The photo shows a rare-earth crystal that serves as quantum memory. The crystal is cooled to 3 degrees above absolute zero temperature.
Credit: © UNIGE

Quantum communication and cryptography are the future of high-security communication. But many challenges lie ahead before a worldwide quantum network can be set up, including propagating the quantum signal over long distances. One of the major challenges is to create memories with the capacity to store quantum information carried by light. Researchers at the University of Geneva (UNIGE), Switzerland, in partnership with CNRS, France, have discovered a new material in which an element, ytterbium, can store and protect the fragile quantum information even while operating at high frequencies...

This image shows the same map of H3+ brightness as in redmap.jpg. However, here, we have overlain three different measurements of Jupiter’s magnetic equator. The first, in blue (with the broadest dashes), is the best past estimate of what was thought to be the equator using ultraviolet light; the second, in red and yellow (with medium dashes) is the location of the dark ribbon seen in this map; the third is the new measurement of the magnetic equator recently measured by the Juno spacecraft. This magnetic measurement shows how closely the dark ribbon follows Jupiter’s magnetic equator.
Credit: University of Leicester

New data from Jupiter observations is a gift to astronomers...

Using an imaging technique developed at Princeton, researchers captured the moment when a segment of DNA — from genetic material that was once thought to be useless junk — turns on a target gene. Here, a time series of images reveals how a DNA segment known as an enhancer can turn on, or activate, its target gene. The enhancer (blue) must come in close proximity to the gene (green) to turn on gene activity (pink).
Credit: Hongtao Chen, Princeton University

Video shows DNA enhancers finding and activating a target gene in a living cell. Researchers have captured video showing how pieces of DNA once thought to be useless can act as on-off switches for genes. These pieces of DNA are part of over 90% of the genetic material that are not genes...

Illustration of nanosized device made of two joined silver single crystals that generate light by inelastical electron tunneling. Artwork by Steven Bopp

Using advanced fabrication techniques, engineers have built a nanosized device out of silver crystals that can generate light by efficiently ‘tunneling’ electrons through a tiny barrier. The work brings plasmonics research a step closer to realizing ultra-compact light sources for high-speed, optical data processing and other on-chip applications.

The device emits light by a quantum mechanical phenomenon known as inelastic electron tunneling. In this process, electrons move through a solid barrier that they cannot classically cross...