Time Crystals – A Form of Matter That Changes Everything
Of all the names that have science fiction connotations, perhaps none are as mysterious or seemingly impossible as time crystals. The name may make you think of the movie “Back to the Future,” but the reality is much more interesting than the movie. Two different teams of researchers recently reported observing time crystals, or temporal crystals, which reinforces the idea that this theoretical state of matter can be created and observed. And indeed, these crystals can be grown even in a child’s bedroom! You’ve probably heard of crystal growing kits. But it takes nuclear sensors and lasers to help them reach their full potential. Read on to understand what they…
Liquid-liquid critical point mapped in deep neural network
A new study in Nature Physics has shed light on the long-hypothesized liquid-liquid critical point, where water exists simultaneously in two distinct liquid forms, opening up new possibilities for experimental validation. Water is known for its anomalous properties – unlike most substances, it is densest in the liquid state, not the solid. This leads to unique behaviors, such as ice floating on water. One of these unusual features has prompted decades of research to understand the unique behavior of water, especially in the supercooled regime. However, studying this phase transition (LLPT), which is thought to occur in the supercooled regime, has faced challenges that researchers wanted to address. “Water is…
