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Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for week 05:
Can dark energy be explained by symmetrons?
(Phys.org)�A field that permeates the universe and gives rise to a new force, or "fifth force," between massive objects may be a candidate for dark energy and an explanation for why the expansion of the universe is accelerating. This field, called the symmetron field, is so named because it has a symmetry in regions of high density, while in regions of low density, such as a vacuum, the symmetry is broken and the field mediates the new force.
Expert psychologist suggests the era of genius scientists is over
(Phys.org)�Dean Keith Simonton, a psychology professor at the University of California, has published a comment piece in the journal Nature, where he argues that it's unlikely mankind will ever produce another Einstein, Newton, Darwin, etc. This is because, he says, we've already discovered all the most basic ideas that describe how the natural world works. Any new work, will involve little more than adding to our knowledge base.
Researchers solve biological mystery and boost artificial intelligence
By simulating 25,000 generations of evolution within computers, Cornell University engineering and robotics researchers have discovered why biological networks tend to be organized as modules � a finding that will lead to a deeper understanding of the evolution of complexity.
Building a lunar base with 3D printing
(Phys.org)�Setting up a lunar base could be made much simpler by using a 3D printer to build it from local materials. Industrial partners including renowned architects Foster + Partners have joined with ESA to test the feasibility of 3D printing using lunar soil.
Of Einstein and entanglement: Quantum erasure deconstructs wave-particle duality
(Phys.org)�Quantum physics presents several counterintuitive features, including entanglement, tunneling and � as demonstrated in double-slit experiments � wave-particle duality. When studying wave-particle duality, however, so-called interferometric quantum eraser experiments � in which wave-like behavior can be restored by erasing path information � allow researchers to perform differential measurements on each of two entangled quantum systems. (Double-slit experiments not involving quantum erasure utilize superposition of single particles, while in quantum eraser experiments two particles are entangled.) Specifically, the particle feature's welcher-weg (which-path) information is erased (or not) from one system, and interference-based measurements in the other system are used to observe (or not, as the case may be) its wave feature.
Researchers break million-core supercomputer barrier
Stanford Engineering's Center for Turbulence Research (CTR) has set a new record in computational science by successfully using a supercomputer with more than one million computing cores to solve a complex fluid dynamics problem�the prediction of noise generated by a supersonic jet engine.
Physicists create new 3D microchip
Scientists from the University of Cambridge have created, for the first time, a new type of microchip which allows information to travel in three dimensions. Currently, microchips can only pass digital information in a very limited way - from either left to right or front to back. The research was published today, 31 January, in Nature.
One in, two out: Simulating more efficient solar cells
(Phys.org)�Using an exotic form of silicon could substantially improve the efficiency of solar cells, according to computer simulations by researchers at the University of California, Davis, and in Hungary. The work was published Jan. 25 in the journal Physical Review Letters.
Sirtuin protein discovery opens door to potential 'molecular fountain of youth'
A new study led by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, represents a major advance in the understanding of the molecular mechanisms behind aging while providing new hope for the development of targeted treatments for age-related degenerative diseases.
Researchers unveil first artificial enzyme created by evolution in test tube
(Phys.org)�There's a wobbly new biochemical structure in Burckhard Seelig's lab at the University of Minnesota that may resemble what enzymes looked like billions of years ago, when life on earth began to evolve � long before they became ingredients for new and improved products, from detergents to foods and fuels.
Research on lithium coatings unlocks mystery surrounding the harnessing of fusion energy
(Phys.org)�The research of a multi-institutional team from the U.S., Japan, and France, led by Predrag S. Krstic of the Joint Institute for Computational Sciences and Jean Paul Allain of Purdue University has answered the question of how the behavior of plasma�the extremely hot gases of nuclear fusion�can be controlled with ultra-thin lithium films on graphite walls lining thermonuclear magnetic fusion devices.
Scientists propose creating Maxwell's demon with two quantum dots
(Phys.org)�When you open your door on a cold winter day, the warm air from your home and the cold air from outside begin to mix and evolve toward thermal equilibrium, a state of complete entropy where the temperatures outside and inside are the same. This situation is a rough example of the second law of thermodynamics, which says that entropy in a closed system never decreases. If you could control the air flow in a way that uses a sufficiently small amount of energy, so that the entropy of the system actually decreases overall, you would have a hypothetical mechanism called Maxwell's demon.
New method of measuring the mass of supermassive black holes
(Phys.org)�A new way of measuring the mass of supermassive black holes could revolutionise our understanding of how they form and help to shape galaxies.
Cats in US kill billions of birds, mammals, study finds
Domestic cats in the United States kill up to 3.7 billion birds and as many as 20.7 billion mice, voles and other small mammals each year, biologists estimated on Tuesday.
Two science projects win up to $1.3 billion each (Update 2)
Two European science projects�one to map the intricacies of the human brain, the other to explore the extraordinary carbon-based material graphene�won an EU technology contest Monday, getting up to �1 billion ($1.34 billion) each over the next decade.
Physicists find new order in quantum electronic material
Two Rutgers physics professors have proposed an explanation for a new type of order, or symmetry, in an exotic material made with uranium � a theory that may one day lead to enhanced computer displays and data storage systems and more powerful superconducting magnets for medical imaging and levitating high-speed trains.
Scientists unveil Staphyloccocus aureus superbug's secret to antibiotic resistance
(Phys.org)�Worldwide, many strains of the bacterium Staphyloccocus aureus, commonly known as staph infections, are already resistant to all antibiotics except vancomycin. But as bacteria are becoming resistant to this once powerful antidote, S. aureus has moved one step closer to becoming an unstoppable killer. Now, researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have not only identified the mechanism by which vancomycin resistance spreads from one bacterium to the next, but also have suggested ways to potentially stop the transfer.
Scientists link excess sugar to cancer
Sugars are needed to provide us with energy and in moderate amounts contribute to our well-being. Sustained high levels of sugars, as is found in diabetics, damages our cells and now is shown that can also increase our chance to get cancer: The dose makes the poison as Paracelsus said.
Quantum strategies fail to improve capacity of quantum optical communication channels
(Phys.org)�Quantum techniques have been demonstrated to offer improvements in areas such as computing, cryptography, and information processing, among others. But in a new study, researchers from IBM have proven that no quantum trick � no matter how complex or exotic � can improve the capacity of a type of quantum channel that serves as a building block of quantum optical communication systems. Although the result is somewhat surprising and a bit disappointing, it will help guide scientists to explore other ways to enhance channel capacity.
Routes towards defect-free graphene
A new way of growing graphene without the defects that weaken it and prevent electrons from flowing freely within it could open the way to large-scale manufacturing of graphene-based devices with applications in fields such as electronics, energy, and healthcare.
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