A newly synthesized compound, YbMgGaO${}_4$, appears to have the proper interactions among neighboring spins to create a quantum spin-liquid state, an exotic phase that could be useful for some approaches to quantum computing.

A new experimental test confirms evidence for a chiral anomaly in two Dirac-Weyl semimetals, excluding possible confusion with a classical effect known as current jetting.

A new theory describes how neural networks, both biological and artificial, are able to accurately identify objects in their field of vision despite enormous sensory variability.

Substantial energy loss in an electron beam passing through a high-intensity laser provides clear evidence of the radiation reaction, shedding light on how electrons interact with extreme electromagnetic fields.

Unifying different perspectives on what separates quantum states from classical states provides for a new framework for understanding the quantum-classical divide, paving the way for a better understanding of quantum computing platforms and biological systems.

New experiments reveal that instabilities in shear-thickening materials (such as cornstarch suspended in water) arise from localized bands that travel perpendicularly to the shear direction.

The first successful demonstration of a phononic crystal cavity strongly coupled to a tunable superconducting quantum circuit could open new avenues for storing, processing, and transmitting quantum information.

A quantum information protocol offers the possibility of resetting the state of a quantum system to some earlier state, paving the way for an experimental realization of a “time warp.”

A new mathematical proof shows how the area law for quantum entanglement in one dimension relates to how information is shared by disparate regions in the system, paving the way for proofs of the area law at higher dimensions and tractable studies of interacting many-body quantum systems.

A thinned nanowire provides a means for tightly confining 1000 ultracold cesium atoms, allowing for precise measurements of collective quantum fluctuations necessary for future quantum communication networks.

A new approach to laboratory acoustic experiments could remove unwanted effects caused by the reflections of acoustic waves from the boundaries of the experimental setup.

Modeling the probability distribution of complex data using insights from quantum physics is a fresh approach to generative modeling in machine learning, and shows great potential compared to conventional neural network approaches.

In classical modeling, time’s arrow manifests in the differing resource costs between future prediction and past retrodiction. Quantum models, however, can mitigate this cost.

High-resolution X-ray scattering experiments provide insight into the magnetic dynamics of rare-earth nickelates, a candidate material for future spintronic applications.

Phase transitions in fractional Chern insulators could provide a new condensed matter experimental platform for investigating open questions about a family of conformal field theories.

Benchmarks of a quantum information processor establish, for the first time, an advantage for a quantum annealer over classical simulated annealing, an important milestone in the development of quantum optimizers and in the journey towards demonstrating a quantum speedup over classical computers.

Neutron scattering experiments elucidate the magnetic and structural changes that accompany the onset of superconductivity in CrAs at high pressure, offering new insights into the physics of unconventional superconductors.

Differences in collective behavior between isolated neuron networks and the cortex of mammalian brains can be attributed to the strength of external inputs, a new framework reveals. This could open a path for creating more cortical-like behavior in neuronal networks cultured in a dish.

An experimental investigation of drop size in sprays identifies the underlying mechanisms that determine the size distribution, which should allow spray designers to predict droplet characteristics from first principles.

A comprehensive characterization of “local operations assisted by classical communication” shows that pure multipartite entangled states cannot be transformed into other similar states, an important insight in entanglement theory.

New experiments show how changes in semiconductor spin dynamics reveal a novel signature of weak localization, one of the few phenomena in which quantum interference effects manifest in macroscopic objects.

Quantum-classical hybrid algorithms are a promising approach for near-term practical applications of quantum computers. A new experiment demonstrates how a trapped-ion implementation of one such algorithm solves a quantum chemistry problem.

Electrostatically defined nanostructures in a double layer of graphene localize single electrons for the first time, offering an important step towards graphene-based quantum computation that promises long coherence times.

Understanding the properties of metals beyond the Fermi liquid paradigm is one of the central challenges of condensed matter physics. New exactly solvable microscopic models of non-Fermi liquid metals offer new insights into many properties of these exotic systems.

New techniques reduce the spin dephasing time in nitrogen-vacancy centers by more than an order of magnitude, greatly decreasing the time needed for magnetic field sensing and possibly opening up this quantum sensing technology to much broader applications.

Single photons exhibit quantum interference behaviors in novel experiments that extend previous characterization techniques, a key step for assessing the utility of single photons in future quantum networks.

A new analysis of quantum error mitigation, which attempts to limit the effects of errors in near-term quantum computers, shows that two proposed techniques can work in small systems without the need for extra qubits or peripheral devices.

A new theoretical framework for interacting spins in a magnetic solid addresses the critical but poorly understood effect of material randomness on the structure of quantum entanglement.

A novel algorithm offers an inverted approach to designing new quantum materials, by starting with a desired wave function and deducing quantum models from that wave function.

A new numerical analysis demonstrates the utility of infinite projected entangled pair state—a variant of tensor network states—for approximating gapless states of quantum matter, enabling progress on understanding strongly interacting quantum systems.

Tensor network simulations have proven to be adept at studying exotic phases of matter. New numerical work shows that they can also locate and characterize complex quantum phase transitions that are difficult to study otherwise.

A new analysis shows that lattice vibrations are essential to maintaining a recently discovered new type of quantum Hall effect in the material RuCl3.

One electronic orbital dominates the Fermi surface of FeSe superconductors.

A femtosecond-sensitive technique reveals the first steps in the creation of the nanoplasma that forms when a powerful x-ray pulse hits a nanoparticle.

Loss-less transmission of bulk waves can be achieved even in a material with impurities, new theory shows.

Modern information processing relies on many simple modular components, providing a flexible design approach. However, a new analysis shows that this modularity comes at a thermodynamic cost.

Researchers have analyzed how entropy, a fundamental measure of disorder, and its fluctuations are produced in quantum systems and their surroundings.

Multiplex networks can describe complex systems, but it is often difficult to deduce the underlying network structure. A new theory offers a way to experimentally predict the optimal multiplex model in such systems.

A new network model reveals that social mixing and mobility can determine the areas of a city that are critical in provoking an epidemic outbreak.

A metal-semiconductor interface is a promising candidate for a topological superconductor.

A new theoretical treatment provides guidance for fine-tuning the presence of Majorana zero modes, a promising platform for reliable quantum bits, in semiconductor-superconductor nanowires.

Bose-Einstein condensates could provide a platform for systematically studying elusive interactions among quasiparticles, extending quasiparticle theory to new and unexplored regimes.

A method for distributing encryption keys in a quantum network surpasses current limits and is immune to all detection attacks, potentially offering a new standard for future implementations of quantum key distribution.

Experimental evidence for “nodal-line fermions” in the semimetal TiB${}_2$ suggest that this material could be useful as a base for exploration and application of novel transport properties in topological materials.

A tunable transition between metallic and insulating states can appear in a lower-dimensional disordered environment, demonstrating how localization of quantum particles can be controlled through band-structure engineering.

Imperfections in the 2D packing of fibers packed in a bundle have a profound effect on the bundle’s 3D shape, an insight that could be useful in the design of some nanoscale materials.

A numerical method pinpoints entanglement more quickly than other algorithms.

New calculations of symmetry-protected topological phases of matter pave the way for topological quantum computation.

New experiments investigate how the electronic valley degree of freedom influences exchange coupling in a quantum-dot–donor-atom system, a basic building block for proposed quantum information processing schemes.

Swap algorithms have provided recent insights into how liquids solidify into glass, but why they work is unknown. A new analysis shows that the answer lies in an effective potential that describes the size and interactions of particles.

A new theoretical treatment of fracton models, which share similarities with topological phases yet have important differences, reveals new connections between their bulk properties and a layered structure of the underlying spatial manifold.

Microscopy obtained on the timescale of femtoseconds reveals the transient magnetic state of a nanostructure.

A description of how droplets moving across a surface drive the depletion of infused liquid-repelling lubricant paves the way for broader adoption of liquid-infused repellant surfaces in a wide range of industries.

Atoms cooled to about one millionth of a degree above absolute zero in a nanophotonic trap provide a significant step toward unprecedented control over the atom-light interface in cold-atom systems.

New models and experiments show what controls nonradiative losses in organic solar cells and how we can boost power-conversion efficiency up to 20%.

Interactions among an ensemble of efficient nanomachines can trigger cooperative phenomena that enhance the individual power-efficiency trade-off for each machine.

A new quantum model explores the emergence of irreversible macroscopic behavior from reversible microscopic dynamics.

Applying conservation laws to quantum systems changes the timescale over which information is lost.

A pressure-induced site-selective Mott transition from insulator to metal in Fe${}_2$O${}_3$ offers insight into how such transitions proceed in transition-metal compounds.

An all-optical technique for distinguishing between chiral isomers of molecules yields much larger effects than current methods, paving the way for subfemtosecond resolution of chiral dynamics.

Theoretical and experimental evidence for collective vibrations of a protein subject to an external energy supply support the hypothesis that biochemical reactions in living cells are mediated by electrodynamic forces.

Numerical simulations detail how confinement in nanoscale pores affects the behavior of ionic liquids—ion mixtures with potential applications for novel energy storage and conversion.

Researchers model the collective transport of particle mixtures in a two-dimensional biological setting and show that jamming arises at prematurely low densities.

A new experimental method for detecting fractional excitations in layered materials proposes measuring in-plane and interplane thermal conductivity as a way to identify quantum spin liquids.

New research reveals the hidden geometry of colonies of growing bacteria.

Two populations of plasma waves exchange properties in a bath of highly turbulent electromagnetic fluctuations, new theory shows.

Electrides—ionic compounds in which electrons act as anions—could be a useful new platform for developing topological materials thanks to a large population of weakly bound electrons.

Femtosecond x-ray pulses from a free-electron laser reveal the generation and expansion of a near-relativistic plasma at nanometer and femtosecond scales, regimes previously accessible only to simulations.

A new diagnosis tool promises to greatly simplify the arduous task of identifying topological materials, relying fully on automation with no need for human intervention.

A new theory places the enormous variety of surface states seen in topological crystalline insulators into a unified framework, connecting spatial symmetries, sample geometry, and surface behavior.

A new study of multiplex networks with directed layers reveals unexpected diffusion behavior that could be found in social, biological, and geological environments.

A new theory shows how collective activity among neurons relates to the underlying neuronal architecture, providing insight into how complex cognitive functions arise from the physical structure of the brain.

Emission from excited excitons in monolayers of transition metal dichalcogenides, which are ultrathin semiconductors, is more efficient than in conventional semiconductors, The studied interactions between excitons are important for devices such as lasers and optical amplifiers.

Elastic plates patterned with triangular and circular holes provide the first experimental demonstration of topologically protected helical edge modes, a robust approach to manipulating vibrations, with potential applications in sensing-signal processing and wave guiding.

An electrical circuit simulates a quantum phase transition induced by the presence of an impurity in a one-dimensional conductor.

An exploration of the impact of disorder in Weyl semimetals shows that these systems are stable to moderate amounts of impurities and leads to a global phase diagram for disordered Weyl systems.

A time-varying Huygens’ metasurface, composed of independently controlled electric and magnetic meta-atoms, can steer transmitted or reflected EM waves dynamically in nearly any direction without sacrificing efficiency.

New experiments show that passive spectroscopy of magnetization fluctuations in an ultrathin ferromagnet can reveal details about magnetic phase transitions.

A new theoretical framework for topological phases provides the first systematic classification of non-Hermitian systems, those that exchange matter and energy with their environment.

A new analysis shows how to describe microphase-separated states in active matter systems, and that they should be expected generically in active fluids.

A new laser-based technique for observing structure in crystals reveals bismuth transitioning to a long-predicted high-symmetry phase, enhancing understanding of laser-driven structural changes.

A new tensor network approach to simulate 1D and 2D quantum many-body systems reaches low temperatures exponentially fast via an efficient iterative squaring of the thermal density matrix.

A simple metamaterial “atom” placed inside an MRI scanner may help create better spatially uniformity in the radio waves that drive the signal.

An artificial neural network can discover algorithms for quantum error correction without human guidance.

New experiments examine collisions between~protons and hydrogen atoms and deuterons and deuterium~atoms at very cold temperatures, leading to the determination of parameters relevant to the formation of the molecules H${}_2^{+}$ and D${}_2^{+}$ across a large temperature range.

New experiments show that reinforcement learning algorithms, a cutting-edge technique for machine learning, can quickly and accurately learn to prepare a desired quantum state despite no knowledge of quantum mechanics.

A new model of the electronic properties of twisted bilayer graphene provides a less complex tool for understanding the effects of electron correlation and superconductivity in these systems.

Superconducting and insulating behaviors in twisted bilayer graphene suggest deep connections between these phases. A new model of electron motion in these systems sets the stage for exploring these connections further.

A new theory describes how both insulating and superconducting behavior arises from sheets of graphene stacked and twisted at a particular “magic” angle.