Researchers tracked down the first step in ice formation at a surface, revealing that additional energy is needed for water before ice can start to form. Findings turn previous understanding of ice formation upside down With the help of a new experimental technique and computational simulations, Tamtogl and a group of researchers from the Universities…

A new accelerator chip called ‘Hiddenite’ that can achieve state-of-the-art accuracy in the calculation of sparse ‘hidden neural networks’ with lower computational burdens has now been developed. By employing the proposed on-chip model construction, which is the combination of weight generation and ‘supermask’ expansion, the Hiddenite chip drastically reduces external memory access for enhanced computational…

Researchers have discovered that a new material can act as a super-fast magnetic switch. When struck by successive ultra-short laser pulses it exhibits ‘toggle switching’ that could increase the capacity of the global fiber optic cable network by an order of magnitude. Expanding the capacity of the internet Switching between two states — 0 and…

Starspots are more common among red giant stars than previously thought. Astronomers report that approximately eight percent of red giants exhibit such spots. Although red giants are generally regarded as slowly rotating stars, those with starspots are apparently an exception. The new publication offers a comprehensive analysis of the reasons for their short rotation periods.…

New research suggests the underlying function of ‘next-word prediction’ computational models closely resembles the function of language-processing centers in the human brain. The most recent generation of predictive language models also appears to learn something about the underlying meaning of language. These models can not only predict the word that comes next, but also perform…

The lensless Bio-FlatScope is a small, inexpensive camera to monitor biological activity that can’t be captured by conventional instruments. The device could eventually be used to look for signs of cancer or sepsis or become a valuable endoscopy tool. First, catch the tiger. Then attach Bio-FlatScope, the latest iteration of lensless microscopy being developed at…

Materials scientists have revealed paddlewheel-like molecular dynamics that help push sodium ions through a quickly evolving class of solid-state batteries. The insights should guide researchers in their pursuit of a new generation of sodium-ion batteries to replace lithium-ion technology in a wide range of applications such as data centers and home energy storage. The results…

New type of optical computing could solve highly complex problems that are out of reach for even the most powerful supercomputers. In a paper published in the journal Physical Review Letters, they propose a new type of computation that could revolutionise analogue computing by dramatically reducing the number of light signals needed while simplifying the…

Hang bugs — when software gets stuck, but doesn’t crash — can frustrate both users and programmers, taking weeks for companies to identify and fix. Now researchers have developed software that can spot and fix the problems in seconds. «Many of us have experience with hang bugs — think of a time when you were…

Lightspeed is the fastest velocity in the universe. Except when it isn’t. Anyone who’s seen a prism split white light into a rainbow has witnessed how material properties can influence the behavior of quantum objects: in this case, the speed at which light propagates. Electrons also behave differently in materials than they do in free…