Researchers used a specially designed cavity to strengthen quantum vacuum fluctuations and enhance superconductivity in a thin material. Empty space is not truly empty. Even a vacuum contains restless quantum fluctuations, and researchers have now shown for the first time that these normally subtle effects can be engineered to strengthen superconductivity. The work, led by [...]

A hidden atomic structure formed on nickel oxide could enable powerful methane catalysts that use 10 times less nickel. Producing syngas efficiently from methane could become easier with a better understanding of what actually drives the reaction at the atomic level. Partial oxidation of methane (POM) is considered a promising industrial method for making syngas, [...]

Ancient DNA from Shimao reveals local origins, broad prehistoric connections, a patrilineal social structure, and gender-specific patterns of human sacrifice. At Shimao, a vast stone-walled settlement in northern China, ancient DNA is filling in details that archaeology alone could not fully resolve. The genetic evidence is helping trace where the people of this late Neolithic [...]

Researchers have uncovered compelling evidence about the elusive structure of a high-pressure phase of solid nitrogen. Nitrogen makes up most of Earth’s atmosphere, but under intense pressure and low temperatures, it can form solid phases with unexpectedly complex structures. One of these phases, γ-N2, remained poorly understood for more than 50 years despite repeated experimental [...]

JUNO’s first results have launched a new era of precision neutrino physics and brought scientists closer to solving the neutrino mass mystery. The Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory (JUNO) has achieved its first major scientific milestone. On June 10, its debut physics result was featured as a cover article in Nature. Using 59 days of high-quality [...]