Science Highlights

Quarks and gluons are found deep inside protons and neutrons but also combine in less common configurations to make other subatomic particles. A new theory method aids in scientists’ efforts to study these configurations by predicting which less-common particles an experiment will produce. The method allowed physicists to make the first complete numerical prediction from theory for a three-particle system consisting of three positively charged pions.

Researchers are exploring chromium defects in silicon carbide as potential spin qubits. These spin qubits would be compatible with telecommunications optical fibers, making them potentially useful for optical fiber-based quantum networks. Researchers recently investigated new ways to make high-quality chromium defects in silicon carbide.

Magnetic confinement fields in tokamaks can contain areas called magnetic islands in which plasma particles move extra quickly, preventing the plasma from reaching fusion temperatures. Researchers have now observed the spontaneous formation of a structure in the plasma with multiple magnetic islands. These “heteroclinic islands” do not merge into each other while embedded in a larger magnetic field tube. This information will aid the design and operation of future fusion reactors.

Recent work shows that the plant microbiome—the microorganisms in a plant and its immediate environment—influences plant health, survival, and fitness. New research on the microbiome of several types of poplar trees found that the composition of the microbiome changed dramatically over time, and the trees’ genetic makeup proved to be less of a factor than researchers had expected.

Until the last decade, scientists examining gas-solid heterogeneous catalysis often studied these reactions under conditions not found in real-world industrial applications. That has changed, and now researchers have developed a suite of approaches to improve scientific understanding of the interactions between the catalyst surface and the near-surface gases at conditions relevant to operating catalysts.

Some microbes can form thin films called biofilms that give those microbes an advantage by protecting them from stresses such as a lack of nutrients. Some biofilms also benefit plants and other host organisms. New research has identified an enzyme in bacteria that is key to the formation of helpful biofilms on willow and cottonwood trees. The research could lead to advances in studies of microbes important to medicine and agriculture.

Researchers believe that fluctuations in the magnetic fields tokamaks use to confine plasma can reduce fusion energy production by causing particle and heat losses from the plasma to the reactor walls. New research has developed a novel light probe that uses polarization to reveal small-scale magnetic turbulence in detail. This will help validate the models used to design reactors and predict their performance.

Particles in quantum systems have many potential values, making them hard to simulate with a conventional computer. Researchers have proposed a new way to prepare energy states of a simulated quantum system using a quantum computer. Researchers first determine the energy state they are interested in creating. The quantum computer starts the system in a simplified state, then produces different combinations of how the variables evolve over time, then eliminates the energy states that don’t match researchers’ targets.

Computer models of water and land help scientists understand the effects of fire, drought, and human activity, but these models are challenging to build, especially in complex landscapes like the Arctic tundra. Scientists have developed a new mathematical formulation that enables models to predict water runoff in these complex landscapes. This approach will also advance researchers’ ability to predict how surface and subsurface water flow will change over time in a given watershed.

Beta-voltaic radioisotope power sources last for years under harsh conditions without maintenance, making them ideal for applications such as spacecraft. These devices directly convert beta particles from a radioisotope into electrical energy. Researchers recently explored a new approach for making beta-voltaic RPSs more efficient at converting heat into electricity, making these RPSs even better for providing long-term, compact power in remote and extreme environments, especially in small devices.