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The Dogs of Chernobyl Are Experiencing Rapid Evolution, Study Suggests

Scientists have been analyzing certain animals living within the CEZ for years, including bacteria, rodents, and even birds. One study back in 2016 found that Eastern tree frogs (Hyla orientalis), which are usually a green color, were more commonly black within the CEZ. The biologists theorize that the frogs experienced a beneficial mutation in melanin—pigments responsible for skin color—that helped dissipate and neutralize some of the surrounding radiation.

This made scientists ponder: could something similar be happening to Chernobyl’s wild dogs?

The study uncovered that the feral dogs living near the Chernobyl Power Plant showed distinct genetic differences from dogs living only some 10 miles away in nearby Chernobyl City. While this may seem to heavily imply that these dogs have undergone some type of rapid mutation or evolution due to radiation exposure, this study is only a first step in proving that hypothesis.

A ceiling full of beams: How light is replacing Wi-Fi indoors

Connectivity is no longer a luxury—it is the backbone of how we live, work and move through the world. From smart homes to wearable tech, we rely on strong, seamless wireless networks. But with traditional radio frequency systems like Wi-Fi and Bluetooth reaching their limits in spectrum and precision, it is time for a rethink. What if we could use light to communicate indoors—precisely, silently and efficiently?

That is the vision behind our latest research. We have developed a indoor optical wireless communication (OWC) system that uses finely focused infrared beams to deliver lightning-fast, interference-free connections—while drastically reducing energy use. Imagine a network where every device gets its own invisible of light, targeted like a spotlight, without the clutter and chaos of traditional wireless signals. Our research is published in the IEEE Open Journal of the Communications Society.

“40% More Hydrogen From Sunlight”: Scientists Unleash Breakthrough Method That Could Reshape Global Green Energy Forever

IN A NUTSHELL 🌞 Solar hydrogen generation could revolutionize clean energy by converting sunlight into hydrogen fuel. 💡 Researchers discovered that elevating electrolyte temperatures boosts bismuth-vanadate electrode activity by 40%. 🔍 The study provides new insights into how temperature affects solar water splitting and metal-oxide cell performance. 🚀 Advancements in this field may accelerate the

Phase-resolved attoclock precisely measures electron tunneling time

When placed under a powerful laser field (i.e., under strong-field ionization), electrons can temporarily cross the so-called quantum tunneling barrier, an energy barrier that they would typically be unable to overcome. This quantum mechanics phenomenon, known as quantum tunneling, has been the focus of numerous research studies.

Precisely measuring the exact time that an electron spends inside a barrier during strong-field ionization has so far proved challenging. In recent years, physicists have developed advanced experimental tools called attoclocks, which can measure the timing of ultrafast electron dynamics and could thus help to answer this long-standing research question.

Despite their potential for measuring the tunneling time of electrons, most attoclocks developed to date have had significant limitations and have been unable to yield reliable and conclusive measurements. In a recent paper published in Physical Review Letters, researchers at Wayne State University and Sorbonne University introduced a new attoclock technique that leverages the carrier-envelope phase (CEP), the offset between the peak of a laser’s pulse’s envelope and its oscillating field, to collect more precise tunneling time measurements.

General framework bridges quantum thermodynamics and non-Markovianity

The extraction of work (i.e., usable energy) from quantum processes is a key focus of quantum thermodynamics research, which explores the application of thermodynamics laws to quantum systems. Meanwhile, other quantum physics research has been investigating the non-Markovian dynamics of open quantum systems, which entail the influence of past states on the systems’ future evolution.

Researchers at the University of Nottingham and University of São Paulo have introduced a general and rigorous framework that bridges and non-Markovian dynamics, showing that the latter could serve as a resource that can be exploited to enhance the extraction of work from quantum processes.

Their paper, published in Physical Review Letters, could open new possibilities for the future development of quantum technologies.

Universal law of quantum vortex dynamics discovered in superfluid helium

An international research collaboration featuring scientists from the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering and the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory has discovered a fundamental universal principle that governs how microscopic whirlpools interact, collide and transform within quantum fluids, which also has implications for understanding fluids that behave according to classical physics.

The study, which was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, revealed new insights into vortex dynamics within , a remarkable liquid that exhibits zero-resistance flow at temperatures approaching absolute zero. The research demonstrates that when these quantum vortices intersect and reconnect, they separate faster than their initial approach velocity, creating bursts of energy that characterize turbulence in both quantum and classical fluids.

“Superfluids offer a uniquely clear perspective on turbulence,” said FAMU-FSU College of Engineering Professor Wei Guo, a study co-author. “We’re beginning to understand the universal physics that connects quantum and classical worlds, and that’s an exciting frontier for both science and technology.”