Quantum mechanics and thermodynamics are fundamental fields of physics. Scientists show how the processing of quantum coherence is constrained by the laws of thermodynamics.

Life as we know it is built around water. Molecular dynamics simulations show that energy in water molecules is largely transferred between molecules as opposed to within individual molecules.

Quantum computation commonly relies on qubits, but rebits—states with real density matrices—can be used as well. Researchers show how the contextuality of two-level states is necessary for quantum computation.

Quantized resistance—the fractional quantum Hall effect—was used to uncover the mysterious so-called 5/2 state. Theoretical modeling suggests that spin-polarized electrons in GaAs semiconductors defining this state host a fundamentally new type of quantum particle.

A new model can compute when a spreading disease triggers an epidemic within a network that varies with time.

Identifying groups of highly correlated units in a complex system is a notoriously challenging task. A new technique that adapts tools from network theory solves this problem and is used to map the mesoscopic structure of various stock markets.

Doping Mott insulators to produce conductive materials has applications in transistors and switches. Researchers show how to calculate the critical doping needed to overcome the insulating behavior and produce a metal.

Hybrid nanostructures composed of both typical atoms and metallic nanoparticles such as nanoresonators host a variety of optical properties. Analytical modeling is used to derive the optical responses of such materials in a computationally feasible way.

Identifying atomic nuclei using magnetic spins is done in many fields of biology and chemistry. A new investigation shows that the presence of harmonic signals can make it difficult to accurately identify a heterogeneous group of atoms.

Using quantum systems to simulate the behavior of other quantum systems is a step toward achieving revolutionary computing. Entangled photons are used to simulate the eigenstates of spin systems and how they change when the external magnetic field and spin-coupling are altered.

Time measurements and navigation rely on atomic interferometers and atomic clocks. A new technique can improve the stability of such clocks by coupling a classical oscillator to an ensemble of atoms in a superposition state using repeated, coherence-preserving measurements.

Using basic building blocks to assemble colloids analogous to molecules may pave the way for developing new metamaterials. A new method allows different “molecule” shapes to be controlled using particle size ratio, charge ratio ion concentrations, and external electric fields.

Superconductors hold great promise for allowing electrical current to flow unimpeded by resistance. A new study finds that an iron pnictide doped with copper possesses a local electronic structure strikingly similar to that of cuprate superconductors.

A near-infrared microscopy technique can detect defects in electronic devices with a resolution better than the diffraction limit of light.

Topological defects can occur during the transition from disorder to order. Researchers quantitatively predict the formation rate of defects using scaling ideas, linear response, and insights from gravity.

Although transition-metal oxides usually lack the combination of suitable band gaps and carrier transport properties desired for solar energy applications, such semiconducting properties can be realized in metastable MnO-ZnO alloys.

Strongly interacting topological phases constitute a recent field of condensed-matter physics. An investigation of a model of a topological insulator with exotic magnetic edge states helps explain how these states emerge.

A general framework already exists to describe how insulators respond to electromagnetic fields. Now, a new universal framework describes the response of both insulators and metals.

Combining the qualities of superconductors and ferromagnets allows for the creation of new superconducting electronics. Cooper pairs in superconductors—which do not possess spin—can be altered to have spin using a special ferromagnet.

Some materials exhibit ground states that are disordered, even in the zero-temperature limit. Researchers derive theoretical relations of thermodynamic and structural properties to describe these unexpected states.

Electromagnetic scattering has applications in astrophysics, atmospheric science, and medical imaging. Researchers design a metamaterial that exhibits anomalously weak scattering over a band of optical frequencies.

Bismuth is known for its extremely mobile electrons whose capacity to conduct electricity is drastically diminished in the presence of magnetic fields. A new study shows how the orbital magnetoresistance changes as a function of both temperature and magnetic field strength.

For quantum computing to be practical, the effects of decoherence on quantum information must be minimized. Discovery of a regime in which transitions that conserve parity are much more likely to occur than those that do not opens the door to parity-based information processing proposals to protect quantum information.

Power generation from nuclear fusion requires that highly energetic plasmas be stably confined. New evidence shows how high plasma pressures help to confine high-energy electrons in a stable magnetic cusp, laying the groundwork for efficient fusion reactors.

Nonreciprocal photonic systems allow for the unidirectional transmission and amplification of photons, which enables a host of applications. A new and general approach for realizing nonreciprocal interactions shows how they can be used to construct quantum-limited amplifiers and isolators.

Ions with multiple quantum states are useful test beds for quantum magnetism and memory. Researchers use trapped ${}^{171}$Yb ions to control interactions among ions with three quantum states.

Quantum simulations are expected to vastly outperform classical simulations when modeling the dynamics of interacting spin systems. A digital quantum simulation shows that spin dynamics can be studied and predicted, laying the groundwork for applications in quantum magnetism.

Understanding memory and decision making in the human brain requires generating models of how neurons fire. Using ordinary differential equations, researchers formulate an exact firing rate description for an ensemble of spiking neurons.

Topological insulators consist of electrons that are either free or weakly interacting, which makes such systems computationally tractable. A new study describes topological insulators of bosons—a strongly correlated problem—and shows that their low-energy physics is captured by an exotic theory.

Porous metamaterials exhibit dramatic changes in their Hall voltage relative to their bulk material. Researchers theoretically investigate this result and suggest techniques for experimental verification.

The surface states of topological insulators are protected from backscattering, making them a promising resource for computing and materials science. This topological protection is now demonstrated in a radio-frequency circuit.

Ferromagnetism of delocalized fermions is a fundamental aspect of condensed-matter physics but is difficult to describe using typical perturbative methods. Using nonperturbative simulations, scientists accurately determine the ferromagnetic transition temperature and other thermodynamic properties of a ferromagnetic metal.

Water is an abundant resource on Earth and at low temperatures it occurs in hexagonal and cubic forms that differ only in molecular arrangements. Researchers use quantum-mechanical simulations to explain why hexagonal ice has a lower overall free energy than the cubic form and thus why snowflakes are hexagonal.

New sources and detectors allow atomic and molecular structure to be studied at mid-infrared wavelengths, where interpreting experiments is more straightforward.

The interaction of light and matter is fundamental in physics. New results show that quantum coherence can arise in a cavity containing multiple modes of light and an artificial atom.