3,699 articles frome SEPTEMBER 2019

Flexible working, the neglected congestion-busting solution for our cities

Traffic congestion is one of the most significant challenges facing our cities. Melbourne's population is growing by around 325 people a day and is projected to overtake Sydney's within a decade. Identified as the most congested city in the country, this was a factor in Melbourne losing its seven-year grip on the "world's most livable city" title last year.

A method to simulate strongly correlated phases of quantum gauge theories

Quantum gauge theories are mathematical constructs that are typically used by physicists to describe subatomic particles, their associated wave fields and the interactions between them. The dynamics outlined by these theories are difficult to compute, yet effectively emulating them in the lab could lead to valuable new insight and discoveries.

A new alphabet to write and read quantum messages with very fast particles

Quantum information relies on the possibility of writing messages in a quantum particle and reading them out in a reliable way. If, however, the particle is relativistic, meaning that it moves with velocities close to the speed of light, it is impossible for standard techniques to decode the message unambiguously, and the communication therefore fails.

Making more plastics recyclable

Whether multi-layered food packaging, power cable sheathing or a toothbrush: Many plastic products cannot be recycled. This is the case, for example, when products are made of multiple materials that cannot be separated at all or only insufficiently.

Polarization can happen even when rational people listen to each other

When groups of people disagree, it's easy for one side to blame the other's irrationality for the difference in opinion. But new work from the University of Pennsylvania suggests that humans' limited memory might instead be at fault. The research shows that even when everyone actually listens to each other and thinks rationally, polarization can still occur. Penn researchers Daniel J. Singer,...

Image: Hubble views star nearing its end

This image from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope shows NGC 5307, a planetary nebula that lies about 10,000 light-years from Earth. It can be seen in the constellation Centaurus (the Centaur), which can be seen primarily in the southern hemisphere.

The science of senolytics: how a new pill could spell the end of ageing

A simple treatment to stave off the health problems of old age could be available in five to 12 years. Here’s how it would workThe science of extending life is a subject of morbid fascination, conjuring the image of old billionaires being cryogenically frozen. But imagine if, instead of a pill you could take to live for ever, there was a pill that could push back the ageing process – a...