Daily Archives: October 19, 2021

Max Gillies talks satire, The Gillies Report and the future of political comedy – ABC News

Posted: October 19, 2021 at 10:42 pm

Ibelieve the satiric impulse to be a defining Australian element of Australian culture, equally by colonists and the colonised.

On a number of occasions over the years, folk have lamented that Australian television political satire has been light on the ground since The Gillies Report in the early '80s. Whilst it's gratifying to be so remembered, it's a misperception.

There was a dearth of satire before The Gillies Report, having been 15years since The Mavis Bramston Show wound up. Mavis had been widely regarded as the earliest iteration of the genre on our shores.

Truth be told, TV management across the board had been leery of it.

In fact, despite the ABC commissioning a pilot from us, it shared the general scepticism about our prospects for success, the demographic for the genre assumed to be males aged between 45 and 60.

My experience in live cabaret suggested otherwise, and fortunately this held up in the transfer to the mass medium.

With the burgeoning of social media and smart technology offering a plethora of new platforms, nearly everybody's a satirist these days.

Satire is at heart reactionary impulse. The important distinction is between practitioners who punch down and those who punch up.

Everybody "doing"political satire has their own approach.

The most common recipe since stand-up became a fashionable performance genre in the 1980s is basically what the Americans designate the monologue. All their daily topical TV shows sport one. We all use it to a degree.

But beyond the stringing together of gags, the ways are infinite Barry Humphries, Shaun Micallef, the Chaser crowd, Rod Quantock, Curtis and Kelso, Eddie Perfect, Tim Minchin, Phil Scott and The Wharf Revue, Clark and Dawe, to choose a few males at random. Each develops his own unique formula. As do the women.

For example, Micallef's approach has evolved over time.

Basically he is the analyst exposing contradiction, who is nevertheless bemused by unexpected further duplicity.

He has also gathered about him a team of expert know-alls, PR reps, demographers, forecasters, academics, military and sporting figures, journalists etc to confuse him even more.

The whole gaggle is supplemented with a bunch of creatures from his own slapstick imagination.

My method as it evolved was not simply burlesque or mimicry, caricature or dramatic psychological representation, but involved all of the above.

Inconsistency, and hypocrisy were the drivers. My purpose was initially ambiguous to me, playing onthe contradictions between intent and behaviour, policy and practice, altruism and veniality.

Most importantly, my work was not a solo act but at all times a very real collaboration. While I've colluded with many canny and talented folk over the years, three in particular have been critical to evolution of the shtick.

Initially the writers Patrick Cook and Don Watson helped me discover the rich scope of its possibilities. Mordant, quirky and both with acute historical perspicacity, their characters leapt off the page at me. Without them my television satire would not have transpired.

Fortuitously a young Guy Rundle had been taking notes as we went to air and would introduce himself a decade later.

A prodigiously talented polymath and funny to boot, Guy subsequently wrote four political revues and countless exquisite monologues for me over the next quarter of a century - my most satisfying years on stage.

Gifted make-up artists and wig makers Paddy Opwald and Laura Morris and prosthetics wizard Nick Dorning were vital contributors. As were dental technicians from time to time.

For television, I was blessed to have two Australian master alchemists overseeing the studio and our unique ensemble of infinitely creative performers including John Clarke, Tracy Harvey, Wendy Harmer, Phil Scott and Geoff Kelso.

In satirising political mores, I would often find myself in a quandary, which would ultimately turn out to be a key to success.

To target a politician for an egregious moral lapse or policy crime is one thing. As an actor I needed to show the perpetrator of a political offence as psychologically plausible.

Humanising a target in this way somehow mitigated the admonition.

The positive take on this is the opportunity it affords to play with contradiction the key to memorable characters and stories.

Discovering that prime minister Malcolm Fraser's apparent arrogance was his almost debilitating shyness was a revelation.

The contrast between reality and appearance was always rich territory.

Andrew Peacock and Bob Hawke each let their guards down disarmingly, provoking both lampoon and yet surprisingly enduring friendships.

They would not be the only ones to embrace the mockery. Russ Hinze and Amanda were very good sports, rendering them virtually unassailable.

By historical accident, The Gillies Report was just in time for the globalisation of economies, unprecedented trade liberalisation, and deregulation of markets.

Thatcher, Reagan, Hawke and Keating were the principal cast. Colourful locals like Neville Wran, Bjelke-Petersen and Russ Hinze at the periphery joined supporting players, the Polish Pope, and Mikhail Gorbachev.

The greatest hazard for satirists today is the litigious propensity of some politicians and journalists. Victimhood is now embraced by the most powerful among us.

In my day such behaviour would have rightly been given short shrift. The powerful were made of sterner stuff back then.

A common complaint by comedians these days is that wokeness and political correctness make it impossible to do what was permissible even a decade ago. I disagree. The formula is always via contradiction and context.

Don Watson found a perfect way to deal with the sensitive, the outr and the politically incorrect in the very first Hawke piece he wrote for me: the offensive joke, both sexist AND racist, immediately followed by a pugnaciously handsome apology. I find it still works treat.

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‘The Office’ Star John Krasinski Once Shared His Favorite Episode of All Time – And It’s Pretty Controversial – Showbiz Cheat Sheet

Posted: at 10:42 pm

Many cast members from The Office have their all-time favorite moments from the NBC sitcom. Whether its a favorite episode or one particular heartfelt moment, the show had many memorable moments. John Krasinski, who played Jim Halpert, once shared his favorite episode from the series. Yet, some may say it is considered a controversial take.

RELATED: B.J. Novak Revealed His Biggest Regret About The Office and Why He Left the Show

The Office aired for nine seasons on NBC before coming to an end in 2013. By using a mockumentary format, the series follows the lives of office workers from the fictitious Dunder Mifflin Paper Company, located in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Based on the British television series of the same name, creator and writer Greg Daniels made an American adaptation.

Throughout the shows run, former cast member John Krasinskis favorite episode of all-time marked a turning point for the comedy series. In 2018, the actor and director sat down with Stephen Colbert as part of 92Y Talks.

During the interview, the actor said that the second episode of The Office, titled Diversity Day, is his all-time favorite episode in the show. The actor noted the pilot episode was an exact copy of Ricky Gervaiss British series. So for Krasinski, the second episode signaled a transitional period in the show.

B.J. Novak wrote Diversity Day, he said. I remember that day when [the diversity sensitivity counselor played by Larry Wilmore] comes in and says, My name is Mr. Brown, and Michael says, Im not gonna call you that.

Krasinski continued, It was that moment combined with Kelly slapping him [for his impression of a bodega owner] where I said, Oh my God, were a part of something totally unique and I dont think anyone will watch this. But I knew it was really good, and I [remember thinking] we were a part of something special.

RELATED: The Office: Amy Ryan Felt Melancholy When Michael Scott Proposed to Holly Flax

Although many fans may consider Diversity Day a classic, the episode is quite controversial. In The Office Season 1 Episode 2, Michael Scott (played by Steve Carell) makes a controversial impression of the actor and comedian Chris Rock. As a result, the office workers must undergo a racial diversity seminar. A consultant (Larry Wilmore) arrives at Dunder Mifflin to teach the workers about diversity and inclusion, but Michael creates his own separate seminar.

So, he assigns each worker to wear an index card on their forehead with different ethnicities. But, they are pretty offensive Michael wears an index card that says Martin Luther King Jr. on it. Soon after, the staff starts to get irritated. When Kelly Kapoor (Mindy Kaling) comes into the room, Michael proceeds to do an offensive Indian accent. The impression causes Kelly to slap him. The episode was a satirical take on the diversity policies implemented in a work setting.

In September 2021, many fans noticed Diversity Day was absent from a weekend marathon on Comedy Central in the United States. According to Newsweek, The Office fans felt the NBC sitcom had succumbed to Cancel Culture. Some took to Twitter to show their disappointment in the networks decision to remove the episode.

WTF Comedy Central?? You cannot cancel the office diversity day episode, one fan wrote on Twitter. The whole point is to mock the companies that make shitty attempts to boost diversity. Im so annoyed.

Meanwhile, one fan argued an episode like Diversity Day would get a lot of negative criticism today. The account wrote, Diversity Day is one of my favorite episodes. The entire show is based on a character who is oblivious to political correctness of any sort, and the delivery makes it funny to me. Im glad it aired when it did because it wouldnt fly at all today.

In a July 2021 interview with BBC, The Office star and co-creator Ricky Gervais said the sitcom would fall victim to Cancel Culture if it were to air today.

I mean, now it would be canceled, said Gervais. Im looking forward to when they pick out one thing and try to cancel it. Someone said they might try to cancel it one day, and I say, Good let them cancel it. Ive been paid!

All nine seasons of The Office are streaming on Peacock.

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Falling all the time Billy Connolly had to move out of New York as Parkinsons worsened – Express

Posted: at 10:42 pm

Billy Connolly, 78, was a guest on ITVs Lorraine earlier today when he opened up about moving out of New York City. The star admitted the reasoning behind this was due to his worsening Parkinsons symptoms.

The comic was chatting to the ITV host when he made the candid admission.

Lorraine asked him: So, home now is Florida?

Billy explained: Yes, I was living in New York but with Parkinsons I was out of balance a lot of the time.

In the winter, I was sliding and falling on my backside all the time.

READ MORE:James Bond star Daniel Craig reveals why he prefers gay bars

He added: Theres good days and theres bad days, and the good days outnumber the bad days, so Ive got nothing to complain about.

Somebody once told me any time youre not feeling very well, think of the kids in the cancer wards and that straightens me out, rapid.

Billy was speaking as he released his new autobiography Windswept and Interesting.

Elsewhere, the star also admitted he fears hed be cancelled if he launched his comedy career now.

Speaking to Newstalk ZB a few weeks ago, he said: Because of political correctness people have pulled in the horns.

I couldnt have started today with the talent I had then.

Theres a show here in America with all Black comedians, men and women, and they are totally ruthless, they are totally without political correctness and they have always got me on the floor howling with laughter.

There was a comedian who had a series on television and the suits involved were going to take it off at the first commercial break. They have got no bravery.

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Argonne-led research team highlighted in spec – EurekAlert

Posted: at 10:40 pm

A set of guidelines that describes the use and development of a promising class of quantum materials is featured on the cover of this months Nature Review Materials.

In an article featured on the cover of this months Nature Reviews Materials, researchers at the U.S. Department of Energys Argonne National Laboratory, the University of Chicago, and institutions in Japan, Korea and Hungary provide a blueprint for a class of materials that is quickly emerging as an important player in quantum science: crystals with defects.

The defects irregularities deliberately embedded in the crystals structure act like a trap for quantum particles. In their most fundamental form, these systems are known as qubits, the basic unit of quantum information.

That Nature Reviews has focused an entire issue on the topic of qubit materials recognizes the prominence of this area of research. Were moving quantum science into the realm of usable, scalable devices, and developing quantum materials is foundational to that effort. David Awschalom

The research teams article in Nature Reviews Materials is one among several in an issue devoted entirely to the development ofquantum systems.

That Nature Reviews has focused an entire issue on the topic of qubit materials recognizes the prominence of this area of research, said the articles lead author David Awschalom, Argonne senior scientist,the University of Chicago Liew Family professor in molecular engineering and physics, and director of the Chicago Quantum Exchange. Were moving quantum science into the realm of usable, scalable devices. Developing quantum materials is foundational to that effort.

A mashup of quantum and bit, the qubit corresponds to the traditional computing bit. Its physical realization can take on a variety of forms: It might be a lab-made molecule. Or it could be an electron traveling in a specialized superconducting circuit.

It could also be a particle of light trapped in a defect deep inside a fleck of diamond. This defect-in-a-crystal family of materials is the focus of the Awschalom teams study, and they go by a fancy name: solid-state spin qubits. (The term spin refers to a quantum property of an electron that scientists manipulate to process information. Solid-state materials comprise insulators or semiconductors, such as diamond or silicon.)

One advantage of a semiconductor qubit is that you can potentially leverage many of thesolid-state technologies that are readily available from the semiconductor industry: integrated devices and circuits and the nanofabrication and processing that comes with solid-state systems, Awschalom said.

Researchers engineer qubits based on how they will be used, whether in computing, communication or sensing, opening powerful new ways of processing information. Quantum sensors are expected to operate with many times the resolution of todays sensors, enabling the study of human cells at the molecular level. Quantum communication networks promise to enable the transmission of hackerproof messages. And quantum computers will be able to rapidly game out complex simulations such as those used in the pharmaceutical industry, enabling faster drug delivery, for instance.

The development of practical qubits is key to a quantum future. In the Awschalom teams handbook on solid-state spin qubit materials, researchers lay out their properties, engineering considerations and potential applications.

We aimed to be materials-agnostic. We arent making direct suggestions about what materials one should use in developing quantum devices, said co-author F. Joseph Heremans, a scientist at Argonne and University of Chicago. Instead, were saying that, if youre thinking about designing these devices from the ground up, these are the properties and behaviors youll want to consider.

Both the host material and the defect are taken into consideration.

It highlights the intricate interplay between the defect and the host material and the complex properties that need to be balanced for specific applications, Heremans said.

For instance, many quantum communication devices are designed to be compatible with todays telecom fiber optics, which send and receive infrared signals. Qubit materials that transmit light in the infrared spectrum, rather than the visible-light range, are better suited to such devices.

Quantum sensing devices, on the other hand, are often designed to pick up signals from a nearby source. Since quantum sensors arent subject to the same strict, long-distance, fiber-optical constraints, they tend to work well with materials that transmit light that is easily detectable in thevisible-light spectrum.

The research teams blueprint is the result of 10-plus years of research on solid-state spin defects.

This can be a resource for people coming into the field or are curious about it graduate students, postdocs, people writing research proposals, said co-author Giulia Galli, a scientist at Argonne and professor at the University of Chicago. Having this set of guidelines means they wont have to reinvent the wheel. They can use this guide to consider how we think about qubits and all the intricate properties they have.

And who knows the teams blueprint may become one chapter in a future qubit compendium that encompasses the full breadth of quantum materials.

Were at the threshold where the field of quantum information is moving from science to engineering. Practical quantum technologies are on the horizon, and materials development is one of the biggest challenges on our way to realizing them, Awschalom said. As a collection, the Nature Reviews articles present interesting avenues for research and motivate people to think broadly about this fast-growing area of quantum materials.

###

This work was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Basic Energy Sciences, Materials Sciences and Engineering Division.

Nature Reviews Materials

Commentary/editorial

Not applicable

Quantum guidelines for solid-state spin defects

26-Apr-2021

Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.

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NanoNeuro: The Intersection of Nanoscience and Neuroscience – AZoNano

Posted: at 10:40 pm

The authors of a paper published in the journal Nature Methods have coined the term "NanoNeuro" to describe an emerging discipline that intersects nanoscience and neuroscience. It utilizes nanotechnology to simulate neuronal activity in the brain.

Image Credit: Shutterstock.com/ HaHanna

For over a century, neuroscientists have used glass or metal electrodes to study the activities of neurons in the brain. Given the vast numbers of neurons present in the brain, these methods are limited at best.

Materials at the nanometer scale (10-9 m) have unique properties, many of them recently uncovered by quantum physics. Nanomaterials have many advantages as biosensors and actuators, opening the door to major advances in neuroscience and medicine.

Nanoscience is the study of matter and phenomena at the nanoscale - i.e., of the order of 10-9 meters. In comparison, a single human hair is 60,000 nm thick. The prefix "nano" derives from "nanos", the Greek word for dwarf. The term "nanometer" was first coined by Richard Zsigmondy. He was the first to measure the size of particles using a microscope.

The physical properties of nanoparticles were already being manipulated in the ancient world: in the 4th century A.D. in Rome, the makers of the Lycurgus Cup used gold particles (perhaps not knowing they were doing so) to fashion glass which changes its color as light passes through it.

Yet, it wasn't until Nobel physicist Richard Feynman's lecture at Caltech that the concept of manipulating matter at the atomic level began to be considered. Several yearslater, Norio Taniguchi coined the term "nanotechnology" to describe semiconductor processes occurring at the nanoscale level.

The workings of the human brain itself have equally fascinated humans. Yet, despite the many developments in neuroscience, many questions, including what causes consciousness and what causes neurological diseases such as Alzheimer's, remain unanswered.

Nanotechnology is poised to help researchers and scientists answer many of these questions.

Freud had hoped to base psychology on the understanding of neural events inside the brain. However, techniques for studying the brain at the physiological level were limited, and there is still a long way to go to simulate brain activity at the neuron level.

Advancements in this area would help us understand the functioning of the brain and treat neurological diseases.

The authors of the Nature Methods paper describe NanoNeuro as the application of nanomaterials - nanoprobes and nanoelectrodes to neuroscience. These nanomaterials will help us investigate neural circuitry at incredibly small scales. It is exploiting the same processes which have reduced computers from the size of a hangar to the size of a chip in a smartphone.

Materials such as carbon nanotubes and graphene have unique chemical, thermal and mechanical properties. At the quantum scale, they exhibit exotic properties and entirely new functionalities.

Plasmonic nanoparticles possess unique optical properties that can be manipulated through their shape and size. They could be used to fire neurons with high degrees of precision.

Quantum dots are nanoparticles that fluoresce under an electric field. This fluorescence can be modulated with the strength of the electric field and reveal the activities of individual neurons. They could replace fluorescent dyes currently used in medical imaging.

Upconverting nanoparticles convert low-energy electrons into high-energy electrons. Researchers have succeeded in making mice see infrared colors by injecting these particles into their retina.

Since the human body is almost completely unharmed by magnetic fields, magnetic nanoparticles could be embedded into brain tissue to modulate neuronal activity.

Nanotechnology is a promising technology for the 21st century. It has the ability to convert neuroscience theory into useful applications by observing, manipulating and controlling matter at the nanometer scale. It offers the possibility of probing neural activity at the sub-cellular level, significantly improving our understanding of critical brain functions.

Garcia-Etxarri, A., et. Al. (2021) Time for NanoNeuro. [Online] Nature Methods.Available at: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41592-021-01270-9

Disclaimer: The views expressed here are those of the author expressed in their private capacity and do not necessarily represent the views of AZoM.com Limited T/A AZoNetwork the owner and operator of this website. This disclaimer forms part of the Terms and conditions of use of this website.

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Mahdi Sanei, A Digital Technology Activist And Leading Entrepreneur In This Field, Forecast The Future Of Technology By Combining Artificial…

Posted: at 10:40 pm

Mahdi Sanei was born on April 21, 1993 in the city of Isfahan. Also boost your business. Mahdi Sanei was known as an advertising consultant from 2011 to 2014, and he was active in advertising and branding consulting.

Because Mahdi Sanei started his activity in the same field, namely graphics and advertising, in fact, Mahdi was first a graphic designer and then got acquainted with the web field by starting his activity in the UI and UX sections. After several years of activity in the field of web design, Mahdi is attracted to the world of cyber security, programming and begins to study and study this part as much as he can, and now as an activist in the field of cyber security in the network application layer Be focused and active.

But why did Mahdi Sanei become so popular and popular?

Mahdi Sanei, after gaining technical experience as well as studying in a field related to his work, decided to establish a brand, a brand called TechGo.

After the establishment of TechGo, Mahdi Sanei was able to take big steps in this direction by attracting young and motivated forces and focusing on the idea of technology and digital.

It may be interesting to know that TechGo is generally made up of people under the age of 25 and mostly works remotely because Mahdi Sanei believed that digital work space and technology have removed physical limitations, so first to attract young people and trust it. He started and then, by creating aspirations among these young people, he was able to offer high quality and low cost to his customers, which made this name more colorful among all the competitors of Mahdi Sanei Company than ever before.

Why then did TechGo and Mahdi Sanei come up so much?

The question is correct, we must say that Mahdi was able to attract the trust of customers by combining the ideas of young people whom he had trusted one day and also providing very accurate and detailed services.

This brand was so obsessive and precise that its customers became addicted to He was re-collaborating, many secrets of how they work and the profit they make are still hidden, but what is clear is that Mahdi Sanei with the TechGo brand and his professional team has been able to be very attractive and most of the business To attract Asian online companies.

Read a part of Mahdi Saneis recently published interview in this article to get to know him better.

Mr. Sanei, where did you start and why technology?

I first started with graphic design and my interest was in media design, then I became interested in advertising and started studying and reviewing it, which made me familiar with the different parts of the digital world,

for example, my web design. I became acquainted and after trying to explore deeper layers, I was attracted to programming and the world of cyber security.

Those who are in this field know that digital science and technology are so vast and new that every day new events and ideas for There is discovery .

Mahdi Sanei has a brand, right?

This brand was formed; Want to tell the story?

In fact, we worked with different teams in different digital disciplines, and that led us to the conclusion of establishing TechGo,

TechGo is a brand that includes various teams of technology and digital sciences, which includes support and production of content in the context of social media to cyber security and even hardware. Of course, we are considering many other areas that are not yet active and developing the team. We are our own expert and technician.

We attract interns and staff from all over the world who work remotely and remotely. TechGo has a detailed identity and ideal that you will hear more about in the future.

How do you think those who aim for a digital world should start on this path? You see, the most important thing I think was focusing on one branch, you can hardly focus if you are interested in technology, and from our point of view this is a bug in your system,

So first they have to set a goal and then focus on just the branch of technology they have chosen.

This is my best suggestion. How does he see the future of the world in this regard?

I think the next century belongs to the quantum world, the combination of the digital world and the world of physics and quantum reveals to us certain dimensions of science that we have not yet achieved.

Lets get away from work, tell us about your personal life, where do you live and how do you go about your daily life?

(He says with a laugh) I am constantly traveling because of my job because of the meetings I have to attend and this has made me not have a fixed place, my daily life is with my colleagues and friends.

It is really the best pleasure for me to discover new events in It is technology

And for this reason, I have generally chosen those around me in a way that my life has the color and smell of technology and digital.

It seems that TechGo is a big tree that we will hear a lot of news about its growth in the future, so remember the names of Mahdi Sanei and TechGo.

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Physics Experiment Reveals Formation of a New State of Matter Breaks Time-Reversal Symmetry – SciTechDaily

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The central principle of superconductivity is that electrons form pairs. But can they also condense into foursomes? Recent findings have suggested they can, and a physicist at KTH Royal Institute of Technology today published the first experimental evidence of this quadrupling effect and the mechanism by which this state of matter occurs.

Reporting in Nature Physics, Professor Egor Babaev and collaborators presented evidence of fermion quadrupling in a series of experimental measurements on the iron-based material, Ba1xKxFe2As2. The results follow nearly 20 years after Babaev first predicted this kind of phenomenon, and eight years after he published a paper predicting that it could occur in the material.

The pairing of electrons enables the quantum state of superconductivity, a zero-resistance state of conductivity which is used in MRI scanners and quantum computing. It occurs within a material as a result of two electrons bonding rather than repelling each other, as they would in a vacuum. The phenomenon was first described in a theory by, Leon Cooper, John Bardeen and John Schrieffer, whose work was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1972.

The iron-based superconductor material, Ba1xKxFe2As2, is mounted for experimental measurements. Credit: Vadim Grinenko, Federico Caglieris

So-called Cooper pairs are basically opposites that attract. Normally two electrons, which are negatively-charged subatomic particles, would strongly repel each other. But at low temperatures in a crystal they become loosely bound in pairs, giving rise to a robust long-range order. Currents of electron pairs no longer scatter from defects and obstacles and a conductor can lose all electrical resistance, becoming a new state of matter: a superconductor.

Only in recent years has the theoretical idea of four-fermion condensates become broadly accepted.

For a fermion quadrupling state to occur there has to be something that prevents condensation of pairs and prevents their flow without resistance, while allowing condensation of four-electron composites, Babaev says.

The Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer theory didnt allow for such behavior, so when Babaevs experimental collaborator at Technische Universtt Dresden, Vadim Grinenko, found in 2018 the first signs of a fermion quadrupling condensate, it challenged years of prevalent scientific agreement.

What followed was three years of experimentation and investigation at labs at multiple institutions in order to validate the finding.

Babaev says that key among the observations made is that fermionic quadruple condensates spontaneously break time-reversal symmetry. In physics time-reversal symmetry is a mathematical operation of replacing the expression for time with its negative in formulas or equations so that they describe an event in which time runs backward or all the motions are reversed.

If one inverts time direction, the fundamental laws of physics still hold. That also holds for typical superconductors: if the arrow of time is reversed, a typical superconductor would still be the same superconducting state.

However, in the case of a four-fermion condensate that we report, the time reversal puts it in a different state, he says.

It will probably take many years of research to fully understand this state, he says. The experiments open up a number of new questions, revealing a number of other unusual properties associated with its reaction to thermal gradients, magnetic fields and ultrasound that still have to be better understood.

Reference: State with spontaneously broken time-reversal symmetry above the superconducting phase transition by Vadim Grinenko, Daniel Weston, Federico Caglieris, Christoph Wuttke, Christian Hess, Tino Gottschall, Ilaria Maccari, Denis Gorbunov, Sergei Zherlitsyn, Jochen Wosnitza, Andreas Rydh, Kunihiro Kihou, Chul-Ho Lee, Rajib Sarkar, Shanu Dengre, Julien Garaud, Aliaksei Charnukha, Ruben Hhne, Kornelius Nielsch, Bernd Bchner, Hans-Henning Klauss and Egor Babaev, 18 October 2021, Nature Physics.DOI: 10.1038/s41567-021-01350-9

Contributing to the research were scientists from the following institutions: Institute for Solid State and Materials Physics, TU Dresden, Germany; Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research, Dresden; Stockhom University; Bergische Universtt at Wuppertal, Germany; Dresden High Magnetic Field Laboratory (HLD-EMFL); Wurzburg-Dresden Cluster of Excellence ct.qmat, Germany; Helmholtz-Zentrum, Germany; National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Japan; Institut Denis Poisson, France.

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Quantum Gravity Theory Renewing Ancient Concepts "Universe Without Beginning" – New News – The Press Stories

Posted: at 10:40 pm

The Big Bang or the massive expansion of things that happened 14 billion years ago. Many believe that this is the origin of the universe. Hard to Imagine Without the Big Bang, would there still be a universe that gave birth to the earth and humans like us?

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Most recently, a physicist at the University of Liverpool in the UK. Using sophisticated concepts such as quantum gravity (QG), the universe proves the possibility of being as we have always seen. There is no beginning or big bang as it is understood. Or if the Big Bang is real, its a aftermath.

This unusual idea equates to renewing ancient beliefs in some cultures that the universe is eternal without origin and will never die.

Dr. Bruno Pento, a physicist, is studying the nature of time at the University of Liverpool. The author of the above research said that arXiv.org, now published in the online educational archive, has developed a new theory within the framework of quantum gravity. Named Causal Theory

The new theory assumes that space-time can be divided into smaller and smaller units, which will eventually be indivisible units based on space-time. Like the atoms of elements, this basic time-space can be used to find the universe or the beginning of the universe.

NASAAccording to the theory of relativity the gap is woven together into a continuous piece.

The causal theory was developed from the concept of quantum gravity. Such quantum concepts can explain physics problems at the particle level. Einsteins general theory of relativity cannot be explained. Singular (singular), or including the gravitational problem at the smallest point of infinite density. They are found only at the onset of black holes and eruptions.

Dr. Without the continuous weaving of a fabric as we imagine the universe and the real world today. The opportunity for two events to follow each other when and where. Will be limited immediately

A new perspective on such a gap is like looking through a magnifying glass on your computer screen. This will result in an enlarged image that is immediately separated from the rest of the screen. Unlike the naked eye, all screenshots are linked together.

Dr. Pento also explains that the synthesis theory of causation considers that the course of time is characterized by detailed and distinctive physical features. Rather than being an abstract or illusory.

Under this ideological framework, the universe is only a fundamental unit of expansion of space-time.

Such a theory is mathematically possible. It means that the origin or the Big Bang is not a prerequisite for the existence of the universe. There must have been something long before the Big Bang happened.

Our study shows that this is an infinitely long and infinite past. The Big Bang did not begin. It is only a step in the evolution of the universe, Dr. Pento concluded.

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How atomic time-travel could reveal the mysteries of dark matter and more – The Next Web

Posted: at 10:40 pm

Physicists from the University of Colorado have created an atomic clock so precise it can measure gravitational time dilation over distances as small as one millimeter.

This record-breaking measurement could have implications reaching as far as redefining exactly how long a second is or discovering where all the dark matter in our universe is hiding.

Up front: Einstein figured out that time functions differently depending on how close to a gravity well the observer is. So, for instance, if youre standing on the Earth wearing a watch itll run a tad bit slower than if youre out in space.

This phenomenon is known as gravitational time dilation. Weve observed it in our solar system in reference to the sun, and more recently out in deep space in a double-star system.

On Earth, the previous record for smallest observation of gravitational time dilation ever measured was about 33 centimeters.

The Colorado team observed time dilation across an atomic clock stacked only a single millimeter high, thus blowing the old record away.

Background: The way the team accomplished such a feat was incredible. In essence, they arranged 100,000 atoms along a sort of scaffold that allowed them to stagger across an entire millimeters distance. No small feat at the atomic scale.

Then the team hit the atoms with beams of light tuned to specific frequencies to cause a reaction. At different heights away from the Earth, the atoms reacted either slower or faster. This demonstrated time dilation at the smallest scale weve seen so far.

Why it matters: The ability to accurately measure time cuts to the core of our species ability to explore the cosmos.

We dont have spaceships that can zip us out at light speed to explore the furthest reaches of space. We have telescopes and sensors.

Understanding the universe requires observation of whats happening over vast distances of space and time. After all, were not really seeing the stars twinkle in real time: were observing beams of light that have potentially traveled for millions of years.

Per the teams pre-print paper, building a better atomic clock has massive implications:

Ultimately, clocks will study the union of general relativity and quantum mechanics once they become sensitive to the finite wavefunction of quantum objects oscillating in curved spacetime.

Quick take: Better measurements lead to better results. And in this case, were closing in on one of the most fundamentally important events in human history: the unification of classical physics and quantum mechanics.

Arguably, closing the measurement of time from distances as huge as a millimeter down to the atomic, subatomic, and quantum scales could be the lynchpin which binds a single, overarching theory of everything together.

This would be huge, but its also a long shot based on where the research is today. Luckily, there are closer targets for atomic clock technology that could also revolutionize our understanding of the universe, namely: dark matter.

Many of Einsteins theories and those being explored by modern theoretical physicists hinge upon the existence of so-called dark matter. This mysterious substance supposedly makes up more than 85% of the entire universe, but we cant seem to find it anywhere.

And thats because its currently undetectable. When we look for dark matter were not trying to point a telescope at it. Were conducting measurements on everything but dark matter in hopes of painting its silhouette with math as a method for revealing it.

The more precise we are at determining how events at extreme distances unfold over time, the more likely well be able to accurately identify what were looking at or not looking at, as the case may be.

As with any pre-print research, its worth waiting for peer review before we start shouting eureka from the rooftops. But, if this all adds up, this research could be some of the most exciting stuff weve seen in the physics world all year.

H/t: Emily Conover, ScienceNews

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Experiments reveal formation of a new state of matterelectron quadruplets – EurekAlert

Posted: at 10:40 pm

image:The iron-based superconductor material, Ba1xKxFe2As2, is mounted for experimental measurements. view more

Credit: Vadim Grinenko, Federico Caglieris

The central principle of superconductivity is that electrons form pairs. But can they also condense into foursomes? Recent findings have suggested they can, and a physicist at KTH Royal Institute of Technology today published the first experimental evidence of this quadrupling effect and the mechanism by which this state of matter occurs.

Reporting today in Nature Physics, Professor Egor Babaev and collaborators presented evidence of fermion quadrupling in a series of experimental measurements on the iron-based material, Ba1xKxFe2As2. The results follow nearly 20 years after Babaev first predicted this kind of phenomenon, and eight years after he published a paper predicting that it could occur in the material.

The pairing of electrons enables the quantum state of superconductivity, a zero-resistance state of conductivity which is used in MRI scanners and quantum computing. It occurs within a material as a result of two electrons bonding rather than repelling each other, as they would in a vacuum. The phenomenon was first described in a theory by, Leon Cooper, John Bardeen and John Schrieffer, whose work was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1972.

So-called Cooper pairs are basically opposites that attract. Normally two electrons, which are negatively-charged subatomic particles, would strongly repel each other. But at low temperatures in a crystal they become loosely bound in pairs, giving rise to a robust long-range order. Currents of electron pairs no longer scatter from defects and obstacles and a conductor can lose all electrical resistance, becoming a new state of matter: a superconductor.

Only in recent years has the theoretical idea of four-fermion condensates become broadly accepted.

For a fermion quadrupling state to occur there has to be something that prevents condensation of pairs and prevents their flow without resistance, while allowing condensation of four-electron composites, Babaev says.

The Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer theory didnt allow for such behavior, so when Babaevs experimental collaborator at Technische Universtt Dresden, Vadim Grinenko, found in 2018 the first signs of a fermion quadrupling condensate, it challenged years of prevalent scientific agreement.

What followed was three years of experimentation and investigation at labs at multiple institutions in order to validate the finding.

Babaev says that key among the observations made is that fermionic quadruple condensates spontaneously break time-reversal symmetry. In physics time-reversal symmetry is a mathematical operation of replacing the expression for time with its negative in formulas or equations so that they describe an event in which time runs backward or all the motions are reversed.

If one inverts time direction, the fundamental laws of physics still hold. That also holds for typical superconductors: if the arrow of time is reversed, a typical superconductor would still be the same superconducting state.

However, in the case of a four-fermion condensate that we report, the time reversal puts it in a different state, he says.

It will probably take many years of research to fully understand this state," he says. "The experiments open up a number of new questions, revealing a number of other unusual properties associated with its reaction to thermal gradients, magnetic fields and ultrasound that still have to be better understood.

Contributing to the research were scientists from the following institutions: Institute for Solid State and Materials Physics, TU Dresden, Germany; Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research, Dresden; Stockhom University; Bergische Universtt at Wuppertal, Germany; Dresden High Magnetic Field Laboratory (HLD-EMFL); Wurzburg-Dresden Cluster of Excellence ct.qmat, Germany; Helmholtz-Zentrum, Germany; National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Japan; Institut Denis Poisson, France.

Experimental study

Not applicable

'State with spontaneously broken time-reversal symmetry above the superconducting phase transition

18-Oct-2021

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