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MIT Physicists Harness Quantum “Time Reversal” for Detecting Gravitational Waves and Dark Matter

A new technique to measure vibrating atoms could improve the precision of atomic clocks and of quantum sensors for detecting dark matter or gravitational waves. A tiny universe of information is contained in the quantum vibrations in atoms. Scientists can hone the precision of atomic clocks as well as quantum sensors if they can accurately measure these atomic oscillations, and how they evolve over time. Quantum sensors, which are systems of atoms whose fluctuations can be used as a detector, can indicate the presence of dark matter, a passing gravitational wave, or even new, unexpected phenomena. Noise from the classical…

Caltech’s Nanoparticle Vaccine Protects Against a Wide Range of COVID-19-Causing Variants and Related Viruses

“Animals vaccinated with the mosaic-8 nanoparticles elicited antibodies that recognized virtually every SARS-like betacoronavirus strain we evaluated,” says Caltech postdoctoral scholar Alexander Cohen (PhD ’21), co-first author of the new study. A new type of vaccine provides protection against a variety of SARS-like betacoronaviruses, including COVID-19 variants, in mice and monkeys, according to a new study by Caltech. Betacoronaviruses, including those that caused the SARS, MERS, and COVID-19 pandemics, are a specific type of coronaviruses that infect humans and animals. The new vaccine works to induce the production of a broad spectrum of cross-reactive antibodies by presenting the immune system…

Webb Space Telescope Showcases Its Incredible Power: Detects Water on Distant Planet

A transmission spectrum made from a single observation using Webb’s Near-Infrared Imager and Slitless Spectrograph (NIRISS) reveals atmospheric characteristics of the hot gas giant exoplanet WASP-96 b. A transmission spectrum is made by comparing starlight filtered through a planet’s atmosphere as it moves across the star, to the unfiltered starlight detected when the planet is beside the star. Each of the 141 data points (white circles) on this graph represents the amount of a specific wavelength of light that is blocked by the planet and absorbed by its atmosphere. Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, ST Webb’s Gigantic Mirror and Precision Instrumentation…

China’s Nuclear-Powered Mission to Neptune

Lead Image: Artist’s impression of how Triton, Neptune’s largest moon, might look from high above its surface. The distant Sun appears at the upper left and the blue crescent of Neptune right of center. Using the CRIRES instrument on ESO’s Very Large Telescope, a team of astronomers has been able to see that the summer is in full swing in Triton’s southern hemisphere. Credit: ESO/L. Calçada China is Considering a Nuclear-Powered Mission to Neptune Some bold and cutting-edge space missions are proposed for the coming decade, as made clear by the Planetary Decadal Survey for 2023 – 2032. Examples include…

10 Natural Remedies and Supplements Proven by Science to Help Treat Anxiety

Lead Image: Anxiety and panic attacks can be horrible. Fortunately, there are some herbal remedies and dietary supplements that may help according to scientific studies. More and more people in today’s world are struggling with stress and anxiety, especially in the wake of major public health scares like COVID-19. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, anxiety disorders are the most common mental health concern in the United States, with over 40 million adult Americans suffering from anxiety’s debilitating effect on their lives.[1] While there are many anti-anxiety prescription drugs on the market (oxazepam, lorazepam, paroxetine, midazolam, and chlordiazepoxide…