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Portable UV spectrometer can detect air pollutants across 2.5 km with high precision

Birgitta Schultze-Bernhardt and her team at the Institute of Experimental Physics at Graz University of Technology (TU Graz) have developed a new type of UV dual-comb spectrometer that detects gaseous air pollutants with unrivaled accuracy and sensitivity. Using ultraviolet double laser light, the device measures the concentration of harmful gases such as formaldehyde within half a second.

Violating the 3rd law of black hole mechanics in vacuum gravity

Black holes, regions in space where gravity is so strong that nothing can escape, have been widely studied over the past decades, due to their unique and intriguing properties. Einstein's theory of general relativity predicts that black holes obey a set of rules, known as the laws of black hole mechanics. These rules somewhat resemble the laws of thermodynamics, which delineate how energy, heat, and entropy behave in our universe.

Violent rocket particles could reshape future spacecraft design

When rockets fire into space, the insides of their engines become an extreme environment where temperatures soar and tiny particles are thrown around at hypersonic speeds. These particles behave in ways that break long-held assumptions, according to new research that could help improve the durability, safety and performance of future space and defense technologies.

Predicting physics without parameter tuning: A faster computational approach

Numerical simulations in physics often require estimating a multitude of parameters, making the process computationally expensive and complex. Researchers at University of Tsukuba have introduced a new method called the multiparameter eigenvalue-problem emulator, enabling reliable predictions based directly on relationships among known data by eliminating the need for parameter estimation. This innovation considerably reduces computational costs and enables systematic quantification of predictive uncertainty.

Molecular glasses solve long-standing Arrhenius paradox

Glasses are non-crystalline but solid states of matter in which molecules and atoms are not arranged into a regular crystal lattice, but rather in a disordered pattern. Glassy materials are widely used in various settings, for instance, in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals and the development of electronics or optical devices.

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