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Resurrecting Niobium for Quantum Science

The Josephson junction is the information-processing heart of the superconducting qubit. Pictured here is the niobium Josephson junction engineered by David Schuster of Stanford University and his team. Their junction design has resurrected niobium as a viable option as a core qubit material.
The Josephson junction is the information-processing heart of the superconducting qubit. Pictured here is the niobium Josephson junction engineered by David Schuster of Stanford University and his team. Their junction design has resurrected niobium as a viable option as a core qubit material. (Image by Alexander Anferov/the University of Chicago’s Pritzker Nanofabrication Facility.)

Expanding possibilities for superconducting qubits. For years, niobium was considered an underperformer when it came to superconducting qubits. Now scientists supported by Q-NEXT have found a way to engineer a high-performing niobium-based qubit and so take advantage of niobium’s superior qualities.

When it comes to quantum technology, niobium is making a comeback...

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Biomolecules from Formaldehyde on Ancient Mars

Organic materials discovered on Mars may have originated from atmospheric formaldehyde, according to new research, marking a step forward in our understanding of the possibility of past life on the Red Planet.

Scientists from Tohoku University have investigated whether the early atmospheric conditions on Mars had the potential to foster the formation of biomolecules – organic compounds essential for biological processes.

Their findings, published in Scientific Reports, offer intriguing insights into the plausibility of Mars harboring life in its distant past.

Today, Mars presents a harsh environment characterized by dryness and extreme cold, but geological evidence hints at a more hospitable past.

About 3.8-3...

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High-Intensity Exercise can Reverse Neurodegeneration in Parkinson’s, study suggests

Dopamine Transporter Levels Pre- and Post-Exercise. A Average 18F-FE-PE2I DAT BPND images before and after six months of exercise. The red box including the midbrain and SN is enlarged. B 18F-FE-PE2I BPND in the SN pre- and post-exercise by study participant. Individual lines are red if an increase was observed, blue if a decrease was observed. The solid black line represents the mean of our cohort, the dashed black line represents the expected decrease from the pre-exercise average in the absence of intervention. Credit: npj Parkinson’s Disease (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41531-024-00641-1

High-intensity exercise induces brain-protective effects that have the potential to not just slow down but possibly reverse the neurodegeneration associated with Parkinson’s disease, a new pilot ...

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AI finds Key Signs that Predict Patient Survival Across Dementia Types

Ai finds key signs that predict patient survival across dementia types
Survival Analysis Based On Dementia Subtypes. Credit: Zhang & Song et al., Communications Medicine

Researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and others have harnessed the power of machine learning to identify key predictors of mortality in dementia patients.

The study, published in the February 28 online issue of Communications Medicine, addresses critical challenges in dementia care by pinpointing patients at high risk of near-term death and uncovers the factors that drive this risk.

Unlike previous studies that focused on diagnosing dementia, this research delves into predicting patient prognosis, shedding light on mortality risks and contributing factors in various kinds of dementia.

Dementia has emerged as a major cause of death in societies with increasin...

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