Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for week 48:
Unexpected data from the Large Hadron Collider suggest the collisions may be producing a new type of matter
Collisions between protons and lead ions at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) have produced surprising behavior in some of the particles created by the collisions. The new observation suggests the collisions may have produced a new type of matter known as color-glass condensate.
Taiwan engineers defeat limits of flash memory
(Phys.org)�Taiwan-based Macronix has found a solution for a weakness in flash memory fadeout. A limitation of flash memory is simply that eventually it cannot be used; the more cells in the memory chips are erased, the less useful to store data. The write-erase cycles degrade insulation; eventually the cell fails. "Flash wears out after being programmed and erased about 10,000 times," said the IEEE Spectrum. Engineers at Macronix have a solution that moves flash memory over to a new life. They propose a "self-healing" NAND flash memory solution that can survive over 100 million cycles.
Scientists test novel power system for space travel (w/ video)
(Phys.org)�A team of researchers, including engineers from Los Alamos National Laboratory, has demonstrated a new concept for a reliable nuclear reactor that could be used on space flights.
New experiments challenge fundamental understanding of electromagnetism
(Phys.org)�A cornerstone of physics may require a rethink if findings at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) are confirmed. Recent experiments suggest that the most rigorous predictions based on the fundamental theory of electromagnetism�one of the four fundamental forces in the universe, and harnessed in all electronic devices�may not accurately account for the behavior of atoms in exotic, highly charged states.
A new way of harnessing photons for electricity, potential for capturing a wider spectrum of solar energy
The quest to harness a broader spectrum of sunlight's energy to produce electricity has taken a radically new turn, with the proposal of a "solar energy funnel" that takes advantage of materials under elastic strain.
Incredible raw image of Saturn's swirling north pole
Ok, are you ready for this? I know... WOW.
James' bond: A graphene / nanotube hybrid
(Phys.org)�A seamless graphene/nanotube hybrid created at Rice University may be the best electrode interface material possible for many energy storage and electronics applications.
Japan's newest floating train is one blistering maglev
(Phys.org)�Japan intends to outdo itself, rendering the sleek bullet train system that won it fame in the 1960s toward becoming so "yesterday." You can now look forward to the upcoming marvels of floating trains. The country known for its fast and efficient rail lines this month draws fresh attention after recently unveiling a magnetic levitation train that can travel at speeds over 310 mph. Japan is looking beyond its bullet train system as rail developers seek to excel globally once again, by offering a next-generation, no-wheels maglev (magnetic levitation) system. The maglev trains are frictionless, faster and are quieter than trains that use wheels.
Astronomers measure most massive, most unusual black hole
Astronomers have used the Hobby-Eberly Telescope at The University of Texas at Austin's McDonald Observatory to measure the mass of what may be the most massive black hole yet�17 billion Suns�in galaxy NGC 1277. The unusual black hole makes up 14 percent of its galaxy's mass, rather than the usual 0.1 percent. This galaxy and several more in the same study could change theories of how black holes and galaxies form and evolve. The work will appear in the journal Nature on Nov. 29.
A human-caused climate change signal emerges from the noise
By comparing simulations from 20 different computer models to satellite observations, Lawrence Livermore climate scientists and colleagues from 16 other organizations have found that tropospheric and stratospheric temperature changes are clearly related to human activities.
Gulf of Mexico clean-up makes 2010 spill 52-times more toxic
(Phys.org)�If the 4.9 million barrels of oil that spilled into the Gulf of Mexico during the 2010 Deep Water Horizon spill was a ecological disaster, the two million gallons of dispersant used to clean it up apparently made it even worse � 52-times more toxic. That's according to new research from the Georgia Institute of Technology and Universidad Autonoma de Aguascalientes (UAA), Mexico.
The robotic equivalent of a Swiss army knife (w/ video)
The device doesn't look like much: a caterpillar-sized assembly of metal rings and strips resembling something you might find buried in a home-workshop drawer. But the technology behind it, and the long-range possibilities it represents, are quite remarkable.
The beginning of everything: A new paradigm shift for the infant universe
(Phys.org)�A new paradigm for understanding the earliest eras in the history of the universe has been developed by scientists at Penn State University. Using techniques from an area of modern physics called loop quantum cosmology, developed at Penn State, the scientists now have extended analyses that include quantum physics farther back in time than ever before�all the way to the beginning. The new paradigm of loop quantum origins shows, for the first time, that the large-scale structures we now see in the universe evolved from fundamental fluctuations in the essential quantum nature of "space-time," which existed even at the very beginning of the universe over 14 billion years ago. The achievement also provides new opportunities for testing competing theories of modern cosmology against breakthrough observations expected from next-generation telescopes. The research will be published on 11 December 2012 as an "Editor's Suggestion" paper in the scientific journal Physical! Review Letters.
Researchers show that relatively simple physical systems could yield powerful quantum computers
Quantum computers are devices�still largely theoretical�that could perform certain types of computations much faster than classical computers; one way they might do that is by exploiting "spin," a property of tiny particles of matter. A "spin chain," in turn, is a standard model that physicists use to describe systems of quantum particles, including some that could be the basis for quantum computers.
MESSENGER finds new evidence for water ice, organic material at Mercury's poles
(Phys.org)�New observations by the MESSENGER spacecraft provide compelling support for the long-held hypothesis that Mercury harbors abundant water ice and other frozen volatile materials in its permanently shadowed polar craters.
New device hides, on cue, from infrared cameras: Tunable material boasts nearly 100 percent absorption
Now you see it, now you don't. A new device invented at the Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) can absorb 99.75% of infrared light that shines on it. When activated, it appears black to infrared cameras.
Biggest black hole blast discovered: New observations reveal most powerful quasar outflow ever found
(Phys.org)�Astronomers using ESO's Very Large Telescope (VLT) have discovered a quasar with the most energetic outflow ever seen, at least five times more powerful than any that have been observed to date. Quasars are extremely bright galactic centres powered by supermassive black holes. Many blast huge amounts of material out into their host galaxies, and these outflows play a key role in the evolution of galaxies. But, until now, observed quasar outflows weren't as powerful as predicted by theorists.
Ancient microbes discovered in bitter-cold Antarctic brine
Where there's water there's life � even in brine beneath 60 feet of Antarctic ice, in permanent darkness and subzero temperatures.
Research discovery could revolutionize semiconductor manufacture
A completely new method of manufacturing the smallest structures in electronics could make their manufacture thousands of times quicker, allowing for cheaper semiconductors. The findings have been published in the latest issue of Nature.
Spaun, the new human brain simulator, can carry out tasks (w/ video)
(Phys.org)�One of the challenges of understanding the complex behavior of animals is to relate the behavior to the complex processes occurring within the brain. So far, neural models have not been able to bridge this gap, but a new software model, Spaun, goes some way to addressing this problem.
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