A Physical Match for the Riemann Zeta Function

Posted on December 8, 2021 by rberkowitz

Mathematical properties of a famous number-theory conjecture correspond to the physical scattering properties of a quantum field theory. Read more at APS Physics…

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Glassy Behavior Depends on Dimension

Posted on December 7, 2021 by rberkowitz

The number of excess vibrational modes in glasses scales differently in two dimensions than it does in three. Read more in APS Physics…

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Search for Sculptor’s Stone Reveals New Marble Outcrops

Posted on December 7, 2021 by rberkowitz

Isotope geochemistry and grain size analysis, combined with a long summer’s hike, start to resolve an art history puzzle. Read more in APS Physics…

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Subsurface imaging shows scale of the tragedy of Indigenous children

Posted on December 1, 2021 by rberkowitz

Archaeologists and geophysicists in Canada are trying to pinpoint the signatures of unmarked burials by using geophysical methods in varied terrains. Read more in Physics Today…

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Simple Additives Make Polar Fluids More Polar

Posted on November 25, 2021 by rberkowitz

The strong polar nature of bonded molecular pairs called zwitterions boosts the dielectric constants of polar fluids. Read more in APS Physics…

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A Universal Model of Spin Relaxation

Posted on November 19, 2021 by rberkowitz

A first-principles theory predicts nonequilibrium spin dynamics, including various quantum scatterings for general solid materials. Read more in APS Physics…

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New Technique Improves Conversion of Carbon Dioxide Into Liquid Fuels

Posted on November 18, 2021 by rberkowitz

A copper surface coated with layered thin films helps to create useful chemicals from a polluting greenhouse gas. Read more at Berkeley Lab News Center…

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Field notes from Mars’s latest roving explorer

Posted on November 11, 2021 by rberkowitz

The Perseverance rover’s early scientific results detail dust lifting and ancient flood deposits at Jezero Crater. Read more in Physics Today…

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Lone Spin Remains Shielded Despite Superconductivity

Posted on November 1, 2021 by rberkowitz

Researchers explore the question of whether a Kondo cloud—a phenomenon common in conventional metals—can also occur in superconductors. Read more in APS Physics…

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Pluto’s Tilt Explains Ice Sheet’s History

Posted on October 21, 2021 by rberkowitz

Climate models based on changes in Pluto’s orbital tilt suggest that the dwarf planet’s heart-shaped ice sheet continues to undergo cycles of sublimation, condensation, and reorientation. Read more in APS Physics…

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