Tag Archives: physics

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Physicists close in on a rare particle-decay process

Physicists close in on a rare particle-decay process - In the biggest result of its kind in more than ten years, physicists have made the most sensitive measurements yet in a decades-long hunt for a hypothetical and rare process involving the radioactive decay of atomic nuclei. If discovered, the researchers say, this process could have profound implications for how scientists understand the fundamental laws of physics and help solve some of the universe's biggest mysteries. Reference: Search for Neutrinoless Double-Beta Decay in 136Xe with EXO-200, Physical Review Letters, 2012 arXiv:1205.5608v1

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Bilayer graphene works as an insulator

Bilayer grapheneBilayer graphene works as an insulator - A research team led by physicists at the University of California, Riverside has identified a property of "bilayer graphene" that the researchers say is analogous to finding the Higgs boson in particle physics. The physicists found that when the number of electrons on the BLG sheet is close to 0, the material becomes insulating – a finding that has implications for the use of graphene as an electronic material in the semiconductor and electronics industries.

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Ironing out the details of the Earth’s core

  • Ironing out the details of the Earth's core - Identifying the composition of the earth's core is key to understanding how our planet formed and the current behavior of its interior. While it has been known for many years that iron is the main element in the core, many questions have remained about just how iron behaves under the conditions found deep in the earth. Now, a team led by mineral-physics researchers at Caltech has honed in on those behaviors by conducting extremely high-pressure experiments on the element.