Entangling two physically separate resonators enables a major advance in the science of quantum sound

A symphony in quantum
A new paper from the lab of UChicago Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering Prof. Andrew Cleland demonstrates entanglement between two physically separate resonators. Credit: Cleland Lab

Entanglement—linking distant particles or groups of particles so that one cannot be described without the other—is at the core of the quantum revolution changing the face of modern technology.

While entanglement has been demonstrated in very small particles, new research from the lab of University of Chicago Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering (UChicago PME) Prof. Andrew Cleland is thinking big, demonstrating high-fidelity entanglement between two acoustic wave resonators.

The paper is published in Nature Communications.

“A lot of research groups have demonstrated that they can enta...

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The Westerlund 1 star cluster: Hubble unveils detailed structure

Study unveils detailed structure of Westerlund 1 star cluster
A Hubble Space Telescope WFC3-IR image of Westerlund 1 in false color. Credit: Wei et al., 2025

Using the Hubble Space Telescope (HST), astronomers have observed a supermassive galactic open cluster designated Westerlund 1. Results of the study, published Jan. 28 on the pre-print server arXiv, yield essential details regarding the structure of this cluster.

Open clusters (OCs), formed from the same giant molecular cloud, are groups of stars loosely gravitationally bound to each other. It is assumed that most star formation takes place in massive clusters of stars, known as superstar clusters (SSCs). They are very massive young OCs usually containing a very large number of young, massive stars. The total mass of a typical SSC exceeds 10,000 solar masses.

Westerlund 1 is a supermas...

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Novel ‘Living’ biomaterial aims to advance regenerative medicine

an illustration displaying a human body surrounded by graphical representations regenerative medicine through nanotechnology
A new biomaterial developed by Penn State engineers mimics a key building block of human tissue, extracellular matrices, which act like scaffolding and enable cells to heal after damage. Credit: Sheikhi Research Group/Penn State. All Rights Reserved.

A biomaterial that can mimic certain behaviors within biological tissues could advance regenerative medicine, disease modeling, soft robotics and more, according to researche(rs at Penn State.

Materials created up to this point to mimic tissues and extracellular matrices (ECMs) — the body’s biological scaffolding of proteins and molecules that surrounds and supports tissues and cells — have all had limitations that hamper their practical applications, according to the team...

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Researchers confirm an exoplanet potentially capable of sustaining life

An international team has confirmed the discovery of a super-Earth orbiting in the habitable zone of a nearby sun-like star. The planet was originally detected two years ago by Oxford University scientist Dr. Michael Cretignier. This result, drawing on more than two decades of observations, opens a window to future studies of Earth-like exoplanets that may have conditions suitable for life.

The new planet, named HD 20794 d, has a mass six times that of Earth and orbits a star similar to our sun, located just 20 light years away. Its orbit places it within the habitable zone of the system, meaning it is at the right distance from its star to sustain liquid water on its surface, a key ingredient for life as we know it. The paper is published in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics.

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