nation,” said Chris Neigh, the Landsat 8 and 9 project scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. “We collect global data, but its value grows when it’s used locally to help communities work smarter and make their livelihoods more sustainable.” That same satellite-based approach is now the foundation of a study published Jan. 15 in the journal Aquaculture. Led by University of Maine scientists Thomas Kiffney and Damian Brady, the research demonstrates how temperature data from Landsat — the joint NASA and U.S. Geological Survey mission — combined with European Sentinel-2 satellite estimates of oyster food availability, namely plankton, can predict how quickly eastern oysters (Crassostrea virginica) reach market size. The team built a satellite data–driven model of how oysters divide their energy among growth, survival, and reproduction. Feed the model sea surface temperature and satellite estimates of chlorophyll and particulate organic matter — signals of how much plankton and other edible particles are in the water — and it predicts how fast oysters will grow, a big step beyond just spotting good or bad sites for farms. “By showing where oysters grow faster, the model can help farmers plan ahead,” Kiffney said. “That could mean better decisions about when to seed, when to harvest, and how much product to expect, all of which reduces financial risk.” That kind of insight is increasingly valuable in Maine, where oyster farming has grown rapidly over the last decade. From 2011 to 2021, the industry’s value increased 78%, rising from about $2.5 million to more than $10 million. As the sector scales up, understanding the finer details of Maine’s coastal waters has become essential — and that’s where NASA satellites come in. The stakes are considerable. “It takes two to three years of scoping in order to get your permit to grow, and then it can take two years for those oysters to reach market,” Brady said. “So if you’ve chosen the wrong site, you’re four years in the hole right off the bat.” Maine’s coastline measures about 3,400 miles (5,500 kilometers) if you follow the tide line. It is a coast of drowned valleys and glacier-scoured granite. Water depth, temperature, and circulation can shift dramatically within a few miles. This complexity makes oyster site selection notoriously difficult, and some satellites that see the coast in broad strokes miss the small, patchy places where oysters live. “What makes Landsat so powerful for aquaculture is its ability to see finer-scale patterns along the coast,” where farmers put oyster cages in the water, Neigh said. Landsat 8 and 9’s pixels — 98 to 328 feet (30 to 100 meters) across — are able to distinguish more subtle temperature differences between neighboring coves. For a cold-blooded oyster, those distinctions can translate into months of growth. Warm water accelerates feeding and shell development. Cold water slows both. A challenge for satellites is clouds. Maine’s sky is frequently overcast, and together Landsat 8 and 9 pass over any given point only every eight days. To work around this, the research team analyzed 10 years of Landsat data (2013–2023) and built seasonal “climatologies,” or average temperature patterns for every 98-foot (30-meter) pixel along the coast. Sentinel-2 imagery added estimates of chlorophyll and particulate organic matter, the drifting microscopic food that oysters pull from the water column with rhythmic contractions of their gills. Field tests at multiple sites showed the technique’s accuracy. “We validated the model against seven years of field data,” Brady said. “It’s a strong indication that these remotely sensed products can inform not just where to grow, but how long it will take to harvest.” The University of Maine team is now developing an online tool to put this model into practice. A grower will be able to click on a coastal location and receive an estimate for time-to-market. The researchers also assist with workshops through Maine’s Aquaculture in Shared Waters program, teaching farmers how to interpret temperature and water clarity data and apply them to their own sites. For farmers like Saindon, that translates into something simpler: confidence and efficiency. “Having these kinds of tools lowers the barrier for new people to get into aquaculture,” he said. “It gives you peace of mind that you’re not just guessing.” The Maine project is helping pave the way for other NASA missions. The PACE satellite (Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem) launched in 2024 and is now delivering hyperspectral observations of coastal waters. Where earlier sensors could estimate how much plankton was present, PACE can begin to identify the different plankton species themselves. For oysters, mussels, and other filter feeders, that specificity matters. Not all plankton are equal food: Different kinds offer different nutrition, and some plankton are harmful to oysters. A next step will be turning that richer picture of coastal life into forecasts people working on the water can use, helping farmers trade some of the coast’s mystery for evidence they can apply to their harvest. By Emily DeMarco NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
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https://science.nasa.gov/earth/nasa-data-helps-maine-oyster-farmers-choose-where-to-grow/
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Space & Physics
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svg
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7f35867c645c9c72da5b26416b1b9ef5fe207073dbbcb1d1163b6c24e675c442
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2026-01-15T15:47:08+00:00
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Hubble Spies Stellar Blast Setting Clouds Ablaze
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This new NASA Hubble Space Telescope image captures a jet of gas from a forming star shooting across the dark expanse. The bright pink and green patches running diagonally through the image are HH 80/81, a pair of Herbig-Haro (HH) objects previously observed by Hubble in 1995. The patch to the upper left is part of HH 81, and the bottom streak is part of HH 80. Herbig-Haro objects are bright, glowing regions that occur when jets of ionized gas ejected by a newly forming star collide with slower, previously ejected outflows of gas from that star. HH 80/81’s outflow stretches over 32 light-years, making it the largest protostellar outflow known. Protostars are fed by infalling gas from the surrounding environment, some of which can be seen in residual “accretion disks” orbiting the forming star. Ionized material within these disks can interact with the protostars’ strong magnetic fields, which channel some of the particles toward the pole and outward in the form of jets. As the jets eject material at high speeds, they can produce strong shock waves when the particles collide with previously ejected gas. These shocks heat the clouds of gas and excite the atoms, causing them to glow in what we see as HH objects. HH 80/81 are the brightest HH objects known to exist. The source powering these luminous objects is the protostar IRAS 18162-2048. It’s roughly 20 times the mass of the Sun, and it’s the most massive protostar in the entire L291 molecular cloud. From Hubble data, astronomers measured the speed of parts of HH 80/81 to be over 1,000 km/s, the fastest recorded outflow in both radio and visual wavelengths from a young stellar object. Unusually, this is the only HH jet found that is driven by a young, very massive star, rather than a type of young, low-mass star. The sensitivity and resolution of Hubble’s Wide Field Camera 3 was critical to astronomers, allowing them to study fine details, movements, and structural changes of these objects. The HH 80/81 pair lies 5,500 light-years away within the Sagittarius constellation.
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https://www.nasa.gov/image-article/hubble-spies-stellar-blast-setting-clouds-ablaze/
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Space & Physics
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svg
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32effe4ae5597cc8e0dd098753e44a6dd38d531570b2a9e858d126d9ac0335c3
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2026-01-15T13:13:02+00:00
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Hubble’s Album of Planet-Forming Disks
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This collection of new images taken by NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope showcases protoplanetary disks, the swirling masses of gas and dust that surround forming stars, in both visible and infrared wavelengths. Through observations of young stellar objects like these, Hubble helps scientists better understand how stars form. These visible-light images depict dark, planet-forming dust disks around a hidden, newly developing star, called a protostar. Bipolar jets of fast-moving gases, traveling at about 93 miles (150 km) per second, shoot from both ends of the protostar. The top two images are of protostars found about 450 light-years away in the Taurus Molecular Cloud, while the bottom two are almost 500 light-years away in the Chameleon I star-forming region. Stars form out of collapsing clouds of gas and dust. As surrounding gas and dust falls toward the protostar, some of it forms a rotating disk around the star that continues to feed the growing object. Planets form from the remaining gas and dust orbiting the star. The bright yellow regions above and below the spinning disks are reflection nebulae, gas and dust lit up by the light of the star. The jets that are released from the magnetic poles of the stars are an important part of their formation process. The jets, channeled by the protostar’s powerful magnetic fields, disperse angular momentum, which is due to rotational movement of the object. This allows the protostar to spin slowly enough for material to collect. In the images, some of the jets appear to broaden. This occurs when the fast jet collides with the surrounding gas and causes it to glow, an effect called a shock emission. These edge-on views of protostars in infrared light also reveal thick, dusty protoplanetary disks. The dark areas may look like very large disks, but they are actually much wider shadows cast in the surrounding envelope by the central disks. The bright haze throughout the image comes from light scattering off of the surrounding cloud’s dust grains. The top right and bottom left stars reside in the Orion Molecular Cloud complex about 1,300 light-years away, and the top left and bottom right stars lie in the Perseus Molecular Cloud roughly 1,500 light-years away. In its early stages, these disks draw from the dust that remains around the forming stars. Unlike visible light, infrared light can travel through this “protostellar envelope.” The protostars in the visible images above are further along in their evolution, so much of the dusty envelope has dissipated. Otherwise, they could not be seen in visible wavelengths. Viewed in infrared light, the central star is visible through the thick dust of the protoplanetary disks. Bipolar jets are also present but not visible because the hot gas emission isn’t strong enough for Hubble to detect. HOPS 150 in the top right is actually in a binary system, in orbit with another young protostar. HOPS 150’s companion, HOPS 153, is not pictured in this image. From a wider Hubble survey of Orion protostars, including HOPS 150 and HOPS 367, astronomers found that regions with a higher density of stars tend to have more companion stars. They also found a similar number of companions between main-sequence (active, hydrogen-fusing stars) and their younger counterparts. New images added every day between January 12-17, 2026! Follow @NASAHubble on social media for the latest Hubble images and news and see Hubble’s Stellar Construction Zones for more images of young stellar objects. Media Contact: Claire AndreoliNASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MDclaire.andreoli@nasa.gov
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https://science.nasa.gov/missions/hubble/hubbles-album-of-planet-forming-disks/
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Space & Physics
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svg
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da017120259b0667e626ecb82477c9a08eb527df7dd46ab414baf75cf1e01bd2
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2026-01-15T10:59:03+00:00
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NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 Mission Returns, Splashes Down off California
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NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission safely splashed down early Thursday morning in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego, concluding a more than five-month mission aboard the International Space Station. NASA astronauts Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Kimiya Yui, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov returned to Earth at 12:41 a.m. PST. Teams aboard SpaceX recovery vessels retrieved the spacecraft and its crew shortly after landing. “I couldn’t be prouder of our astronauts and the teams on the ground at NASA, SpaceX, and across our international partnerships,” said NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman. “Their professionalism and focus kept the mission on track, even with an adjusted timeline. Crew-11 completed more than 140 science experiments that advance human exploration. Missions like Crew-11 demonstrate the capability inherent in America’s space program—our ability to bring astronauts home as needed, launch new crews quickly, and continue pushing forward on human spaceflight as we prepare for our historic Artemis II mission, from low Earth orbit to the Moon and ultimately Mars.” Crew-11 returned home about a month earlier than planned because of a medical concern teams are monitoring with one of the crew members, who remains stable. Due to medical privacy, it is not appropriate for NASA to share more details about the crew member. Prior to return, NASA previously coordinated for all four crew members to be transported to a local hospital for additional evaluation, taking advantage of medical resources on Earth to provide the best care possible. Following the planned overnight hospital stay, the crew members will return to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston and undergo standard postflight reconditioning and evaluations. The Crew-11 mission lifted off at 11:43 a.m. EDT on Aug.1, 2025, from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. About 15 hours later, the crew’s SpaceX Dragon spacecraft docked to the orbital outpost at 1:27 a.m. CDT on Aug. 2. During their 167-day mission, the four crew members traveled nearly 71 million miles and completed more than 2,670 orbits around Earth. The Crew-11 mission was Fincke’s fourth spaceflight, Yui’s second, and the first for Cardman and Platonov. Fincke has logged 549 days in space, ranking him fourth among all NASA astronauts for cumulative days in space. Along the way, Crew-11 logged hundreds of hours of research, maintenance, and technology demonstrations. The crew members also celebrated the 25th anniversary of continuous human presence aboard the orbiting laboratory on Nov. 2, 2025. Research conducted aboard the space station advances scientific knowledge and demonstrates new technologies that enable us to prepare for human exploration of the Moon and Mars. NASA’s Commercial Crew Program provides reliable access to space, maximizing the use of the International Space Station for research and development by partnering with private U.S. companies, including SpaceX, to transport astronauts to and from the space station. Learn more about NASA’s Commercial Crew Program at: Joshua Finch / Jimi RussellHeadquarters, Washington202-358-1100joshua.a.finch@nasa.gov / james.j.russell@nasa.gov Sandra Jones / Joseph ZakrzewskiJohnson Space Center, Houston281-483-5111sandra.p.jones@nasa.gov / joseph.a.zakrzewski@nasa.gov Steven SiceloffKennedy Space Center, Florida321-867-2468steven.p.siceloff@nasa.gov
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https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasas-spacex-crew-11-mission-returns-splashes-down-off-california/
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Space & Physics
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svg
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5e2aa2333534b14ab6ca58abc4bc1cc476775c42e8b5a517b028ce9e79d9ec59
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2026-01-15T05:01:00+00:00
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Clouds Swimming over Lago Argentino
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When an astronaut aboard the International Space Station snapped this photograph of Lago Argentino in Patagonia on December 27, 2025, a school of fish-shaped clouds lingered over the glacial lake’s teal waters. Determining the clouds’ type and origin from the photograph alone is challenging, but several NASA scientists and university researchers offered a theory after reviewing the image. “The lens shape reminds me of lenticular clouds, which usually form near or over mountains,” said Maria Hakuba, a research scientist in the aerosols and clouds group at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. “The edges of the cloud also look quite smooth rather than ‘fuzzy,’ which suggests they’re ice clouds that are relatively high up.” Lenticular clouds form as a result of lee waves, which develop when prevailing winds are forced up and over a topographic barrier, often a mountain range, and when the overlying air is stable. Air expands and cools at the crest of the waves, causing vapor to condense and form cloud droplets. Conversely, air on the other side of the waves descends, warming the air and causing the cloud to evaporate. The result is a set of seemingly stationary clouds that hover in place downwind of mountains. Lenticular clouds are often eye-catching, sometimes described as having shapes like almonds, upside-down dinner plates, lentils, flying saucers, or stacks of pancakes. Hazem Mahmoud, a data science lead at NASA’s Langley Research Center, agreed that the clouds were likely lenticular and offered additional insight. MODIS (Moderate Resolution Spectroradiometer) data suggest cloud-top altitudes near 9,200 meters (30,000 feet) and cloud-top temperatures around 220 Kelvin, along with relatively large particle sizes consistent with the presence of ice crystals, he said. “The high altitude and microphysical properties suggest Cirrocumulus lenticularis,” he said. Strong surface-level winds common in Patagonia likely swept across the glacial lakes of Los Glaciares National Park, forcing unusually moist air over the Andes, producing the lens-shaped clouds. Sublimation—the conversion of ice directly into water vapor—of glacial ice likely contributed to their formation by adding extra moisture into the air, he added. Wind shear and turbulence may have caused the elongated, trailing appearance that made the clouds resemble a school of fish, Mahmoud explained. These forces stretched and organized the clouds horizontally above the lake, while shadows cast onto the landscape accentuated their forms. “Together these clouds tell a remarkable story of interaction between the lake’s moisture source, the Andes’ dynamic topography, and atmospheric circulation,” he said. Santiago Gassó, an atmospheric scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, agreed they were likely lenticular clouds, citing the environmental context and Patagonia’s reputation as a hotspot for lenticular cloud formation. “Very often the clouds here are stationary and trapped by lee waves on the downwind side of the mountains,” Gassó said. “They often don’t precipitate because most of the moisture gets left on the west side of the mountain.” The stereotypical image of lenticular clouds is that they sit stationary at the top of mountains, but in reality, they tend to drift away “depending on the turbulence and flow,” he added. All three scientists agreed that without analyzing more data, it’s hard to say definitively whether the cloud is lenticular or a type of cumulus. The challenge with a single astronaut photograph or satellite image is that we largely see the cloud-top properties, Mahmoud said. “If we also had lidar or cloud radar data, we could measure the vertical structure and thickness and more confidently differentiate a thin lenticular layer from a deep cumulonimbus column,” he said. Whether cumulus or lenticular, it’s a coincidence that “fish” is the name atmospheric scientists sometimes use to describe formations of a type of shallow convective cloud found over the ocean. It was one of the patterns, along with “sugar,” “gravel,” and “flowers,” identified by a team of researchers who analyzed decades of MODIS cloud observations. Readers with a penchant for cloud classification can participate in GLOBE Clouds, a GLOBE citizen science project that makes it possible for students and members of the public to contribute to NASA research projects. As part of the project, participants have the opportunity to use Clouds Wizard, a feature that guides users through cloud identification with a series of interactive questions, animations, and photos. Astronaut photograph ISS074-E-8940 was acquired on December 27, 2025, with a Nikon Z9 digital camera using a focal length of 116 millimeters. It is provided by the ISS Crew Earth Observations Facility and the Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit at NASA Johnson Space Center. The image was taken by a member of the Expedition 74 crew. The image has been cropped and enhanced to improve contrast, and lens artifacts have been removed. The International Space Station Program supports the laboratory as part of the ISS National Lab to help astronauts take pictures of Earth that will be of the greatest value to scientists and the public, and to make those images freely available on the Internet. Additional images taken by astronauts and cosmonauts can be viewed at the NASA/JSC Gateway to Astronaut Photography of Earth. Story by Adam Voiland.
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https://science.nasa.gov/earth/earth-observatory/clouds-swimming-over-lago-argentino/
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Space & Physics
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svg
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42ce953fec8a7531f280558d65c6aa9f9a730ff6cfa29c3b77d94b7e0302584b
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2026-01-14T22:26:49+00:00
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Coverage, Briefing Set for NASA’s Artemis II Moon Rocket Roll to Pad
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NASA’s integrated SLS (Space Launch System) rocket and Orion spacecraft for the Artemis II mission is inching closer to launch – literally. The agency is targeting no earlier than 7 a.m. EST, Saturday, Jan. 17, to begin the multi-hour trek from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. A pre rollout mission news conference, live feed of rollout, and a media gaggle will stream on NASA’s YouTube channel. Individual streams for each of these events will be available from that page. Learn how to stream NASA content through a variety of online platforms, including social media. The time of rollout is subject to change if additional time is needed for technical preparations or weather. All times are Eastern. Events are as follows: Friday, Jan. 16: 12 p.m.: Artemis II Rollout, Mission Overview News Conference Saturday, Jan. 17: 7 a.m.: Rollout, Artemis II Live Views from Kennedy Space Center feed begins 9 a.m.: Artemis II Crew Rollout Media Event NASA’s crawler-transporter 2 will carry the 11-million-pound stack at about one mile per hour along the four-mile route from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39B, on a journey that will take up to 12 hours. To participate in the news conference by telephone, media must RSVP no later than two hours before the start to: ksc-newsroom@mail.nasa.gov. These events will be open in-person only to media previously credentialed for launch. The deadline has passed for in-person accreditation for Artemis II events at Kennedy. Rollout to the pad marks another milestone leading up to the Artemis II mission. In the coming weeks, NASA will complete final preparations of the rocket and, if needed, rollback SLS and Orion to the Vehicle Assembly Building for additional work. While the Artemis II launch window opens as early as Friday, Feb. 6, the mission management team will assess flight readiness after the wet dress rehearsal across the spacecraft, launch infrastructure, and the crew and operations teams before selecting a launch date. Follow NASA’s Artemis blog for mission updates. Through Artemis, NASA will send astronauts to explore the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, and to build the foundation for the first crewed missions to Mars. Learn more about Artemis at: Rachel Kraft / Lauren LowHeadquarters, Washington202-358-1600rachel.h.kraft@nasa.gov / lauren.e.low@nasa.gov Tiffany FairleyKennedy Space Center, Fla.321-867-2468tiffany.l.fairley@nasa.gov
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https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/coverage-briefing-set-for-nasas-artemis-ii-moon-rocket-roll-to-pad/
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Space & Physics
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svg
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64769e96fb27c652a274769a1e20a9ec40f00ca56c6aa0126f911dd5a87b8b86
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2026-01-14T18:55:06+00:00
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New York–Newark–Jersey City Metropolitan Area
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The New York–Newark–Jersey City Metropolitan Statistical Area, which spans 23 counties across New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut and has a population of about 19.9 million, is pictured at approximately 3:29 a.m. local time Dec. 20, 2025, from the International Space Station as it orbited 262 miles above the Atlantic coast. Crew members aboard the orbital lab have produced hundreds of thousands of images of the land, oceans, and atmosphere of Earth, and even of the Moon through Crew Earth Observations. Their photographs of Earth record how the planet changes over time due to human activity and natural events. This allows scientists to monitor disasters and direct response on the ground and study a number of phenomena, from the movement of glaciers to urban wildlife. Image credit: NASA
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https://www.nasa.gov/image-article/new-york-newark-jersey-city-metropolitan-area/
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Space & Physics
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svg
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db8b7ef9b9a46509fe108f450b512e0d6aa725e393ba41ded65bec9ec619c010
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2026-01-15T16:46:26
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New spectroscopic method reveals ion's complex nuclear structure
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Different atoms and ions possess characteristic energy levels. Like a fingerprint, they are unique for each species. Among them, the atomic ion 173Yb+ has attracted growing interest because of its particularly rich energy structure, which is promising for applications in quantum technologies and searches for so-called new physics. On the flip side, the complex structure that makes 173Yb+ interesting has long prevented detailed investigations of this ion.
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https://phys.org/news/2026-01-spectroscopic-method-reveals-ion-complex.html
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Space & Physics
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70b27ab9770221d4c7ccaad319f2115fcd16761f242e1356ea7ab8e89dd4cf41
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2026-01-15T16:26:38
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New microscopy technique preserves the cell's natural conditions
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Researchers at Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT-Italian Institute of Technology) have developed an innovative microscopy technique capable of improving the observation of living cells. The study, published in Optics Letters, paves the way for a more in-depth analysis of numerous biological processes without the need for contrast agents. The next step will be to enhance this technique using artificial intelligence, opening the door to a new generation of optical microscopy methods capable of combining direct imaging with innovative molecular information.
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https://phys.org/news/2026-01-microscopy-technique-cell-natural-conditions.html
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Space & Physics
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048225858fb64ee41948608f9cf0e3956a1b4eafe69cb781c363d2bbb889482b
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2026-01-15T15:40:41
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Wormholes may not exist—we've found they reveal something deeper about time and the universe
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Wormholes are often imagined as tunnels through space or time—shortcuts across the universe. But this image rests on a misunderstanding of work by physicists Albert Einstein and Nathan Rosen.
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https://phys.org/news/2026-01-wormholes-weve-reveal-deeper-universe.html
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Space & Physics
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a68c95e24e456aabe706411588b6664a4a02dccfb31ad46372c9670c1a34593e
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2026-01-15T13:00:51
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Efficient cooling method could enable chip-based quantum computers
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Quantum computers could rapidly solve complex problems that would take the most powerful classical supercomputers decades to unravel. But they'll need to be large and stable enough to efficiently perform operations. To meet this challenge, researchers at MIT and elsewhere are developing quantum computers based on ultra-compact photonic chips. These chip-based systems offer a scalable alternative to some existing quantum computers, which rely on bulky optical equipment.
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https://phys.org/news/2026-01-efficient-cooling-method-enable-chip.html
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Space & Physics
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f1524b3b8cab7fbc8d48dec013e00c52f1df22dc1758d34082361f9b2b1ed9aa
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2026-01-15T11:00:06
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Overcoming symmetry limits in photovoltaics through surface engineering
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A recent study carried out by researchers from EHU, the Materials Physics Center, nanoGUNE, and DIPC introduces a novel approach to solar energy conversion and spintronics. The work tackles a long-standing limitation in the bulk photovoltaic effect—the need for non-centrosymmetric crystals—by demonstrating that even perfectly symmetric materials can generate significant photocurrents through engineered surface electronic states. This discovery opens new pathways for designing efficient light-to-electricity conversion systems and ultrafast spintronic devices.
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https://phys.org/news/2026-01-symmetry-limits-photovoltaics-surface.html
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Space & Physics
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79b4928ddd7ff7c36cd7e4019273dc0d3c9b4a974e22c73a917c227882e89103
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2026-01-15T10:30:01
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Turning crystal flaws into quantum highways: A new route towards scalable solid-state qubits
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Building large-scale quantum technologies requires reliable ways to connect individual quantum bits (qubits) without destroying their fragile quantum states. In a new theoretical study, published in npj Computational Materials, researchers show that crystal dislocations—line defects long regarded as imperfections—can instead serve as powerful building blocks for quantum interconnects.
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https://phys.org/news/2026-01-crystal-flaws-quantum-highways-route.html
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Space & Physics
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936dad80d845089a772ac5c3ec3d1e0259807895ea6eb09051f1dd502880f999
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2026-01-15T08:00:06
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Slowing down muon decay with short laser pulses
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Muons are unstable subatomic particles that spontaneously and rapidly transform into other particles via a process known as electroweak decay. Altering the speed with which muons decay into other particles was so far deemed a challenging quest, requiring very strong electromagnetic fields that cannot be produced in conventional laboratory settings.
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https://phys.org/news/2026-01-muon-decay-short-laser-pulses.html
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Space & Physics
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aa1a14f96cfd246caa26e4a5ad0c79b621f871f1d6666115f1de8791c69c4f08
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2026-01-15T08:00:01
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Temporal anti-parity–time symmetry offers new way to steer energy through systems
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The movement of waves, patterns that carry sound, light or heat, through materials has been widely studied by physicists, as it has implications for the development of numerous modern technologies. In several materials, the movement of waves depends on a physical property known as parity-time (PT) symmetry, which combines mirror-like spatial symmetry with a symmetry in a system's behavior when time runs forward and backwards.
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https://phys.org/news/2026-01-temporal-anti-paritytime-symmetry-energy.html
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Space & Physics
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f5c18d9d53e0608c9bba45917a332f41c5febcc4506c7bf6b1d9103dcc03ca68
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2026-01-14T16:59:30
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Tuning spin waves—using commercially available devices at room temperature
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Physicist Davide Bossini from the University of Konstanz has recently demonstrated how to change the frequency of the collective magnetic oscillations of a material by up to 40%—using commercially available devices at room temperature.
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https://phys.org/news/2026-01-tuning-commercially-devices-room-temperature.html
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Space & Physics
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49248abb4ae02f879ba760d69e937d918ae6d808cc17358300042a1f1fa36ea9
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2026-01-14T16:30:51
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Neutral-atom arrays, a rapidly emerging quantum computing platform, get a boost from researchers
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For quantum computers to outperform their classical counterparts, they need more quantum bits, or qubits. State-of-the-art quantum computers have around 1,000 qubits. Columbia physicists Sebastian Will and Nanfang Yu have their sights set much higher.
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https://phys.org/news/2026-01-neutral-atom-arrays-rapidly-emerging.html
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Space & Physics
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653a8d6b37aeda5cdf47eb6cf2fdfad5d7dcd026a3379ea006f1cb7c8349e159
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2026-01-14T13:09:16
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Quantum simulator reveals how vibrations steer energy flow in molecules
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Researchers led by Rice University's Guido Pagano used a specialized quantum device to simulate a vibrating molecule and track how energy moves within it. The work, published Dec. 5 in Nature Communications, could improve understanding of basic mechanisms behind phenomena such as photosynthesis and solar energy conversion.
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https://phys.org/news/2026-01-quantum-simulator-reveals-vibrations-energy.html
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Space & Physics
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68ef5a6a533421fc099320bdf421f9a5465b94d2263682fafa68b201fd4948a0
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2026-01-14T10:00:03
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Physics of foam strangely resembles AI training
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Foams are everywhere: soap suds, shaving cream, whipped toppings and food emulsions like mayonnaise. For decades, scientists believed that foams behave like glass, their microscopic components trapped in static, disordered configurations.
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https://phys.org/news/2026-01-physics-foam-strangely-resembles-ai.html
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Space & Physics
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13bee43020fb104b6f7651686f0998d8f6bde64ee153347acd53895bb4c98808
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2026-01-14T09:50:01
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New state of matter discovered in a quantum material
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At TU Wien, researchers have discovered a state in a quantum material that had previously been considered impossible. The definition of topological states should be generalized.
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https://phys.org/news/2026-01-state-quantum-material.html
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Space & Physics
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72490904adea64a4ade2163edbe4c003ddb23d84fe00da13e90059a2c452a7cf
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2026-01-13T21:20:03
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Taming heat: Novel solution enables unprecedented control of heat conduction
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Prof. Gal Shmuel of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering at the Technion—Israel Institute of Technology has developed an innovative approach that enables precise control of heat conduction in ways that do not occur naturally.
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https://phys.org/news/2026-01-solution-enables-unprecedented.html
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Space & Physics
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e86413479c2bff82dfee311887d1fc62607f66a3aff34954138e4608de8f7f5d
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2026-01-13T17:20:21
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Magnetic fields slow carbon migration in iron by altering energy barriers, study shows
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Professor Dallas Trinkle and colleagues have provided the first quantitative explanation for how magnetic fields slow carbon atom movement through iron, a phenomenon first observed in the 1970s but never fully understood. Published in Physical Review Letters, their computer simulations reveal that magnetic field alignment changes the energy barriers between atomic "cages," offering potential pathways to reduce the energy costs and CO2 emissions associated with steel processing.
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https://phys.org/news/2026-01-magnetic-fields-carbon-migration-iron.html
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Space & Physics
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e1b93437b91a7d4fa24f509a05535649950021ef51185b95cb371eb3c10bd18c
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2026-01-13T16:16:25
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Deformable lens enables real-time correction of image aberrations in single-pixel microscopy
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Researchers from the Optics Group at the Universitat Jaume I in Castellón have managed to correct in real time problems related to image aberrations in single-pixel microscopy using a recent technology: programmable deformable lenses. The new method was described by the research team in an open-access article recently published in Nature Communications and is part of the development of the European CONcISE project.
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https://phys.org/news/2026-01-deformable-lens-enables-real-image.html
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Space & Physics
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ec328290cb63e0cda2cc6ff0ab6f11e869a8de4676277886603cf88cd1ab7b7b
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2026-01-13T16:13:37
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Scientists demonstrate low-cost, high-quality lenses for super-resolution microscopy
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Researchers have shown that consumer-grade 3D printers and low-cost materials can be used to produce multi-element optical components that enable super-resolution imaging, with each lens costing less than $1 to produce. The new fabrication approach is poised to broaden access to fully customizable optical parts and could enable completely new types of imaging tools.
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https://phys.org/news/2026-01-scientists-high-quality-lenses-super.html
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Space & Physics
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a5b5e0f0a86287d16cf554add12a7df051f1697c1f1e9458a6711adac901423a
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2026-01-13T14:59:25
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First standalone spin-wave chip operates without external magnets for future telecom
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The Politecnico di Milano has created the first integrated and fully tunable device based on spin waves, opening up new possibilities for the telecommunications of the future, far beyond current 5G and 6G standards. The study, published in the journal Advanced Materials, was conducted by a research group led by Riccardo Bertacco of the Department of Physics of the Politecnico di Milano, in collaboration with Philipp Pirro of Rheinland-Pfälzische Technische Universität and Silvia Tacchi of Istituto Officina dei Materiali—CNR-IOM.
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https://phys.org/news/2026-01-standalone-chip-external-magnets-future.html
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Space & Physics
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246709de140337f0537432ed53a3e7f2fd1919a1d7a8a8b62e4aef5d631118f6
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2026-01-13T14:22:30
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A dry surface thanks to fluid physics: Contact-free method gently remove liquids from delicate microstructures
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Researchers at the University of Konstanz have developed a gentle, contact-free method to collect liquids and remove them from microscopic surface structures. The method uses vapor condensation to generate surface currents that transport droplets off surfaces.
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https://phys.org/news/2026-01-dry-surface-fluid-physics-contact.html
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Space & Physics
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4b601518f919de3415384718d22c5fd90b8e8cee5c2420dba11874ec5b2e1624
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2026-01-13T13:05:04
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Fluid gears rotate without teeth, offering new mechanical flexibility
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A team of New York University scientists has created a gear mechanism that relies on fluids to generate rotation. The invention holds potential for a new generation of mechanical devices that offer greater flexibility and durability than do existing gears—whose origins date back to ancient China.
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https://phys.org/news/2026-01-fluid-gears-rotate-teeth-mechanical.html
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Space & Physics
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eba1d211966d7491ef0f66234c13ad677946cee6569608ab288566e5b5bbc7cf
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2026-01-13T11:48:35
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This crystal sings back: Study sheds light on magnetochiral instability
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Researchers from The Grainger College of Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have reported the first observation of a dynamic magnetochiral instability in a solid-state material. Their findings, published in Nature Physics, bridge ideas from nuclear and high-energy physics with materials science and condensed matter physics to explain how the interplay between symmetry and magnetism can amplify electromagnetic waves.
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https://phys.org/news/2026-01-crystal-magnetochiral-instability.html
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Space & Physics
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5dbbe565c9f8da63900e1962cd1f577336da98530bdd2c890c8b16e67c49241c
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2026-01-13T10:15:27
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Quantum-dot device can generate multiple frequency-entangled photons
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Researchers have designed a new device that can efficiently create multiple frequency-entangled photons, a feat that cannot be achieved with today's optical devices. The new approach could open a path to more powerful quantum communication and computing technologies.
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https://phys.org/news/2026-01-quantum-dot-device-generate-multiple.html
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Space & Physics
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f1b628eb73fc228c2b704a9001bbfc670969ed2766332b4813ab50ede01f7400
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2026-01-13T09:20:01
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Scientists realize a three-qubit quantum register in a silicon photonic chip
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Quantum technologies are highly promising devices that process, transfer or store information leveraging quantum mechanical effects. Instead of relying on bits, like classical computers, quantum devices rely on entangled qubits, units of information that can also exist in multiple states (0 and 1) at once.
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https://phys.org/news/2026-01-scientists-qubit-quantum-register-silicon.html
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Space & Physics
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6aca74aa76b04c2756018ce7f05fbf97bd2339f0a726184d6c74073685513083
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2026-01-15T08:36:20
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Electrons stop acting like particles—and physics still works
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Physicists have long relied on the idea that electrons behave like tiny particles zipping through materials, even though quantum physics says their exact position is fundamentally uncertain. Now, researchers at TU Wien have discovered something surprising: a material where this particle picture completely breaks down can still host exotic topological states—features once thought to depend on particle-like behavior.
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https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/01/260115022758.htm
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Space & Physics
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svg
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34ef151ce4a6115682baf36b9171da8fb9826c710a19efeba1e4def22cad97c2
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2026-01-15T00:42:07
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New research challenges the cold dark matter assumption
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Dark matter, one of the Universe’s greatest mysteries, may have been born blazing hot instead of cold and sluggish as scientists long believed. New research shows that dark matter particles could have been moving near the speed of light shortly after the Big Bang, only to cool down later and still help form galaxies. By focusing on a chaotic early era known as post-inflationary reheating, researchers reveal that “red-hot” dark matter could survive long enough to become the calm, structure-building force we see today.
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https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/01/260114084113.htm
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Space & Physics
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svg
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6491cb49522c06b26bb6ad5d6bad5e56b306cd4b50681cacbc0b11cbebd0eeee
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2026-01-13T05:57:21
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This strange form of water may power giant planets’ magnetic fields
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At extreme pressures and temperatures, water becomes superionic — a solid that behaves partly like a liquid and conducts electricity. This unusual form is believed to shape the magnetic fields of Uranus and Neptune and may be the most common type of water in the solar system. New high-precision experiments show its atomic structure is far messier than expected, combining multiple crystal patterns instead of one clean arrangement. The finding reshapes models of icy planets both near and far.
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https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/01/260112214308.htm
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Space & Physics
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ac44d8b565a3b8441a9f87edeaaf4135af373ae8e10d4d2759ef4a07e7c63407
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2026-01-15T09:15:21+00:00
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RFID-tagged drug capsule lets doctors know when it has been swallowed
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Taking medication as and when prescribed is crucial for it to have the desired effect. But nearly half of people with chronic conditions don’t adhere to their medication regimes, a serious problem that leads to preventable deaths, drug resistance and increased healthcare costs. So how can medical professionals ensure that patients are taking their medicine as prescribed? A team at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has come up with a solution: a drug capsule containing an RFID tag that uses radiofrequency (RF) signals to communicate that it has been swallowed, and then bioresorbs into the body. “Medication non-adherence remains a major cause of preventable morbidity and cost, but existing ingestible tracking systems rely on non-degradable electronics,” explains project leader Giovanni Traverso. “Our motivation was to create a passive, battery-free adherence sensor that confirms ingestion while fully biodegrading, avoiding long-term safety and environmental concerns associated with persistent electronic devices.” The device – named SAFARI (smart adherence via Faraday cage and resorbable ingestible) – incorporates an RFID tag with a zinc foil RF antenna and an RF chip, as well as the drug payload, inside an ingestible gelatin capsule. The capsule is coated with a mixture of cellulose and molybdenum particles, which blocks the transit of any RF signals. Once swallowed, however, this shielding layer breaks down in the stomach. The RFID tag (which can be preprogrammed with information such as dose metadata, manufacturing details and unique ID) can then be wirelessly queried by an external reader and return a signal from inside the body confirming that the medication has been ingested. The capsule itself dissolves upon exposure to digestive fluids, releasing the desired medication; the metal antenna components also dissolve completely in the stomach. The use of biodegradable materials is key as it eliminates the need for device retrieval and minimizes the risk of gastrointestinal (GI) blockage. The tiny (0.16 mm²) RFID chip remains intact and should safely leave the body through the GI tract. Traverso suggests that the first clinical applications for the SAFARI capsule will likely be high-risk settings in which objective ingestion confirmation is particularly valuable. “[This includes] tuberculosis, HIV, transplant immunosuppression or cardiovascular therapies, where missed doses can have serious clinical consequences,” he tells Physics World. To assess the degradation of the SAFARI capsule and its components in vitro, Traverso and colleagues placed the capsule into simulated gastric fluid at physiological temperature (37 °C). The RF shielding coating dissolved in 10–20 min, while the capsule and the zinc layer in the RFID tag disintegrated into pieces after one day. Next, the team endoscopically delivered the SAFARI capsules into the stomachs of sedated pigs, chosen as they have a similar sized GI tract to humans. Once in contact with gastric fluid in the stomach, the capsule coating swelled and then partially dissolved (as seen using endoscopic images), exposing the RFID tag. The researchers found that, in general, the tag and capsule parts disintegrated in the stomach at up to 24 h later. A panel antenna positioned 10 cm from the animal captured the tag data. Even with the RFID tags immersed in gastric fluid, the external receiver could effectively record signals in the frequency range of 900–925 MHz, with RSSI (received signal strength indicator) values ranging from 65 to 78 dB – demonstrating that the tag could effectively transmit RF signals from inside the stomach. The researchers conclude that this successful use of SAFARI in swine indicates the potential for translation to clinical research. They note that the device should be safe for human ingestion as its composite materials meet established dietary and biomedical exposure limits, with levels of zinc and molybdenum orders of magnitude below those associated with toxicity. “We have demonstrated robust performance and safety in large-animal models, which is an important translational milestone,” explains first author Mehmet Girayhan Say. “Before human studies, further work is needed on chronic exposure with characterization of any material accumulation upon repeated dosing, as well as user-centred integration of external readers to support real-world clinical workflows.” The post RFID-tagged drug capsule lets doctors know when it has been swallowed appeared first on Physics World.
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https://physicsworld.com/a/rfid-tagged-drug-capsule-lets-doctors-know-when-it-has-been-swallowed/
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Space & Physics
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a1edb69949d2c28d6105a25ada6c48496fd2424e28e2586417734230acca63a3
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2026-01-14T16:00:47+00:00
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Quantum state teleported between quantum dots at telecoms wavelengths
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Physicists at the University of Stuttgart, Germany have teleported a quantum state between photons generated by two different semiconductor quantum dot light sources located several metres apart. Though the distance involved in this proof-of-principle “quantum repeater” experiment is small, members of the team describe the feat as a prerequisite for future long-distance quantum communications networks. “Our result is particularly exciting because such a quantum Internet will encompass these types of distant quantum nodes and will require quantum states that are transmitted among these different nodes,” explains Tim Strobel, a PhD student at Stuttgart’s Institute of Semiconductor Optics and Functional Interfaces (IHFG) and the lead author of a paper describing the research. “It is therefore an important step in showing that remote sources can be effectively interfaced in this way in quantum teleportation experiments.” In the Stuttgart study, one of the quantum dots generates a single photon while the other produces a pair of photons that are entangled – meaning that the quantum state of one photon is closely linked to the state of the other, no matter how far apart they are. One of the photons in the entangled pair then travels to the other quantum dot and interferes with the photon there. This process produces a superposition that allows the information encapsulated in the single photon to be transferred to the distant “partner” photon from the pair. Strobel says the most challenging part of the experiment was making photons from two remote quantum dots interfere with each other. Such interference is only possible if the two particles are indistinguishable, meaning they must be similar in every regard, be it in their temporal shape, spatial shape or wavelength. In contrast, each quantum dot is unique, especially in terms of its spectral properties, and each one emits photons at slightly different wavelengths. To close the gap, the team used devices called quantum frequency converters to precisely tune the wavelength of the photons and match them spectrally. The researchers also used the converters to shift the original wavelengths of the photons emitted from the quantum dots (around 780 nm) to a wavelength commonly used in telecommunications (1515 nm) without altering the quantum state of the photons. This offers further advantages: “Being at telecommunication wavelengths makes the technology compatible with the existing global optical fibre network, an important step towards real-life applications,” Strobel tells Physics World. In this work, the quantum dots were separated by an optical fibre just 10 m in length. However, the researchers aim to push this to considerably greater distances in the future. Strobel notes that the Stuttgart study was published in Nature Communications back-to-back with an independent work carried out by researchers led by Rinaldo Trotta of Sapienza University in Rome, Italy. The Rome-based group demonstrated quantum state teleportation across the Sapienza University campus at shorter wavelengths, enabled by the brightness of their quantum-dot source. “These two papers that we published independently strengthen the measurement outcomes, demonstrating the maturity of quantum dot light sources in this domain,” Strobel says. Semiconducting quantum dots are particularly attractive for this application, he adds, because as well as producing both single and entangled photons on demand, they are also compatible with other semiconductor technologies. Simone Luca Portalupi, who leads the quantum optics group at IHFG, notes that “several years of fundamental research and semiconductor technology are converging into these quantum teleportation experiments”. For Peter Michler, who led the study team, the next step is to leverage these advances to bring quantum-dot-based teleportation technology out of a controlled laboratory environment and into the real world. Strobel points out that there is already some precedent for this, as one of the group’s previous studies showed that they could maintain photon entanglement across a 36-km fibre link deployed across the city of Stuttgart. “The natural next step would be to show that we can teleport the state of a photon across this deployed fibre link,” he says. “Our results will stimulate us to improve each building block of the experiment, from the sample to the setup.” The post Quantum state teleported between quantum dots at telecoms wavelengths appeared first on Physics World.
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https://physicsworld.com/a/quantum-state-teleported-between-quantum-dots-at-telecoms-wavelengths/
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Space & Physics
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0bce27b2d33c633a0a0e51b5e0b82786f1ecef9cc943cf87eb0c732e95506a89
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2026-01-14T14:02:04+00:00
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Quantum metrology at NPL: we explore the challenges and opportunities
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This episode of the Physics World Weekly podcast features a conversation with Tim Prior and John Devaney of the National Physical Laboratory (NPL), which is the UK’s national metrology institute. Prior is NPL’s quantum programme manager and Devaney is its quantum standards manager. They talk about NPL’s central role in the recent launch of NMI-Q, which brings together some of the world’s leading national metrology institutes to accelerate the development and adoption of quantum technologies. Prior and Devaney describe the challenges and opportunities of developing metrology and standards for rapidly evolving technologies including quantum sensors, quantum computing and quantum cryptography. They talk about the importance of NPL’s collaborations with industry and academia and explore the diverse career opportunities for physicists at NPL. Prior and Devaney also talk about their own careers and share their enthusiasm for working in the cutting-edge and fast-paced field of quantum metrology. This podcast is sponsored by the National Physical Laboratory. Why quantum metrology is the driving force for best practice in quantum standardization Performance metrics and benchmarks point the way to practical quantum advantage End note: NPL retains copyright on this article. The post Quantum metrology at NPL: we explore the challenges and opportunities appeared first on Physics World.
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https://physicsworld.com/a/quantum-metrology-at-npl-we-explore-the-challenges-and-opportunities/
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Space & Physics
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3a2a6183f9052659791d82cd21964f3f5102b35df6b4f92339c5b6e1159b9b25
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2026-01-14T12:56:38+00:00
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Mapping electron phases in nanotube arrays
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Carbon nanotube arrays are designed to investigate the behaviour of electrons in low‑dimensional systems. By arranging well‑aligned 1D nanotubes into a 2D film, the researchers create a coupled‑wire structure that allows them to study how electrons move and interact as the system transitions between different dimensionalities. Using a gate electrode positioned on top of the array, the researchers were able to tune both the carrier density (number of electrons and holes in a unit area) and the strength of electron–electron interactions, enabling controlled access to regimes. The nanotubes behave as weakly coupled 1D channels where electrons move along each nanotube, as a 2D Fermi liquid where the electrons can move between nanotubes behaving like a conventional metal, or as a set of quantum‑dot‑like islands showing Coulomb blockade where at low carrier densities sections of the nanotubes become isolated. The dimensional transitions are set by two key temperatures: T₂D, where electrons begin to hop between neighbouring nanotubes, and T₁D, where the system behaves as a Luttinger liquid which is a 1D state in which electrons cannot easily pass each other and therefore move in a strongly correlated, collective way. Changing the number of holes in the nanotubes changes how strongly the tubes interact with each other. This controls when the system stops acting like separate 1D wires and when strong interactions make parts of the film break up into isolated regions that show Coulomb blockade. The researchers built a phase diagram by looking at how the conductance changes with temperature and voltage, and by checking how well it follows power‑law behaviour at different energy ranges. This approach allows them to identify the boundaries between Tomonaga–Luttinger liquid, Fermi liquid and Coulomb blockade phases across a wide range of gate voltages and temperatures. Overall, the work demonstrates a continuous crossover between 2D, 1D and 0D electronic behaviour in a controllable nanotube array. This provides an experimentally accessible platform for studying correlated low‑dimensional physics and offers insights relevant to the development of nanoscale electronic devices and future carbon nanotube technologies. Dimensionality and correlation effects in coupled carbon nanotube arrays Xiaosong Deng et al 2025 Rep. Prog. Phys. 88 088001 Do you want to learn more about this topic? Structural approach to charge density waves in low-dimensional systems: electronic instability and chemical bonding Jean-Paul Pouget and Enric Canadell (2024) The post Mapping electron phases in nanotube arrays appeared first on Physics World.
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https://physicsworld.com/a/mapping-electron-phases-in-nanotube-arrays/
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Space & Physics
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a132a26a97a98ce6471ae4285bd9021cb0ac0011fffc5715b75bea9d41f3bc44
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2026-01-14T12:54:38+00:00
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CMS spots hints of a new form of top‑quark matter
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The CMS Collaboration investigated in detail events in which a top quark and an anti‑top quark are produced together in high‑energy proton–proton collisions at √s = 13 TeV, using the full 138 fb⁻¹ dataset collected between 2016 and 2018. The top quark is the heaviest fundamental particle and decays almost immediately after being produced in high-energy collisions. As a consequence, the formation of a bound top–antitop state was long considered highly unlikely and had never been observed. The anti-top quark has the same mass and lifetime as the top quark but opposite charges. When a top quark and an anti-top quark are produced together, they form a top-antitop pair (tt̄). Focusing on events with two charged leptons (top quarks and anti-top quarks decay into two electrons, two muons or one electron and one muon) and multiple jets (sprays of particles associated with top quark decay), the analysis examines the invariant mass of the top–antitop system along with two angular observables that directly probe how the spins of the top and anti‑top quarks are correlated. These measurements allow the team to compare the data with the prediction for the non resonant tt̄ production based on fixed order perturbative quantum chromodynamics (QCD), which is what physicists normally use to calculate how quarks behave according to the standard model of particle physics. Near the kinematic threshold where the top–antitop pair is produced, CMS observes a significant excess of events relative to the QCD prediction. The number of extra events they see can be translated into a production rate. Using a simplified model based on non‑relativistic QCD, they estimate that this excess corresponds to a cross section of about 8.8 picobarns, with an uncertainty of roughly +1.2/–1.4 picobarns. The pattern of the excess, including its spin‑correlation features, is consistent with the production of a colour singlet pseudoscalar (a top–antitop pair in the 1S₀ state, i.e. the simplest, lowest energy configuration), and therefore with the prediction of non-relativistic QCD near the tt̄ threshold. The statistical significance of the excess exceeds five standard deviations, indicating that the effect is unlikely to be a statistical fluctuation. Researchers want to find a toponium‑like state because it would reveal how the strongest force in nature behaves at the highest energies, test key theories of heavy‑quark physics, and potentially expose new physics beyond the Standard Model. The researchers emphasise that modelling the tt̄ threshold region is theoretically challenging, and that alternative explanations remain possible. Nonetheless, the result aligns with long‑standing predictions from non‑relativistic QCD that heavy quarks could form short‑lived bound states near threshold. The analysis also showcases spin correlation as an effective means to discover and characterise such effects, which were previously considered to be beyond the reach of experimental capabilities. Starting with the confirmation by the ATLAS Collaboration last July, this observation has sparked and continues to inspire follow-up theoretical follow-up theoretical and experimental works, opening up a new field of study involving bound states of heavy quarks and providing new insight into the behaviour of the strong force at high energies. Observation of a pseudoscalar excess at the top quark pair production threshold The CMS Collaboration 2025 Rep. Prog. Phys. 88 087801 Do you want to learn more about this topic? The sea of quarks and antiquarks in the nucleon D F Geesaman and P E Reimer (2019) The post CMS spots hints of a new form of top‑quark matter appeared first on Physics World.
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https://physicsworld.com/a/cms-spots-hints-of-a-new-form-of-top-quark-matter/
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Space & Physics
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be9cfadb5de21bdef8ec776f939e919ba31a9cb2d319d8ed74f031b63b848969
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2026-01-14T12:00:17+00:00
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Photonics West explores the future of optical technologies
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The 2026 SPIE Photonics West meeting takes place in San Francisco, California, from 17 to 22 January. The premier event for photonics research and technology, Photonics West incorporates more than 100 technical conferences covering topics including lasers, biomedical optics, optoelectronics, quantum technologies and more. As well as the conferences, Photonics West also offers 60 technical courses and a new Career Hub with a co-located job fair. There are also five world-class exhibitions featuring over 1500 companies and incorporating industry-focused presentations, product launches and live demonstrations. The first of these is the BiOS Expo, which begins on 17 January and examines the latest breakthroughs in biomedical optics and biophotonics technologies. Then starting on 20 January, the main Photonics West Exhibition will host more than 1200 companies and showcase the latest innovative optics and photonics devices, components, systems and services. Alongside, the Quantum West Expo features the best in quantum-enabling technology advances, the AR | VR | MR Expo brings together leading companies in XR hardware and systems and – new for 2026 – the Vision Tech Expo highlights cutting-edge vision, sensing and imaging technologies. Here are some of the product innovations on show at this year’s event. As photonics applications increasingly require systems with high complexity and integration density, manufacturers face a common challenge: how to assemble, align and test optical components with nanometre precision – quickly, reliably and at scale. At Photonics West, SmarAct presents a comprehensive technology portfolio addressing exactly these demands, spanning optical assembly, fast photonics alignment, precision motion and advanced metrology. A central highlight is SmarAct’s Optical Assembly Solution, presented together with a preview of a powerful new software platform planned for release in late-Q1 2026. This software tool is designed to provide exceptional flexibility for implementing automation routines and process workflows into user-specific control applications, laying the foundation for scalable and future-proof photonics solutions. For high-throughput applications, SmarAct showcases its Fast Photonics Alignment capabilities. By combining high-dynamic motion systems with real-time feedback and controller-based algorithms, SmarAct enables rapid scanning and active alignment of PICs and optical components such as fibres, fibre array units, lenses, beam splitters and more. These solutions significantly reduce alignment time while maintaining sub-micrometre accuracy, making them ideal for demanding photonics packaging and assembly tasks. Both the Optical Assembly Solution and Fast Photonics Alignment are powered by SmarAct’s electromagnetic (EM) positioning axes, which form the dynamic backbone of these systems. The direct-drive EM axes combine high speed, high force and exceptional long-term durability, enabling fast scanning, smooth motion and stable positioning even under demanding duty cycles. Their vibration-free operation and robustness make them ideally suited for high-throughput optical assembly and alignment tasks in both laboratory and industrial environments. Precision feedback is provided by SmarAct’s advanced METIRIO optical encoder family, designed to deliver high-resolution position feedback for demanding photonics and semiconductor applications. The METIRIO stands out by offering sub-nanometre position feedback in an exceptionally compact and easy-to-integrate form factor. Compatible with linear, rotary and goniometric motion systems – and available in vacuum-compatible designs – the METIRIO is ideally suited for space-constrained photonics setups, semiconductor manufacturing, nanopositioning and scientific instrumentation. For applications requiring ultimate measurement performance, SmarAct presents the PICOSCALE Interferometer and Vibrometer. These systems provide picometre-level displacement and vibration measurements directly at the point of interest, enabling precise motion tracking, dynamic alignment, and detailed characterization of optical and optoelectronic components. When combined with SmarAct’s precision stages, they form a powerful closed-loop solution for high-yield photonics testing and inspection. Together, SmarAct’s motion, metrology and automation solutions form a unified platform for next-generation photonics assembly and alignment. Photonics West 2026 will see Avantes present the first live demonstration of its completely redesigned software platform, AvaSoftX, together with a sneak peek of its new broadband light source, the AvaLight-DH-BAL. The company will also run a series of application-focused live demonstrations, highlighting recent developments in laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS), thin-film characterization and biomedical spectroscopy. AvaSoftX is developed to streamline the path from raw spectra to usable results. The new software platform offers preloaded applications tailored to specific measurement techniques and types, such as irradiance, LIBS, chemometry and Raman. Each application presents the controls and visualizations needed for that workflow, reducing time and the risk of user error. Smart wizards guide users step-by-step through the setup of a measurement – from instrument configuration and referencing to data acquisition and evaluation. For more advanced users, AvaSoftX supports customization with scripting and user-defined libraries, enabling the creation of reusable methods and application-specific data handling. The platform also includes integrated instruction videos and online manuals to support the users directly on the platform. The software features an accessible dark interface optimized for extended use in laboratory and production environments. Improved LIBS functionality will be highlighted through a live demonstration that combines AvaSoftX with the latest Avantes spectrometers and light sources. Also making its public debut is the AvaLight-DH-BAL, a new and improved deuterium–halogen broadband light source designed to replace the current DH product line. The system delivers continuous broadband output from 215 to 2500 nm and combines a more powerful halogen lamp with a reworked deuterium section for improved optical performance and stability. A switchable deuterium and halogen optical path is combined with deuterium peak suppression to improve dynamic range and spectral balance. The source is built into a newly developed, more robust housing to improve mechanical and thermal stability. Updated electronics support adjustable halogen output, a built-in filter holder, and both front-panel and remote-controlled shutter operation. The AvaLight-DH-BAL is intended for applications requiring stable, high-output broadband illumination, including UV–VIS–NIR absorbance spectroscopy, materials research and thin-film analysis. The official launch date for the light source, as well as the software, will be shared in the near future. Avantes will also run a series of live application demonstrations. These include a LIBS setup for rapid elemental analysis, a thin-film measurement system for optical coating characterization, and a biomedical spectroscopy demonstration focusing on real-time measurement and analysis. Each demo will be operated using the latest Avantes hardware and controlled through AvaSoftX, allowing visitors to assess overall system performance and workflow integration. Avantes’ engineering team will be available throughout the event. One year after its successful market introduction, the HydraHarp 500 continues to be a standout highlight at PicoQuant’s booth at Photonics West. Designed to meet the growing demands of advanced photonics and quantum optics, the HydraHarp 500 sets benchmarks in timing performance, scalability and flexible interfacing. At its core, the HydraHarp 500 delivers exceptional timing precision combined with ultrashort jitter and dead time, enabling reliable photon timing measurements even at very high count rates. With support for up to 16 fully independent input channels plus a common sync channel, the system allows true simultaneous multichannel data acquisition without cross-channel dead time, making it ideal for complex correlation experiments and high-throughput applications. A key strength of the HydraHarp 500 is its high flexibility in detector integration. Multiple trigger methods support a wide range of detector technologies, from single-photon avalanche diodes (SPADs) to superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors (SNSPDs). Versatile interfaces, including USB 3.0 and a dedicated FPGA interface, ensure seamless data transfer and easy integration into existing experimental setups. For distributed and synchronized systems, White Rabbit compatibility enables precise cross-device timing coordination. Engineered for speed and efficiency, the HydraHarp 500 combines ultrashort per-channel dead time with industry-leading timing performance, ensuring complete datasets and excellent statistical accuracy even under demanding experimental conditions. Looking ahead, PicoQuant is preparing to expand the HydraHarp family with the upcoming HydraHarp 500 L. This new variant will set new standards for data throughput and scalability. With outstanding timing resolution, excellent timing precision and up to 64 flexible channels, the HydraHarp 500 L is engineered for highest-throughput applications powered – for the first time – by USB 3.2 Gen 2×2, making it ideal for rapid, large-volume data acquisition. With the HydraHarp 500 and the forthcoming HydraHarp 500 L, PicoQuant continues to redefine what is possible in photon timing, delivering precision, scalability and flexibility for today’s and tomorrow’s photonics research. For more information, visit www.picoquant.com or contact us at info@picoquant.com. The post Photonics West explores the future of optical technologies appeared first on Physics World.
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https://physicsworld.com/a/photonics-west-explores-the-future-of-optical-technologies/
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Space & Physics
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f46b9ea559aa95862a32e4f8a675a05c10c042facc5ca576bcb77e9ada98972b
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2026-01-14T11:00:14+00:00
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Mission to Mars: from biological barriers to ethical impediments
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“It’s hard to say when exactly sending people to Mars became a goal for humanity,” ponders author Scott Solomon in his new book Becoming Martian: How Living in Space Will Change Our Bodies and Minds – and I think we’d all agree. Ten years ago, I’m not sure any of us thought even returning to the Moon was seriously on the cards. Yet here we are, suddenly living in a second space age, where the first people to purchase one-way tickets to the Red Planet have likely already been born. The technology required to ship humans to Mars, and the infrastructure required to keep them alive, is well constrained, at least in theory. One could write thousands of words discussing the technical details of reusable rocket boosters and underground architectures. However, Becoming Martian is not that book. Instead, it deals with the effect Martian life will have on the human body – both in the short term across a single lifetime; and in the long term, on evolutionary timescales. This book’s strength lies in its authorship: it is not written by a physicist enthralled by the engineering challenge of Mars, nor by an astronomer predisposed to romanticizing space exploration. Instead, Solomon is a research biologist who teaches ecology, evolutionary biology and scientific communication at Rice University in Houston, Texas. Becoming Martian starts with a whirlwind, stripped-down tour of Mars across mythology, astronomy, culture and modern exploration. This effectively sets out the core issue: Mars is fundamentally different from Earth, and life there is going to be very difficult. Solomon goes on to describe the effects of space travel and microgravity on humans that we know of so far: anaemia, muscle wastage, bone density loss and increased radiation exposure, to name just a few. Where the book really excels, though, is when Solomon uses his understanding of evolutionary processes to extend these findings and conclude how Martian life would be different. For example, childbirth becomes a very risky business on a planet with about one-third of Earth’s gravity. The loss of bone density translates into increased pelvic fractures, and the muscle wastage into an inability for the uterus to contract strongly enough. The result? All Martian births will likely need to be C-sections. Solomon applies his expertise to the whole human body, including our “entourage” of micro-organisms. The indoor life of a Martian is likely to affect the immune system to the degree that contact with an Earthling would be immensely risky. “More than any other factor, the risk of disease transmission may be the wedge that drives the separation between people on the two planets,” he writes. “It will, perhaps inevitably, cause the people on Mars to truly become Martians.” Since many diseases are harboured or spread by animals, there is a compelling argument that Martians would be vegan and – a dealbreaker for some I imagine – unable to have any pets. So no dogs, no cats, no steak and chips on Mars. The most fascinating part of the book for me is how Solomon repeatedly links the biological and psychological research with the more technical aspects of designing a mission to Mars. For example, the first exploratory teams should have odd numbers, to make decisions easier and us-versus-them rifts less likely. The first colonies will also need to number between 10,000 and 11,000 individuals to ensure enough genetic diversity to protect against evolutionary concepts such as genetic drift and population crashes. Amusingly, the one part of human activity most important for a sustainable colony – procreation – is the most understudied. When a NASA scientist made the suggestion a colony would need private spaces with soundproof walls, the backlash was so severe that NASA had to reassure Congress that taxpayer dollars were not being “wasted” encouraging sexual activity among astronauts. Solomon’s writing is concise yet extraordinarily thorough – there is always just enough for you to feel you can understand the importance and nuance of topics ranging from Apollo-era health studies to evolution, and from AI to genetic engineering. The book is impeccably researched, and he presents conflicting ethical viewpoints so deftly, and without apparent judgement, that you are left plenty of space to imprint your own opinions. So much so that when Solomon shares his own stance on the colonization of Mars in the epilogue, it comes as a bit of a surprise. In essence, this book lays out a convincing argument that it might be our biology, not our technology, that limits humanity’s expansion to Mars. And if we are able to overcome those limitations, either with purposeful genetic engineering or passive evolutionary change, this could mean we have shed our humanity. Becoming Martian is one of the best popular-science books I have read within the field, and it is an uplifting read, despite dealing with some of the heaviest ethical questions in space sciences. Whether you’re planning your future as a Martian or just wondering if humans can have sex in space, this book should be on your wish list. The post Mission to Mars: from biological barriers to ethical impediments appeared first on Physics World.
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https://physicsworld.com/a/mission-to-mars-from-biological-barriers-to-ethical-impediments/
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Space & Physics
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2026-01-14T08:33:19+00:00
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Solar storms could be forecast by monitoring cosmic rays
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Using incidental data collected by the BepiColombo mission, an international research team has made the first detailed measurements of how coronal mass ejections (CMEs) reduce cosmic-ray intensity at varying distances from the Sun. Led by Gaku Kinoshita at the University of Tokyo, the team hopes that their approach could help improve the accuracy of space weather forecasts following CMEs. CMEs are dramatic bursts of plasma originating from the Sun’s outer atmosphere. In particularly violent events, this plasma can travel through interplanetary space, sometimes interacting with Earth’s magnetic field to produce powerful geomagnetic storms. These storms result in vivid aurorae in Earth’s polar regions and can also damage electronics on satellites and spacecraft. Extreme storms can even affect electrical grids on Earth. To prevent such damage, astronomers aim to predict the path and intensity of CME plasma as accurately as possible – allowing endangered systems to be temporarily shut down with minimal disruption. According to Kinoshita’s team, one source of information has so far been largely unexplored. Within interplanetary space, CME plasma interacts with cosmic rays, which are energetic charged particles of extrasolar origin that permeate the solar system with a roughly steady flux. When an interplanetary CME (ICME) passes by, it temporarily pushes back these cosmic rays, creating a local decrease in their intensity. “This phenomenon is known as the Forbush decrease effect,” Kinoshita explains. “It can be detected even with relatively simple particle detectors, and reflects the properties and structure of the passing ICME.” In principle, cosmic-ray observations can provide detailed insights into the physical profile of a passing ICME. But despite their relative ease of detection, Forbush decreases had not yet been observed simultaneously by detectors at multiple distances from the Sun, leaving astronomers unclear on how propagation distance affects their severity. Now, Kinoshita’s team have explored this spatial relationship using BepiColombo, a European and Japanese mission that will begin orbiting Mercury in November 2026. While the mission focuses on Mercury’s surface, interior, and magnetosphere, it also carries non-scientific equipment capable of monitoring cosmic rays and solar plasma in its surrounding environment. “Such radiation monitoring instruments are commonly installed on many spacecraft for engineering purposes,” Kinoshita explains. “We developed a method to observe Forbush decreases using a non-scientific radiation monitor onboard BepiColombo.” The team combined these measurements with data from specialized radiation-monitoring missions, including ESA’s Solar Orbiter, which is currently probing the inner heliosphere from inside Mercury’s orbit, as well as a network of near-Earth spacecraft. Together, these instruments allowed the researchers to build a detailed, distance-dependent profile of a week-long ICME that occurred in March 2022. Just as predicted, the measurements revealed a clear relationship between the Forbush decrease effect and distance from the Sun. “As the ICME evolved, the depth and gradient of its associated cosmic-ray decrease changed accordingly,” Kinoshita says. With this method now established, the team hopes it can be applied to non-scientific radiation monitors on other missions throughout the solar system, enabling a more complete picture of the distance dependence of ICME effects. “An improved understanding of ICME propagation processes could contribute to better forecasting of disturbances such as geomagnetic storms, leading to further advances in space weather prediction,” Kinoshita says. In particular, this approach could help astronomers model the paths and intensities of solar plasma as soon as a CME erupts, improving preparedness for potentially damaging events. The research is described in The Astrophysical Journal. The post Solar storms could be forecast by monitoring cosmic rays appeared first on Physics World.
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https://physicsworld.com/a/solar-storms-could-be-forecast-by-monitoring-cosmic-rays/
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Space & Physics
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3ec608e08210d2959a8251363b41f8f57abef10b13ea222399f54a3d64c4c99c
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2026-01-13T14:00:29+00:00
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CERN team solves decades-old mystery of light nuclei formation
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When particle colliders smash particles into each other, the resulting debris cloud sometimes contains a puzzling ingredient: light atomic nuclei. Such nuclei have relatively low binding energies, and they would normally break down at temperatures far below those found in high-energy collisions. Somehow, though, their signature remains. This mystery has stumped physicists for decades, but researchers in the ALICE collaboration at CERN have now figured it out. Their experiments showed that light nuclei form via a process called resonance-decay formation – a result that could pave the way towards searches for physics beyond the Standard Model. The ALICE team studied deuterons (a bound proton and neutron) and antideuterons (a bound antiproton and antineutron) that form in experiments at CERN’s Large Hadron Collider. Both deuterons and antideuterons are fragile, and their binding energies of 2.2 MeV would seemingly make it hard for them to form in collisions with energies that can exceed 100 MeV – 100 000 times hotter than the centre of the Sun. The collaboration found that roughly 90% of the deuterons seen after such collisions form in a three-phase process. In the first phase, an initial collision creates a so-called baryon resonance, which is an excited state of a particle made of three quarks (such as a proton or neutron). This particle is called a Δ baryon and is highly unstable, so it rapidly decays into a pion and a nucleon (a proton or a neutron) during the second phase of the process. Then, in the third (and, crucially, much later) phase, the nucleon cools down to a point where its energy properties allow it to bind with another nucleon to form a deuteron. Measuring such a complex process is not easy, especially as everything happens on a length scale of femtometres (10-15 meter). To tease out the details, the collaboration performed precision measurements to correlate the momenta of the pions and deuterons. When they analysed the momentum difference between these particle pairs, they observed a peak in the data corresponding to the mass of the Δ baryon. This peak shows that the pion and the deuteron are kinematically linked because they share a common ancestor: the pion came from the same Δ decay that provided one of the deuteron’s nucleons. Panos Christakoglou, a member of the ALICE collaboration based at the Netherlands’ Maastricht University, says the experiment is special because in contrast to most previous attempts, where results were interpreted in light of models or phenomenological assumptions, this technique is model-independent. He adds that the results of this study could be used to improve models of high energy proton-proton collisions in which light nuclei (and maybe hadrons more generally) are formed. Other possibilities include improving our interpretations of cosmic-ray studies that measure the fluxes of (anti)nuclei in the galaxy – a useful probe for astrophysical processes. Intriguingly, Christakoglou suggests that the team’s technique could also be used to search for indirect signs of dark matter. Many models predict that dark-matter candidates such as Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs) will decay or annihilate in processes that also produce Standard Model particles, including (anti)deuterons. “If for example one measures the flux of (anti)nuclei in cosmic rays being above the ‘Standard Model based’ astrophysical background, then this excess could be attributed to new physics which might be connected to dark matter,” Christakoglou tells Physics World. Michael Kachelriess, a physicist at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Trondheim, Norway, who was not involved in this research, says the debate over the correct formation mechanism for light nuclei (and antinuclei) has divided particle physicists for a long time. In his view, the data collected by the ALICE collaboration decisively resolves this debate by showing that light nuclei form in the late stages of a collision via the coalescence of nucleons. Kachelriess calls this a “great achievement” in itself, and adds that similar approaches could make it possible to address other questions, such as whether thermal plasmas form in proton-proton collisions as well as in collisions between heavy ions. The post CERN team solves decades-old mystery of light nuclei formation appeared first on Physics World.
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https://physicsworld.com/a/cern-team-solves-decades-old-mystery-of-light-nuclei-formation/
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Space & Physics
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9dc182c19c61eb10fc4d5588a1a75bd384c1e44f033362a4cb2e53930bcc239f
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2026-01-13T08:45:52+00:00
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Anyon physics could explain coexistence of superconductivity and magnetism
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New calculations by physicists in the US provide deeper insights into an exotic material in which superconductivity and magnetism can coexist. Using a specialized effective field theory, Zhengyan Shi and Todadri Senthil at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology show how this coexistence can emerge from the collective states of mobile anyons in certain 2D materials. An anyon is a quasiparticle with statistical properties that lie somewhere between those of bosons and fermions. First observed in 2D electron gases in strong magnetic fields, anyons are known for their fractional electrical charge and fractional exchange statistics, which alter the quantum state of two identical anyons when they are exchanged for each other. Unlike ordinary electrons, anyons produced in these early experiments could not move freely, preventing them from forming complex collective states. Yet in 2023, experiments with a twisted bilayer of molybdenum ditelluride provided the first evidence for mobile anyons through observations of fractional quantum anomalous Hall (FQAH) insulators. This effect appears as fractionally quantized electrical resistance in 2D electron systems at zero applied magnetic field. Remarkably, these experiments revealed that molybdenum ditelluride can exhibit superconductivity and magnetism at the same time. Since superconductivity usually relies on electron pairing that can be disrupted by magnetism, this coexistence was previously thought impossible. “This then raises a new set of theoretical questions,” explains Shi. “What happens when a large number of mobile anyons are assembled together? What kind of novel ‘anyonic quantum matter’ can emerge?” In their study, Shi and Senthil explored these questions using a new effective field theory for an FQAH insulator. Effective field theories are widely used in physics to approximate complex phenomena without modelling every microscopic detail. In this case, the duo’s model captured the competition between anyon mobility, interactions, and fractional exchange statistics in a many-body system of mobile anyons. To test their model, the researchers considered the doping of an FQAH insulator – adding mobile anyons beyond the plateau in Hall resistance, where the existing anyons were effectively locked in place. This allowed the quasiparticles to move freely and form new collective phases. “Crucially, we recognized that the fate of the doped state depends on the energetic hierarchy of different types of anyons,” Shi explains. “This observation allowed us to develop a powerful heuristic for predicting whether the doped state becomes a superconductor without any detailed calculations.” In their model, Shi and Senthil focused on a specific FQAH insulator called a Jain state, which hosts two types of anyon excitations. One type has electrical charge of 1/3 of an electron and the other with 2/3. In a perfectly clean system, doping the insulator with 2/3-charge anyons produced a chiral topological superconductor, a phase that is robust against disorder and features edge currents flowing in only one direction. In contrast, doping with 1/3-charge anyons produced a metal with broken translation symmetry – still conducting, but with non-uniform patterns in its electron density. “In the presence of impurities, we showed that the chiral superconductor near the superconductor–insulator transition is a novel phase of matter dubbed the ‘anomalous vortex glass’, in which patches of swirling supercurrents are sprinkled randomly across the sample,” Shi describes. “Observing this vortex glass phase would be smoking-gun evidence for the anyonic mechanism for superconductivity.” The results suggest that even when adding the simplest kind of anyons – like those in the Jain state – the collective behaviour of these quasiparticles can enable the coexistence of magnetism and superconductivity. In future studies, the duo hopes that more advanced methods for introducing mobile anyons could reveal even more exotic phases. “Remarkably, our theory provides a qualitative account of the phase diagram of a particular 2D material (twisted molybdenum ditelluride), although many more tests are needed to rule out other possible explanations,” Shi says. “Overall, these findings highlight the vast potential of anyonic quantum matter, suggesting a fertile ground for future discoveries.” The research is described in PNAS. The post Anyon physics could explain coexistence of superconductivity and magnetism appeared first on Physics World.
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https://physicsworld.com/a/anyon-physics-could-explain-coexistence-of-superconductivity-and-magnetism/
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Space & Physics
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svg
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9232e9ab5d4c515e212a7391048776c515d4a795d946781c4dc6865062a235ed
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2026-01-15T23:00:00+00:00
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Beneath the ice: Satellites help map Antarctica's subglacial surface like never before
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Antarctica's subglacial bedrock was previously one of the least-mapped planetary surfaces in our solar system.
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https://www.space.com/astronomy/earth/detailed-mapping-of-antarctica-subglacial-topography
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Space & Physics
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