Lifeboat Foundation

Modern society relies on technologies with electronic integrated circuits (IC) at their heart, but these may prove to be less suitable in future applications such as quantum computing and environmental sensing. Photonic integrated circuits (PICs), the light-based equivalent of electronic ICs, are an emerging technology field that can offer lower energy consumption, faster operation, and enhanced performance. However, current PIC fabrication methods lead to large variability between fabricated devices, resulting in limited yield, long delays between the conceptual idea and the working device, and lack of configurability. Researchers at Eindhoven University of Technology have devised a new process for the fabrication of PICs that addresses these critical issues, by creating novel reconfigurable PICs in the same way that the emergence of programmable logic devices transformed IC production in the 1980s.

Photonic integrated circuits (PICs) – the light-based equivalent of electronic ICs—carry signals via visible and infrared light. Optical materials with adjustable refractive index are essential for reconfigurable PICs as they allow for more accurate manipulation of light passing through the materials, leading to better PIC performance.

Current programmable PIC concepts suffer from issues such as volatility and/or high optical signal losses—both of which negatively affect a material’s ability to keep its programmed state. Using hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si: H), a material used in thin-film silicon solar cells, and the associated Staebler-Wronski effect (SWE), which describes how the optical properties of a-Si: H can be changed via light exposure or heating, researchers at Eindhoven University of Technology have designed a new PIC fabrication process that addresses the shortfalls of current techniques and could lead to the emergence of universal programmable PICs.

Essentially this can lead to euclidean geometry in programming essentially allowing near infinite decompression either in programming or in devices or even spaceships.

In physics and mathematics, in the area of vector calculus, Helmholtz’s theorem,^[1][2] also known as the fundamental theorem of vector calculus,^{[3][4][5][6][7][8][9]} states that any sufficiently smooth, rapidly decaying vector field in three dimensions can be resolved into the sum of an irrotational (curl-free) vector field and a solenoidal (divergence-free) vector field; this is known as the Helmholtz decomposition or Helmholtz representation. It is named after Hermann von Helmholtz.^[10]

As an irrotational vector field has a scalar potential and a solenoidal vector field has a vector potential, the Helmholtz decomposition states that a vector field (satisfying appropriate smoothness and decay conditions) can be decomposed as the sum of the form − ∇ ϕ + ∇ × A {\displaystyle -\nabla \phi +\nabla \times \mathbf {A} }, where ϕ {\displaystyle \phi } is a scalar field called “scalar potential”, and A is a vector field, called a vector potential.

Patrick Maletinsky is recognized worldwide as an expert in the field of quantum sensors. He explains why he sees significant economic and scientific potential in quantum sensing already in the near-term.

[en] In order to continue cold nuclear fusion reaction reliably and easily, gases of deuterium or deuterium compounds are introduced to a plasma reaction vessel and electric energy is applied to convert the gases into plasmas. Further, deuterium ions are attracted to the surface of materials which cause nuclear fusion by an electric field which is negatively self-biased or externally biased. Atomic deuterium collides against the surface of a cathode on the side of palladium to cause nuclear fusion reaction at the surface or the vicinity of the inside of the cathode. Since a metal absorbing a great amount of deuterium is used as the material for the cathode in order to improve the efficiency and the absorption is increased at a low temperature, the cathode is cooled by liquid hydrogen. Further, the deuterium is introduced in the form of blowing so as to increase the absorption of the deuterium. When the scale is increased by 10 to 1000 times, practical fusion reaction can be caused to utilize as a controllable energy source which can provide a remarkable industrial effect. (N.H.)

Primary Subject

NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS (A3411)

This plant chemical takes away soreness, but it turns out it also makes injured and bruised muscles heal faster.

Andrew Sinclair does not have anything to lose. He takes a number of drugs including the anti-diabetic medication metformin, given to him by his son David, the renowned Australian biologist and professor of genetics at Harvard Medical School, to combat the ill-effects of ageing.

David Sinclair says his father remains in good health, travelling, socialising and exercising with the energy of a man far younger than his 80 years.

David Sinclair will discuss why ageing should be classified as a disease at the Festival of Dangerous Ideas.

Continue reading “Flipping the switch on the ageing process” »

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Recent findings of new Higgs modes in unconventional superconductors require a classification and characterization of the modes allowed by nontrivial gap symmetry. Here we develop a theory for a tailored nonequilibrium quantum quench to excite all possible oscillation symmetries of a superconducting condensate. We show that both a finite momentum transfer and quench symmetry allow for an identification of the resulting Higgs oscillations. These serve as a fingerprint for the ground state gap symmetry. We provide a classification scheme of these oscillations and the quench symmetry based on group theory for the underlying lattice point group. For characterization, analytic calculations as well as full scale numeric simulations of the transient optical response resulting from an excitation by a realistic laser pulse are performed. Our classification of Higgs oscillations allows us to distinguish between different symmetries of the superconducting condensate.

At a time when Beijing and Washington should be cooperating, both sides are locked in a strategic competition.

Dinorah Delfin has unleashed another exceptional edition of Immortalist Magazine. One of the best aspects is the dueling articles on the future states of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI).

Daniel Faggella constructs another dismal, dreary, depressing, destruction of hope for a benevolent artificial general intelligence. Emphasis on depressing. He has a wonderful way of creating a series of logical roadblocks to any optimism that there is a future with a compassionate artificial general intelligence. But he seems to be arguing against a contention that probably nobody believes in. He is arguing that there is no certainty that an artificial general intelligence will be benevolent. Most thinking humanoids are going to agree with that perspective. As he points out forcefully in his concluding and strongest rebuttal: no one knows what the future holds.

But no one is looking for absolute certainty in the far future. Transhumanists in general are looking for a path forward to an existence full of superhappiness, superintelligence and superlongevity.