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A team of researchers has successfully simulated and” observed” a slow-motion chemical reaction at a billion times slower than “normal.”

For the first time ever, scientists have succeeded in slowing down (in simulation) a chemical reaction by around 100 billion times. Using a quantum computer, the researchers simulated and then “observed” the reaction in super slow motion.

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Most modern computers – from primitive room-filling behemoths like the ENIAC to the smartphone in your pocket – are built according to a set of principles laid out by the mathematician John von Neumann in 1945. This von Neumann architecture, as it is known, incorporates many familiar elements, including a central processing unit, a memory for storing data and instructions, and input and output devices. Despite its ubiquity, though, von Neumann’s model is not the only way of building a computer, and for some applications, it is not the most desirable, either.

One emerging alternative is known as neuromorphic computing. As the name implies, neuromorphic computers are inspired by the architecture of the human brain and use highly connected artificial neurons and artificial synapses to simulate the brain’s structure and functions. For researchers like Le Zhao of China’s Qilu University of Technology, this neuromorphic model offers a fantastic opportunity to develop a new paradigm for computing – as long as we can develop artificial neurons and synapses that have the right properties.

In a recent paper published in Materials Futures, Zhao and colleagues describe how to use a memristor – essentially a switch that “remembers” which electric state it was in, even after its power is turned off – to emulate the function of a synapse in the brain. Here, he explains the team’s goals and plans.

Researchers from Cornell University have identified a new state of matter in candidate topological superconductors, a discovery that may have far-reaching implications for both condensed matter physics and the fields of quantum computing.

Performing computation using quantum-mechanical phenomena such as superposition and entanglement.

“A major highlight of the work is our approach to achieve longevity: using computers to simulate the natural aging system and guide the design and rational engineering of the system to extend lifespan,” Hao told Motherboard. “This is the first time this computationally-guided engineering-based approach has been used in aging research. Our model simulations actually predicted that an oscillator can double the lifespan of the cell, but we were happily surprised that it actually did in experiments.”

The study is part of a growing corpus of mind-boggling research that may ultimately stave off some of the unpleasant byproducts of aging until later in life, while boosting life expectancy in humans overall. Though countless hurdles have to be cleared before these treatments become a reality, Hao thinks his team’s approach could eventually be applied to humans.

“I don’t see why it cannot be applied to more complex organisms,” Hao said. “If it is to be introduced to humans, then it will be a certain form of gene therapy. Of course it is still a long way ahead and the major concerns are on ethics and safety.”

Researchers at Duke University have implemented a quantum-based method to observe a quantum effect in the way light-absorbing molecules interact with incoming photons. Known as a conical intersection, the effect puts limitations on the paths molecules can take to change between different configurations.

The observation method makes use of a quantum simulator, developed from research in quantum computing, and addresses a long-standing, fundamental question in chemistry critical to processes such as photosynthesis, vision and photocatalysis. It is also an example of how advances in quantum computing are being used to investigate fundamental science.

The results appear online August 28 in the journal Nature Chemistry.

The word “fractals” might inspire images of psychedelic colors spiraling into infinity in a computer animation. An invisible, but powerful and useful, version of this phenomenon exists in the realm of dynamic magnetic fractal networks.

Dustin Gilbert, assistant professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, and colleagues have published new findings in the behavior of these networks—observations that could advance neuromorphic computing capabilities.

Their research is detailed in their article “Skyrmion-Excited Spin-Wave Fractal Networks,” cover story for the August 17, 2023, issue of Advanced Materials.

Samsung is the world’s biggest memory chip maker, and the company consistently keeps pushing the boundaries of technology to bring cutting-edge memory products. This time, however, the tech giant has outdone itself by developing a 256TB SSD. Yes, you’ve read it correctly. This is the first 256TB SSD in the industry, and Samsung has teased the latest product at Flash Memory Summit (FMS) 2023 in California, USA.

Samsung announces the world’s first 256TB SSD

As you might imagine, Samsung is aiming this 256TB SSD primarily at hyper-scale data centers. According to Samsung, it uses the 3D QLC NAND technology and consumes approximately seven times less power than stacking eight 32TB SSDs. The tech giant hasn’t revealed any other details about this flash drive. However, considering that it is made for data centers, it most likely has an ESDFF or NGSFF form factor.

Nature is the ultimate quantum computer.

A team of researchers is designing novel systems to capture water vapor in the air and turn it into liquid.

Continue reading “Researcher finds inspiration from spider webs and beetles to harvest fresh water from thin air” »

Scientists at the University of Sydney have, for the first time, used a quantum computer to engineer and directly observe a process critical in chemical reactions by slowing it down by a factor of 100 billion times.

Joint lead researcher and Ph.D. student, Vanessa Olaya Agudelo, said, It is by understanding these basic processes inside and between molecules that we can open up a new world of possibilities in materials science, drug design, or solar energy harvesting.

Continue reading “Scientists use quantum device to slow down simulated chemical reaction 100 billion times” »