Conventional crystals are materials in which atoms arrange themselves in repeating spatial patterns. Time crystals, on the other hand, are phases of matter characterized by repeating motions over time ...

Remarkably, the atoms were able to cross this barrier collectively and without energy loss, behaving as if the barrier were transparent, thanks to quantum tunneling. As the oscillating current flowed ...

The field of optical atomic clocks, in combination with ultracold atoms, has transformed precision timekeeping and metrology. By utilising laser-cooled atoms confined in optical lattices, researchers ...

Tiny “Ferris wheels” made from light and extremely cold particles could allow researchers to test a facet of Albert Einstein’s theory of relativity on unprecedentedly small scales. Theories of special ...

Physicists at the MIT-Harvard Center for Ultracold Atoms have pulled off a feat once confined to the blackboards of theorists: they’ve taken the first direct images of atoms freely interacting in ...

The race to build the first useful quantum computer is on and may revolutionize the world with brand new capabilities, from medicine to freight logistics. Tech companies all want to take the crown, ...

Scientists have used ultracold atoms to successfully demonstrate a novel method of particle acceleration that could unlock a new understanding of how cosmic rays behave, a new study reveals. Subscribe ...

"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." Here’s what you’ll learn when you read this story: Studying quantum phenomena—such as the quantum Hall ...

Atoms of the soft, silvery metal indium have been chilled to temperatures so cold that the particles can demonstrate strange quantum behaviour, such as forming new types of matter. Because indium ...

An artist’s illustration of a quantum fluid made from atoms (gold), streaming along a wall made from laser light (green), and effortlessly navigating around obstacles placed in their path. Typically, ...

For the first time, scientists have observed the iconic Shapiro steps, a staircase-like quantum effect, in ultracold atoms. In this experiment, an alternating current was applied to a Josephson ...