Scientists at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) at Brookhaven National Laboratory report the first hints of profound symmetry transformations in the hot soup of quarks, antiquarks, and gluons produced in energetic collisions. The new observations, reported inPhysical Review Letters, suggest that “bubbles” formed within this quark soup may disobey the so-called “mirror symmetry” that […]
So-called bacterial superbugs like methicillin-resistantStaphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) could face annihilation as high-tech low-temperature plasma devices are shown to generate safe, quick and unfailing bactericidal cocktails while also supporting human cell regeneration. The New Journal of Physics reports that two prototype devices have been developed: one for efficient disinfection of healthy skin in hospitals and public […]
The European Space Agency (ESA) has announced the successful testing of a prototype spacecraft engine – called the helicon double layer thruster – that may provide much more thrust than current engines. The concept was inspired by the northern and southern auroras, the lights in the sky that indicate increased solar activity and builds on […]
Trips to distant parts of the solar system could become commonplace with magnetized-beam plasma propulsion, or mag-beam, said Robert Winglee, a University of Washington professor who is leading the research. “We’re trying to get to Mars and back in 90 days,” Winglee said. “Our philosophy is that, if it’s going to take two-and-a-half years, the […]
