Science X Newsletter Week 45

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Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for week 45:

	New glass almost as tough as steel (Phys.org)—A team of researchers with The University of Tokyo and Japan Synchrotron Radiation Research Institute has created a type of glass that is stronger than many metals. In their paper published in the journal Scientific Reports, the researchers describe how they overcame one of the major hurdles in creating glass imbued with extra amounts of an oxide of aluminum, by using what they call aerodynamic levitation.
	A new dimension to high-temperature superconductivity discovered A team led by scientists at the Department of Energy's SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory combined powerful magnetic pulses with some of the brightest X-rays on the planet to discover a surprising 3-D arrangement of a material's electrons that appears closely linked to a mysterious phenomenon known as high-temperature superconductivity.
	Quantum process demonstrates superposition of ordered events (Phys.org)—In a quantum superposition, a quantum object can be in two incompatible states at the same time, which is famously illustrated by Schrödinger's dead-and-alive cat. Recent research has shown that it's possible to have a superposition not only of incompatible states, but also of incompatible orders of events. We often think of events occurring in a definite chronological order, with event A happening (and causing) event B, or vice versa. But in certain quantum processes, events don't happen in a single definite order, but instead both orders (A before B, and B before A) occur at the same time. This counterintuitive superposition-like phenomenon is called "causal nonseparability."
	Physicists measure force that makes antimatter stick together Peering at the debris from particle collisions that recreate the conditions of the very early universe, scientists have for the first time measured the force of interaction between pairs of antiprotons. Like the force that holds ordinary protons together within the nuclei of atoms, the force between antiprotons is attractive and strong.
	Researchers take two big steps toward quantum computing (Phys.org)—"Spooky action at a distance," Einstein's famous, dismissive characterization of quantum entanglement, has long been established as a physical phenomenon, and researchers are keen to develop practical applications for entanglement including communication, encryption, and computing.
	On the 120th anniversary of the X-ray, a look at how it changed our view of the world Sunday, November 8 marks the 120th anniversary of one of the greatest moments in the history of science: an obscure German physics professor's discovery of the X-ray. His name was Wilhelm Roentgen, and in the six weeks that followed, he devoted nearly every waking hour to exploring the properties of the new rays before announcing his discovery to the world. Within just months, scientists worldwide were experimenting with the newly discovered rays. Roentgen's discovery and its subsequent revolutionary impact represent one of science's greatest stories.
	Astronomers discover the longest galaxy-scale stripping process ever observed (Phys.org)—Astronomers from the University of Bonn in Germany, have discovered what appears to be the longest X-ray tail associated with a stripping process from a galaxy on a large scale. This galaxy with the enormous X-ray tail is a member of a galaxy cluster known as Zwicky 8338. The researchers detailed their findings in a paper published on Nov. 2 in the Astronomy & Astrophysics journal.
	Observed cosmic rays may have come from two-million-year-old supernova (Phys.org)—High-energy protons, nuclei, and other particles are constantly showering down on Earth's atmosphere from space, but the origins of these cosmic rays is unknown. One possibility is that the cosmic rays come from supernovae, although the evidence for this claim is limited. Now by analyzing the cosmic ray energy spectrum, scientists have been able to deduce that some high-energy cosmic rays may have originated from a two-million-year-old supernova located roughly 100 trillion miles away.
	New findings rock long-held assumptions about ancient mass extinction New evidence gathered from the Karoo Basin in South Africa sheds light on a catastrophic extinction event that occurred more than 250 million years ago and wiped out more than 90 percent of life in Earth's oceans and about 70 percent of animal species on land.
	New discovery could enable portable particle accelerators Conventional particle accelerators are typically big machines that occupy a lot of space. Even at more modest energies, such as that used for cancer therapy and medical imaging, accelerators need large rooms to accommodate the required hardware, power supplies and radiation shielding.
	New artificial skin can detect pressure and heat simultaneously A team of researchers with Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology and Dong-A University, both in South Korea, has developed an artificial skin that can detect both pressure and heat with a high degree of sensitivity, at the same time. In their paper published in the journal Science Advances, the team describes how they created the skin, what they found in testing it and the other types of things it can sense.
	New Horizons completes record-setting Kuiper Belt targeting maneuvers NASA's New Horizons spacecraft has successfully performed the last in a series of four targeting maneuvers that set it on course for a January 2019 encounter with 2014 MU69. This ancient body in the Kuiper Belt is more than a billion miles beyond Pluto; New Horizons will explore it if NASA approves an extended mission.
	Pineapple genome offers insight into photosynthesis in drought-tolerant plants By sequencing its genome, scientists are homing in on the genes and genetic pathways that allow the juicy pineapple plant to thrive in water-limited environments. The new findings, reported in the journal Nature Genetics, also open a new window on the complicated evolutionary history of grasses like sorghum and rice, which share a distant ancestor with pineapple.
	Looking for deliberate radio signals from KIC 8462852 Could there be intelligent life in the star system KIC 8462852? A recent analysis of data collected by the Kepler space telescope has shown that this star, informally known as Tabby's Star, evidences aperiodic dimming of 20 percent and more. While several natural explanations for this strong change in luminosity have been proposed, one possibility is that a technologically adept civilization has built megastructures in orbit around star, causing the dimming.
	Quantum process increases the number of electrons produced when light strikes a metal-dielectric interface Researchers at MIT and elsewhere have found a way to significantly boost the energy that can be harnessed from sunlight, a finding that could lead to better solar cells or light detectors.
	Toyota invests $1 billion in artificial intelligence in US Toyota is investing $1 billion in a research company it's setting up in Silicon Valley to develop artificial intelligence and robotics, underlining the Japanese automaker's determination to lead in futuristic cars that drive themselves and apply the technology to other areas of daily life.
	Study shows some 3D printed objects are toxic Researchers at the University of California, Riverside have found parts produced by some commercial 3D printers are toxic to certain fish embryos. Their results have raised questions about how to dispose of parts and waste materials from 3D printers.
	Supervolcanoes likely triggered externally, study finds Supervolcanoes, massive eruptions with potential global consequences, appear not to follow the conventional volcano mechanics of internal pressure building until the volcano blows. Instead, a new study finds, such massive magma chambers might erupt when the roof above them cracks or collapses.
	Does religion make kids less generous? Religious parents are more likely to describe their children as empathetic and concerned about justice than are non-religious parents. But, new evidence reported in the Cell Press journal Current Biology on November 5 suggests that the opposite is in fact true.
	Ultrasensitive sensors made from boron-doped graphene Ultrasensitive gas sensors based on the infusion of boron atoms into graphene—a tightly bound matrix of carbon atoms—may soon be possible, according to an international team of researchers from six countries.

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