In day-to-day life, light seems intangible. We walk through it and create and extinguish it with the flip of a switch. But, like matter, light actually carries a little punch—it has momentum. Light constantly nudges things and can even be used to push spacecraft.…Read More
In the menagerie of exotic materials, superconductors boast their own vibrant ecosystem. All superconductors allow electricity to flow without any resistance. It’s their hallmark feature. But in many cases, that’s where the similarities end. Some superconductors, like aluminum, are conventional—run-of-the-mill, bread-and-butter materials that are…Read More
If gamblers, investors and quantum experimentalists could bend the arrow of time, their advantage would be significantly higher, leading to significantly better outcomes. Adjunct Assistant Professor and JQI affiliate Nicole Yunger Halpern and her colleagues at the University of Cambridge have shown that by…Read More
In physics, chaos is something unpredictable. A butterfly flapping its wings somewhere in Guatemala might seem insignificant, but those flits and flutters might be the ultimate cause of a hurricane over the Indian Ocean. The butterfly effect captures what it means for something to…Read More
The Big Bang, supernovae, collisions of nuclei at breakneck speeds—our universe is filled with extreme phenomena, both natural and human-made. But the surprising thing is that all of these seemingly distinct processes are governed by the same underlying physics: a combination of quantum mechanics…Read More
The researchers and engineers studying quantum technologies are exploring uncharted territory. Due to the unintuitive quirks of quantum physics, the terrain isn’t easy to scout, and the path of progress has been littered with wrong turns and dead ends. Sometimes, though, theorists have streamlined…Read More
A new study led by University of Maryland physicists sheds light on the cellular processes that regulate genes. Published in the journal Science Advances, the paper explains how the dynamics of a polymer called chromatin—the structure into which DNA is packaged—regulate gene expression. Through…Read More
Sometimes, the best place to hide a secret is in broad daylight. Just ask the sun. A new paper in Physical Review Letters details the discovery of the highest-energy light ever observed from the sun. The international team behind the discovery also found that…Read More
Matter—all the stuff we see around us—can be classified into familiar phases: our chairs are solid, our coffee is liquid, and the oxygen we breathe is a gas. This grouping obscures the nitty gritty details of what each molecule or atom is up to…Read More
1 New Laser Experiment Spins Light Like a Merry-go-round
2 The Many Wonders of Uranium Ditelluride
3 Simulations of ‘Backwards Time Travel’ Can Improve Scientific Experiments
4 Embracing Uncertainty Helps Bring Order to Quantum Chaos
5 Advocating for Quantum Simulation of Extreme Physics
6 Novel Quantum Speed Limits Tackle Messy Reality of Disorder
7 UMD Researchers Study the Intricate Processes Underpinning Gene Expression
8 UMD Scientists Help Discover the Highest-Energy Light Coming from the Sun
9 Crystal Imperfections Reveal Rich New Phases of Familiar Matter
Mar 21, 2024 Sullivan Named Distinguished Scholar-Teacher Professor Greg Sullivan has been named a University of Maryland Distinguished Scholar-Teacher. The Distinguished Scholar-Teacher Program, established in 1978, honors a small number of faculty members each year who have demonstrated notable success in both scholarship and teaching. Sullivan received his Ph.D. from the University of…Read More
Feb 20, 2024 Philippov Awarded Sloan Research Fellowship Assistant Professor Sasha Philippov is one of 126 scientists in the United States and Canada to receive a 2024 Sloan Research Fellowship. Granted by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, the $75,000 award recognizes scientists who have made important research contributions and have demonstrated “the potential to…Read More
Feb 28, 2024 ‘Not Alone’: Mental Health Task Force Analyzes Well-Being of UMD Physics Graduate Students Grad school should challenge students’ minds but not their mental health, according to physics graduate students at the University of Maryland who are using scientific principles to understand their peers’ perspectives.Formed in 2016, the Department of Physics’ Graduate Student Mental Health Task Force (MHTF) is…Read More
Feb 26, 2024 Aaron Sternbach Combines Light and Matter to Push Experimental Boundaries Aaron Sternbach, a new assistant professor in the Department of Physics at the University of Maryland, is an expert in combining light and material properties to produce unique results. His experiments have allowed him to spy on elusive quantum interactions that play out on extremely…Read More