EurekAlert May 21, 2020 A major roadblock to producing safe, clean, and abundant fusion energy on Earth is the lack of detailed understanding of how the hot, charged plasma gas that fuels fusion reactions behaves at the edge of tokamaks. A team of researchers in the US (Princeton University, MIT) has developed a specialized code called “Gkeyll” that makes simulations feasible. It adapts a state-of-the-art algorithm to the gyrokinetic system to develop the “key numerical breakthroughs needed to provide accurate simulations. The mathematical code simulates the orbiting of plasma particles around the magnetic field lines at the edge of a […]
Einstein’s two mistakes
Phys.org May 26, 2020 According to researchers in France Einstein is an example of an inventive and free spirit; yet he kept his biases. His “first mistake” can be summed up saying: “I refuse to believe in a beginning of the universe.” However, experiments proved him wrong. His verdict on God playing dice means, “I refuse to believe in chance”. Yet quantum mechanics involves obligatory randomness. Einstein was stubborn in his refusal. For him, the human brain should be capable of knowing what the universe is. With a lot more modesty, Heisenberg teaches us that physics is limited to describing […]
Formula may help 5G wireless networks efficiently share communications frequencies
Science Daily May 26, 2020 Researchers at NIST have developed a formula using Q-learning technique which enables transmitters to rapidly select the best subchannels for successful and simultaneous operation of Wi-Fi and License Assisted Access (LAA) networks in unlicensed bands. The transmitters each learn to maximize the total network data rate without communicating with each other. The scheme rapidly achieves overall performance that is close to the result based on exhaustive trial-and-error channel searches. The formula takes into account multiple network layers, the physical equipment and the channel access rules between base stations and receivers. The study addressed indoor scenarios, […]
K-State Infectious Disease Scientist Offers Road Map for Future COVID-19 Research
Global Biodefense May 23, 2020 Because of the rapid change of knowledge related to coronavirus, it is important to stress the importance of studying the ways that COVID-19 could spread between humans and animals. The scientists say that research should focus in several areas, including the potential for companion animals, such as cats and dogs, to carry the virus , the economic and food security effects if the virus can spread among livestock and poultry and national security areas, especially among service animals such as dogs that detect narcotics or explosives because COVID-19 is known to affect smell and cause […]
Long-term data show hurricanes are getting stronger
Science Daily May 18, 2020 Previous work by a team of researchers at NOAA identified trends in hurricane intensification across a 28-year data set. To increase confidence in the results, the researchers extended the study to include global hurricane data from 1979-2017. Using analytical techniques that rely on infrared temperature measurements from geostationary satellites to estimate hurricane intensity, they were able to create a more uniform data set to identify trends. They demonstrated that hurricanes are moving more slowly across land due to changes in Earth’s climate. This has resulted in greater flood risks as storms hover over cities and […]
MegaCyberTruck for 3500 Mile Range and JLTV Replacement
Next Big Future May 25, 2020 The premium tri-motor version of the Cybertruck will have 700 miles of range. A megacybertruck would have five times the batteries and could operate for 3500 miles on one charge. This would be ten times the range of the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV). Tesla could create a 1-megawatt hour version of the Cybertruck that would have 3500 miles of range and have JLTV level armor. The Cybertruck weighs 5000 to 6500 pounds and 14000 pounds of payload capacity. The JLTV (Joint Light Tactical Vehicle) weighs 10,000 pounds. Extra weight would for the megacybertruck […]
The Mysterious Anomaly Weakening Earth’s Magnetic Field Seems to Be Splitting
Science Alert May 26, 2020 New satellite data from ESA reveal that the South Atlantic Anomaly is a vast expanse of reduced magnetic intensity in Earth’s magnetic field, extending all the way from South America to southwest Africa. Since our planet’s magnetic field acts as a kind of shield – protecting Earth from solar winds and cosmic radiation, in addition to determining the location of the magnetic poles – any reduction in its strength is an important event we need to monitor closely, as these changes could ultimately have significant implications for our planet. The ESA notes that the most […]
New devices produce and detect twisted light
Physics World May 19, 2020 Development of a dynamically tunable OAM light source is a critical step in the realization of OAM modulation and multiplexing. An international team of researchers (USA – University of Pennsylvania, Northeastern University, Italy, Spain) harnessed the properties of total momentum conservation, spin-orbit interaction, and optical non-Hermitian symmetry breaking, demonstrated an OAM-tunable vortex microlaser, providing chiral light states of variable topological charges at a single telecommunication wavelength. The scheme can be further scaled up for simultaneous multivortex emissions in a flexible manner. The work provides a route for the development of the next generation of multidimensional […]
Researchers breaking new ground in materials science
Science Daily May 20, 2020 An international team of researchers (Canada, Italy) demonstrated the fabrication of mesoscale ordered two-dimensional π-conjugated polymer kagome lattices with semiconducting properties. To make the material they combined a rigid azatriangulene precursor and a hot dosing approach, which favours molecular diffusion and eliminates voids in the network. These results open opportunities for the synthesis of two-dimensional π-conjugated polymer Dirac cone materials and their integration into devices. The integration of this system into a device (e.g. transistors) may lead to outstanding performances. The results will foster more studies on a wide range of two-dimensional conjugated polymers with […]
Solving the space junk problem
Phys.org May 25, 2020 According to a team of researchers in the US (Middlebury College, University of Colorado) the current methods of capturing debris or deorbiting old satellites might motivate operators to launch more satellites—further crowding low-Earth orbit, increasing collision risk, and raising costs because they don’t change the incentives for operators. Instead, the researchers propose an international agreement to charge operators “orbital-use fees” for every satellite put into orbit. Orbital use fees would also increase the long-run value of the space industry. It could be straight-up fees or tradeable permits, and they could also be orbit-specific since satellites in […]