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Condensed matter physics

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‘Quantum Atmospheres’ May Reveal Secrets of Matter

September 25, 2018

A new theory proposes that the quantum properties of an object extend into an “atmosphere” that surrounds the material.

Q&A

The Physics of Glass Opens a Window Into Biology

June 11, 2018

The physicist Lisa Manning studies the dynamics of glassy materials to understand embryonic development and disease.

Elusive Higgs-Like State Created in Exotic Materials

February 28, 2018

Two teams of physicists have created the "Higgs mode" – a link between particle physics and the physics of matter. The work could help researchers understand the strange behavior of deeply quantum systems.

Physicists Aim to Classify All Possible Phases of Matter

January 3, 2018

A complete classification could lead to a wealth of new materials and technologies. But some exotic phases continue to resist understanding.

The Math That Promises to Make the World Brighter

September 6, 2017

The color of LED lights is controlled by a clumsy process. A new mathematical discovery may make it easier for us to get the hues we want.

Q&A

Seeing Emergent Physics Behind Evolution

August 31, 2017

Nigel Goldenfeld applies the physics of condensed matter to understand how evolution sprinted for the earliest life — and then slowed down.

Mathematicians Tame Rogue Waves, Lighting Up Future of LEDs

August 22, 2017

The mathematician Svitlana Mayboroda and collaborators have figured out how to predict the behavior of electrons — a mathematical discovery that could have immediate practical effects.

Dark Matter Recipe Calls for One Part Superfluid

June 13, 2017

A different kind of dark matter could help to resolve an old celestial conundrum.

Q&A

‘Digital Alchemist’ Seeks Rules of Emergence

March 8, 2017

Computational physicist Sharon Glotzer is uncovering the rules by which complex collective phenomena emerge from simple building blocks.

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