Cells that are electrically active and that also produce light for easy voltage monitoring could lead to new studies of heart arrhythmias and possibly bio-computing.

In quantum circuits, electrical fluctuations render the behavior of the components interdependent, calling for new circuit rules. Now, researchers establish such rules for simple quantum components.

Quasiparticles with no direct analogs in the standard model have been recently revealed in experiments. Researchers theoretically analyze the physical properties of triple point fermions, which can be thought of as a melding of Dirac and Weyl fermions.

By bathing a superconducting qubit in squeezed light, researchers have been able to confirm a decades-old prediction for the resulting phase-dependent spectrum of resonance fluorescence.

Dynamic networks are common in complex systems, and coarse-graining their evolving structure is a key step to understanding them. General mathematical tools for identifying the theoretical limits of such methods are presented.

Optimal quantum error-correction codes are necessary to extend the lifetime of quantum memories. A new error-correction code to rectify photon loss, gain, and dephasing errors in electromagnetic cavities is presented.

A quantum computer is used to efficiently model a quantum chemical system to extremely high accuracy.

Obtaining large quantities of drinkable water via desalinization is often an expensive, complex process. A theoretical method for obtaining clean water from waste is presented, drawing on inspiration from the human kidney.

Complex networks like neural maps and the internet are characterized by a large number of connected nodes. A new algorithm shows how three-dimensional networks can be computationally simplified by tiling an abstract surface.

It is commonly believed that quantum tunneling is necessary for a quantum speedup in quantum annealing, but a theoretical demonstration shows that quantum tunneling is not always the most efficient way to yield a quantum speedup.

Phase transitions are ubiquitous in nature and can occur in out-of-equilibrium situations. The key role of short-range fluctuations in dissipative phase transitions is theoretically demonstrated and can be experimentally reproduced in the future using trapped ions, Rydberg states of atoms, or microwave circuits.

Metals, semiconductors, and insulators all exhibit the spin Seebeck effect, in which a temperature gradient results in current flow. Now, researchers advance our understanding of how the spin Seebeck effect depends on temperature and material properties.

A chiral object cannot be superimposed onto its mirror image—a geometric definition of chirality. A new theoretical study introduces a definition of electromagnetic chirality.

Sensing magnetic fields is a key aspect in many areas of study such as biomedical imaging and geophysics. Researchers demonstrate all-optical solid-state magnetometry that is sensitive to magnetic fields weaker than 100 nT.

Quantum annealing is a quantum enhanced heuristic optimization algorithm that exploits quantum tunneling. New work shows that it can significantly outperform its classical analog (simulated annealing) as well as the most popular classical algorithm for simulating quantum annealing (quantum Monte Carlo).

Preparing, manipulating, and reading out Majorana zero modes is important for quantum computing. A theoretically developed set of milestone experiments, if conducted successfully, may pave the way for fault-tolerant “topological” quantum information processing.

Pulses of light are made up of quantum particles called photons. A novel way of making individual photons interact could pave the way toward generating photonic “molecules” and even more complex states of light.

The field of gravitational-wave astronomy celebrated its first direct detection of a binary black hole merger in 2015. Researchers study what can and cannot be learned through observations of the stochastic background of distant gravitational-wave signals.

Majorana particles are favored in quantum computing, which promises exponential increases in processing speed compared with classical protocols. Now, researchers propose using Majoranas to perform a magic gate that is more resistant to system noise.

A Rydberg atom immersed in a dense cloud of ultracold neutral atoms can undergo two chemical processes.

Researchers provide new evidence for the existence of type-II Weyl semimetals, which would be both conducting and insulating in different spatial directions.

Observing the effects of quantum phenomena requires relatively long state lifetimes. In a new experiment, ultracold dysprosium atoms are used to demonstrate that spin-orbit coupling persists for 10 to 100 times longer than in other atoms.

A progressive loss of phase information (i.e., decoherence) is fundamental to many physical systems since they evolve over time. Researchers present a way of deriving master equations to dynamically characterize disordered quantum systems with finite dimensions.

The central nervous system is a prime example of a complex network. Scientists derive the statistics associated with the interactions between pairs of binary units representing individual neurons.

Quantum information processing of the future may rely on controlling systems of interacting atoms or ions. A theoretical proposal shows how a lattice of ionic crystals can demonstrate critical phases that are neither fully disordered nor fully ordered.

Differentiating between Dirac composite fermions and the Halperin-Lee-Read state has long been difficult. Now, a theoretical demonstration shows that the Nernst effect—a type of thermoelectric transport measurement—can be used to test the Dirac nature of composite fermions.

Superconductivity is a fascinating property in which electrical resistance drops to zero. An investigation into the energy stored in the long-range Coulomb interaction in cuprates furthers understanding of these materials’ high-temperature superconductivity.

Some of the remarkable behaviors of strongly correlated metals may be controlled by quantum phase transitions. An exact numerical method is used to reveal the properties of a model exhibiting a quantum phase transition between an isotropic and a nematic metal.

Light-matter interactions play critical roles in many areas of physics. A new study shows how the paths of electrons liberated from molecules can be effectively measured to extremely high temporal and spatial resolutions.

Noise is a fundamental aspect of experimental procedures, and achieving reliable quantum computing requires compensating for errors. Scientists show that certain types of errors can be calibrated out in a 7-qubit quantum error-correcting code in a system of trapped ions.

Inducing superconductivity in the surface of a three-dimensional topological insulator has long been a goal of condensed-matter physics. A new experiment realizes this process in a thin film of samarium hexaboride.

Bosonic optoelectronic excitations known as polaritons may play crucial roles in futuristic quantum technologies. Researchers investigate the phase coupling between coherent quantum states of polaritons held at roughly 10 degrees above absolute zero.

Quantum metrology shows that it is always possible to estimate the separation of two stars, no matter how close together they are.

In high-dimensional data, where the number of measurements can be far smaller than the number of unknown variables, extracting statistical information can be challenging. Scientists theoretically show how classical statistics can be generalized for such “big data.”

The interfaces between materials are often rich in physical phenomena such as emergent magnetic properties. A new study analyzes the low-temperature properties of the interface between two oxides controlled by cationic defect formation.

Communication that relies on quantum carriers, like single photons, can achieve a level of privacy unattainable by classical communication methods. In a new experiment, single microwave photons are used as carriers of quantum information in a manner robust to loss.

A newly discovered optical vortex forms a ring around many intense laser pulses but was never noticed before.

Networks are everywhere: social networks, linked neurons in the brain, and maps of traffic patterns. A long-standing goal has been to divide networks into relevant “communities,” and now researchers demonstrate a better method for doing so.

Error correction is a fundamental aspect of quantum codes. Researchers theoretically show that even 5- and 7-qubit codes can yield universal fault-tolerant computation with relatively low overhead.

Superconductors carry current without resistance, but excessive current destroys superconductivity. An investigation of this natural “speed limit” gives a better understanding of the properties of copper-oxide-based, high-temperature superconductors.

Multiqubit measurements will play a vital role in quantum information processing. A new experiment constructs complex measurements on three superconducting qubits and develops important tools toward characterizing them.

The structural stability of solar-cell absorbing materials is critical to ensure efficient solar cells. Experiments show how a hybrid perovskite material can be degraded by visible light much more easily than conventional semiconductors such as silicon.

Bosons and fermions, once thought to be distinct entities, can actually be exchanged via the attachment of flux. This observation is used to relate different theories that have applications in fields as diverse as condensed matter physics and string theory.

A compact scheme can directly modulate the phase of a laser without a bulky external modulator.

Quantum computers promise to shed light on many areas of research that have proven too computationally expensive even for current supercomputers. Researchers show how a hybrid quantum-classical approach can be used to simulate strongly correlated materials, such as high-temperature superconductors and transition-metal oxides.

Developing more efficient solar cells has long been a goal of scientists, given the current energy crisis. A theoretical study of black phosphorous, a material useful as an infrared photodetector, shows that it can make a more efficient solar cell in the presence of strain.

Probing electronic states on ultrafast timescales is critical for studies of chemical reactions. A tabletop method for performing time-resolved x-ray emission spectroscopy is presented and tested using a polypyridyl iron complex.