Feb 20th, 2025 - Microsoft said Wednesday it has developed a computer chip based on a new "topological" state of matter — not solid, liquid or gas — that it expects will underpin exponentially faster and more powerful quantum computers "within years, not decades." The company said its custom-built topological superconductor — topoconductor — can "observe and control Majorana particles" to produce topological quantum bits, or qubits, the building blocks of quantum computing. Who said what Microsoft said it created eight topological qubits and placed them on its new Majorana 1 ... [Read More]

Feb 20th, 2025 - Sign up for CNN's Wonder Theory science newsletter. Explore the universe with news on fascinating discoveries, scientific advancements and more . Many types of birds — such as hummingbirds, peacocks and parrots — are vividly colorful, but birds-of-paradise are especially flamboyant with hues of emerald, lemon, cobalt and ruby. Now, research has revealed these stunning birds are also sending secret color signals that are invisible to human eyes. Plumage and body parts of birds-of-paradise glow in certain areas when viewed under blue and ultraviolet, or UV, light, appearing bright ... [Read More]

Feb 20th, 2025 - Failed water main or mineshaft most likely culprits as hole opens up in the village of Godstone Residents of Godstone in Surrey have been evacuated from their homes amid fears that two large sinkholes in their high street could trigger a gas explosion. Here we look at what causes sinkholes, whether they are becoming more common and what can be done to prevent them. What are sinkholes? Sinkholes are large pits that appear in the ground when the underlying rock either collapses or is washed away, dissolved in water or degraded through other processes. In Britain they are typically 5 to 10 ... [Read More]

Feb 20th, 2025 - Researchers have developed a distributed quantum algorithm that makes it possible to link small quantum units together, which could lead to functioning quantum computer systems on a large scale. Researchers at the University of Oxford have demonstrated distributed quantum computing for the first time by connecting two separate quantum processors via a photonic network interface. By using optical fibers to entangle quantum bits in separate modules, quantum logic operations can be performed across the modules via quantum teleportation. The method makes it possible to link together ... [Read More]

Feb 19th, 2025 - Microsoft on Wednesday unveiled Majorana 1, a quantum chip the company says is powered by a new state of matter. CEO Satya Nadella described it as a "breakthrough" in the advancement of quantum computing. "Most of us grew up learning there are three main types of matter that matter: solid, liquid, and gas. Today, that changed," Nadella said in a post on X. "After a nearly 20 year pursuit, we've created an entirely new state of matter, unlocked by a new class of materials, topoconductors, that enable a fundamental leap in computing. It powers Majorana 1, the first quantum processing unit ... [Read More]

Feb 19th, 2025 - Microsoft Corp. today debuted the Majorana 1, an eight-qubit chip that it touts as a major breakthrough in quantum computing. The processor is powered by quasiparticles called Majorana zero modes. Qubits made from such quasiparticles are less susceptible to errors than other quantum circuits. As a result, Microsoft believes Majorana 1's architecture could hold the key to building large-scale quantum computers. The chip is the fruit of a research effort that the company launched nearly two decades ago.  "Microsoft's quantum processor news is a significant advance in quantum hardware and ... [Read More]

Feb 19th, 2025 - If you're ready for Spring to bring warmer temperatures, you're not alone. A group of sea turtles in Florida was released into the Atlantic Ocean this week after almost a month rehabbing from "cold stunning." The condition causes the creatures to lose mobility and compromises their immune system if they're in cold conditions for long periods. The turtles became ill and were found either floating in the water or washed up on land late last month after a major dip in ocean temperatures – typically below 50 degrees – across northern Florida. Several parts of the state have seen ... [Read More]

Feb 19th, 2025 - Sagittarius A* was more active than anticipated. The accretion disk surrounding the black hole generated five to six big flares per day. The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has revealed an ongoing, rapid-fire light show. This relates to new observations about the central supermassive black hole (Sagittarius A*) within our own galaxy. The unusual phenomenon was detected for 48 hours total across one year. Astrophysicists from Northwestern University found the accretion disk (the swirling disk of gas and dust) orbiting the black hole is constantly emitting flares without periods of rest. ... [Read More]