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Physicists move closer to an ultra-precise ‘nuclear’ clock

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A Strontium optical clock pictured at the National Physical Laboratory in Teddington, UK.

In principle, a nuclear clock should be more precise and more stable than an optical clock (pictured).Credit: Andrew Brookes, National Physical Laboratory/Science Photo Library

Scientists have taken a major leap towards making an entirely new type of clock — one based on tiny shifts in energy in an atomic nucleus. In principle, a nuclear clock could be even more precise than the world’s current best timekeepers, known as optical clocks, and less sensitive to disturbances.

A nuclear timekeeper could also allow physicists to study fundamental forces of nature in new ways. “We will be able to probe scenarios of dark matter and of fundamental physics that are currently inaccessible to other methods,” says Elina Fuchs, a theoretical physicist at CERN, Europe’s particle-physics laboratory outside Geneva, Switzerland.

The long-sought breakthrough — made by a collaboration between the Vienna University of Technology and Germany’s national metrology institute, the PTB, in Braunschweig — involved using an ultraviolet laser to prompt a nucleus of the radioactive metal thorium-229 to switch between energy states. The frequency of light absorbed and emitted by the nucleus functions as the clock’s tick. The researchers published their work in Physical Review Letters on 29 April1.

“This is major,” says Adriana Pálffy-Buß, a theoretical physicist at the University of Würzburg in Germany. Driving the transition with a laser is “the milestone you need to say ‘I’ll be able to build a clock’”.“It is a culmination of nearly a half a century of effort of many scientific groups,” says Olga Kocharovskaya, a physicist at Texas A&M University in College Station.

Precision timing

Optical clocks keep time so well that they waver by just 1 second every roughly 30 billion years. Their ticks are governed by the frequency of the visible light needed to shift an electron orbiting an atom such as strontium between energy states.

But a nuclear clock could do even better. It would use the more energetic transition of boosting the nucleus’s protons and neutrons to a higher energy state. This would use slightly higher frequency radiation, meaning that time could be sliced even more finely to create a more precise clock. More importantly, such a clock would be much more stable than an optical clock, because particles in the nucleus are less sensitive than electrons to external fields or temperature.

But finding a material with a suitable nucleus has proved difficult. Energy transitions in most nuclei tend to be huge, requiring much more than the nudge of a tabletop laser. In the 1970s, physicists discovered that thorium-229 is an anomaly — its first energy state is extremely close to its lowest, ground state. And in 2003, physicists proposed using thorium-229 as the basis of a super-stable clock, but they needed to find the precise energy of the transition and its corresponding laser frequency, which would have been impossible to predict with any accuracy using theory. Since then, experimentalists have used range of methods to narrow down the figures.

To observe the transition, researchers placed radioactive thorium atoms into crystals of calcium fluoride that were a few millimetres wide. Scanning across the expected region with a purpose-built laser, they eventually hit upon the right frequency — around 2 petahertz (1015 oscillations per second) — which they detected by spotting the photons emitted as the nuclei returned to the lower energy state. Co-author Thorsten Schumm, an atomic physicist at the Vienna University of Technology, recalls scrawling “found it” in large red letters across his lab book at a meeting convened the next day to discuss the promising-looking signal. “It was crystal clear,” he says.

The team pinpointed the frequency with a resolution 800 times better that the next best attempt. A team at the University of California, Los Angeles, has since reproduced the result using a different crystal, but the same frequency, says co-author Ekkehard Peik, a physicist at PTB. It’s “a very nice confirmation”, he says.

Fundamental physics boost

To turn the system into an actual clock, physicists will need to markedly reduce the resolution of the laser, so that it stimulates the nucleus at almost exactly the right frequency to be read off reliably, says Peik. Building such a laser “remains a big challenge, but there are little doubts that it will be achievable in the near future”, adds Kocharovskaya.

If all goes well, the team says that a thorium-based nuclear clock could end up being around 10 times more accurate than the best optical clocks. “It’s the robustness with respect to external perturbations that will make this a better clock,” says Schumm. Hosting the nuclei in a solid crystal could also help to make the clock more compact and portable than optical systems.

Scientific methods that were made possible by super precise optical clocks, such as probing Earth’s gravitational field by measuring differences in clock speed, “could get a major boost”, says Kocharovskaya.

Physics could also benefit at a deeper level. A nuclear clock would be around 10,000 times more sensitive to changes in fundamental constants — such as the strength of the electromagnetic and strong nuclear forces — than an optical clock is, says Fuchs. This means that they could detect proposed forms of dark matter, an invisible substance that physicists think accounts for 85% of material in the Universe, and which are predicted to make minuscule changes in the strength of these forces.

“It could be that there’s very ‘light’ dark matter that wiggles around and that could make these fundamental constants wiggle,” says Fuchs. Nuclear clocks might be able to detect that wiggle, she says, because the energy of their transition is governed by these forces, and any change in their strength would alter the clock’s tick in a measurable way. Nuclear clocks could also detect whether some particle masses change over time, she adds. Fuchs and her collaborators are already working on their first paper, on the basis of the frequency measurement. “This is exciting us quite a lot,” she says.

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A mystery Wear OS watch has just surfaced as the Pixel Watch 3 gets closer

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An FCC (Federal Communications Commission) listing was recently spotted indicating that a new WearOS smartwatch by Google is currently in the works with the model number G4SKY. The post itself doesn’t specifically say it’s a smartwatch. However, discovered instructions on viewing the “FCC E-label” strongly suggest that it is indeed a wearable. Don’t get too excited because it’s most likely not the Pixel Watch 3. 9To5Google in their coverage points out a couple of clues hinting at what it could possibly be.

The timing of the post is strange, notes 9To5Google. The Pixel Watch 3 is scheduled to come out in October. The FCC listing for the next-gen wearable should, at the very earliest, come out in the summer. Second, it lacks support for ultra-wideband (UWB), a connectivity protocol that’ll allow “for a faster and more precise unlocking experience”. 

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Samsung Galaxy M35 with 6,000mAh battery inching closer to launch

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After launching the Galaxy A35 and the Galaxy A55, Samsung launched the Galaxy M55 in some markets, including Brazil and India. Now, the Galaxy M variant of the Galaxy A35 appears ready for announcement. The Galaxy M35 has received several certifications and could launch soon in India.

Galaxy M35 support page is listed on Samsung India’s website

The Galaxy M35 now has a support webpage listed on Samsung’s website in India. It mentions the phone’s model number, SM-M356B/DS. Looking at the phone’s model number, it is clear that the upcoming phone has 5G and dual-SIM connectivity.

Samsung Galaxy M35 India Support Page

The phone also passed the FCC certification (via 91Mobiles), revealing its connectivity features and charging speed. It features 2G, 3G UMTS, 4G LTE, and sub-6GHz 5G connectivity. The Galaxy M35 has Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3, and NFC wireless connectivity features.

Samsung Galaxy M35 FCC Bluetooth NFC Wi-Fi

FCC certification documents also reveal that the phone was tested with the EP-TA800 charger, which has a maximum PD PPS charging output of 25W. So, it appears that the Galaxy M35 won’t get the 45W fast charging upgrade that the Galaxy M55 received.

Samsung Galaxy M35 FCC 25W Charger

The Galaxy M35 has also been spotted in Dekra certification, revealing its battery capacity and manufacturer. The phone’s 5,880mAh (likely to be marketed as 6,000mAh) battery carries model number EB-BM156ABY and is made by Chinese firm Ningde Amperex Technology Limited (known as Amperex). It is the same battery that is used in the Galaxy M15 5G. You can see the details below.

Samsung Galaxy M35 Battery Capacity

According to previous reports, the Galaxy M35 features a Super AMOLED screen with Full HD+ resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. It will be equipped with the Exynos 1380 processor, which was used in the Galaxy A34 and the Galaxy A54. It has 6GB of RAM and 128GB internal storage, but it could come in a variant with 8GB RAM and 256GB storage. It runs Android 14 out of the box.

In terms of pricing, the Galaxy M35 could be priced somewhere below the INR 20,000 ($240) mark in India. The phone could also be launched in Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and other Asian and Latin American countries.

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Scientists inch closer to holy grail of memory breakthrough — producing tech that combines NAND and RAM features could be much cheaper to produce and consume far less power

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A revolutionary new memory device that combines the features of DRAM and NAND flash memory is being developed by a group of researchers at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST). 

Led by Professor Shinhyun Choi of the School of Electrical Engineering, the team’s breakthrough promises cheaper, power-efficient solutions that could potentially replace existing memory solutions or be used to implement neuromorphic computing for the next-generation of AI hardware.

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Disney Plus rumored plans prove the further we get from cable, the closer we get to cable

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Streaming television was supposed to kill cable and broadcast TV. Ad-free, endless choice, on-demand, and on your schedule meant the no-compromises television experience of our dreams. Except it hasn’t quite turned out that way and now it’s starting to look like the old models, the ones that buoyed cable and broadcast television for decades are rising like phoenixes from the ashes and will soon be coming back to you through, naturally, all of the best streaming platforms.

This week, The Information is reporting that Disney Plus is now considering adding a selection of genre-based channels that, instead of on-demand content, just run through a 24/7 schedule of content that will include commercial breaks.

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Galaxy Ring moving closer to launch, appears in Samsung’s battery widget

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Earlier this year, during the launch of the Galaxy S24, Samsung teased the Galaxy Ring for the first time. In the following weeks, the South Korean firm gave us a closer look at its first Galaxy Ring and revealed some of its features. It now looks like the Galaxy Ring could launch soon, as it has appeared in One UI.

The Galaxy Ring has appeared in Samsung’s stock Battery Widget. Once you add the widget to the home screen and go to its Settings menu, you can see the Galaxy Ring entry, along with entries for the Galaxy Buds, Galaxy Fit, Galaxy Watch, and other devices. Since Samsung has added the Galaxy Ring to the Battery Widget already, we think that the company will launch its first smart ring in a few weeks or months.

Samsung Galaxy Ring Battery Widget

The Galaxy Ring is very light and comes in various sizes and colors/finishes. It has a built-in heart rate sensor and sleep tracking. Whether or not it features SpO2 hasn’t been confirmed yet. It could last up to a week on a single charge and is very comfortable, making it an ideal choice to track sleep length and quality. You can watch our hands-on video of the Galaxy Ring in the video below.

It will likely not feature NFC-based payments, but there is no concrete information about it. It will likely feature Samsung Food integration for meal planning and recipes. Looking at its features, it could be priced lower than the Galaxy Watch 4 and probably similar to the Galaxy Fit. However, due to its compact nature, it could be priced higher than the Galaxy Fit. Samsung is reportedly planning to sell at least half a million Galaxy Ring units.

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Nvidia’s Project GROOT brings the human-robot future a significant step closer

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The age of humanoid robots could be a significant step closer thanks to a new release from Nvidia.

The computing giant has announced the launch of Project GROOT, its new foundational model aimed at helping the development of such robots in industrial use cases.

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Entertainment

TikTok inches closer to a possible US ban

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A bill that could force a sale or outright ban on TikTok passed the House of Representatives just days after it was first introduced. It now goes to the senate.

The Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act (no, we’re not calling it PAFACAA) is the latest attempt by the government to constrain TikTok. If it passes, it could have one of two outcomes: The parent company sells TikTok to a US-based owner, or it faces a ban from US app stores and web hosting services.

Of course, TikTok opposes the bill, saying it’s unconstitutional. But they’re not the only ones: Free speech and digital rights groups also object to the bill, with many noting that comprehensive privacy laws would be more effective at protecting Americans’ user data rather than trying to single out one app.

The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Fight for the Future and the Center for Democracy and Technology argued the bill would “set an alarming global precedent” for government control of social media.

Oh, and FYI: There are . The SIM tray is too small.

— Mat Smith

The biggest stories you might have missed

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It earned $4.4 billion and gave its executives $2.5 billion.

A detailed Guardian report said 35 major US companies, including Tesla, , Netflix, Ford Motor and Match Group, paid their top five executives more than they paid in federal income taxes between 2018 and 2022. Tesla was the worst offender. It earned $4.4 billion in those five years and gave its executives $2.5 billion. Despite that, Tesla not only didn’t pay any , but it received $1 million in refunds from the government. Tesla boss Elon Musk is the second richest person in the world.

That’s the punchline.

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The first episode’s subject was Musk himself.

TMA

X

I’m sorry, more Musk. X has canceled a high-profile partnership with former CNN host Don Lemon to stream a video talk show on the platform. Lemon said the company canceled his contract hours after he interviewed X’s billionaire owner Elon Musk for the first episode of The Don Lemon Show. “Elon Musk is mad at me,” Lemon said in a video posted to X on Wednesday. “Apparently, free speech absolutism doesn’t apply when it comes to questions about him from people like me.” How’s that “video first” push going, ?

Continue reading.

Late Friday? C’mon!

The fifth edition of Summer Game Fest takes place this year on Friday, June 7 at 5PM ET. Expect a two-hour stream of trailers and hype with… around a 10 percent success rate. With E3 officially dead, SGF is poised to take the expo’s place as the major gaming event of the year.

Continue reading.



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TikTok Closer to Potential U.S. Ban as House Passes Bill Requiring Sale

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The U.S. House of Representatives today approved legislation that would force TikTok owner ByteDance to sell the social media network or face a ban in the United States. The Protecting Americans From Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act will now go to the Senate, where its fate is unclear.

tiktok logo
U.S. lawmakers want TikTok to be sold to a company outside of China due to concerns that the Chinese government could force ByteDance to hand over data from users located in the United States. If China made the request, ByteDance would not be able to refuse. There have also been suggestions that China could use TikTok to spread political propaganda.

ByteDance has attempted to alleviate these fears by storing data from U.S. users on servers owned by Oracle, but the White House and lawmakers do not believe that is enough.

If passed, the bill would require ByteDance to sell TikTok within six months to a company approved by the U.S. government. Should ByteDance not sell the company, U.S. app stores would not be able to distribute the app without breaking the law, effectively leading to a ban. China would also need to approve the sale, and the Chinese government made it clear last year that it would “firmly oppose” a forced sale.

There are a limited number of companies with enough capital to be able to afford TikTok, and the obvious choices, such as Google or Meta, would likely be barred from acquiring it due to antitrust concerns.

Should the bill make it through the Senate, U.S. President Joe Biden confirmed that he would sign it into law. A number of senators have expressed worries about the wording of the act, and it does not have universal support at this time.

Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

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Your Galaxy A52 is one step closer to its end, but you could upgrade today

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It hasn’t been long since your Galaxy A52 received its third and likely last major firmware update. Samsung rolled out Android 14 and One UI 6.0 for the Galaxy A52 earlier this month, and now, the company has turned its full attention to its latest Galaxy A55 model. And maybe you should, too.

Samsung announced the Galaxy A55 today, and it might be the perfect upgrade for Galaxy A52 users who are ready to move on. Granted, your Galaxy A52 barely received Android 14, so it’s not out of the game yet, but the clock is ticking fast and the Galaxy A55 looks very appealing for many reasons.

Galaxy A55 — Better everything

Whether or not you think it’s time to upgrade the Galaxy A52, there’s no other way to put it: The Galaxy A55 is plain better in virtually every way.

Samsung’s new phone has a metal frame, which is a first for the series. It also has Gorilla Glass Victus+ protection for the front and back panels, and it looks like a modern device with flat surfaces, rounded corners, and independent camera cutouts instead of a camera housing.

More importantly, the Galaxy A55 has a brighter screen (1000 nits HBM) with Vision Booster technology for improved visibility and color accuracy. And as you know, the Galaxy A52’s display can’t go higher than 90Hz if it’s not the 5G variant, whereas the Galaxy A55 can go up to 120Hz.

Samsung’s new mid-range phone also has a bigger 5,000mAh battery and improved connectivity features, including Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.3 instead of version 5.0. The newer Bluetooth standard is faster and more reliable, offers better location-based features, and improves audio quality.

In terms of cameras, the Galaxy A55 exemplifies why more megapixels aren’t always better, especially when it comes to mid-range phones. Even if your Galaxy A52 has a 64MP primary shooter, the Galaxy A55’s 50MP camera is bound to take better photos and videos thanks to improved processing and nightography.

And if you feel like your Galaxy A52 is not powerful enough or doesn’t offer a smooth One UI experience, the Galaxy A55 might just fix that. The new model sports a minimum of 8GB of RAM instead of 4GB and can go as high as 12GB.

In addition, the Galaxy A55 has an Exynos 1480 chip, which is based on a 4nm process and boasts an AMD RDNA-based GPU.

So, what do we make of Samsung’s new phone? It’s pretty good! Nevertheless, maybe you could squeeze one more year of usage out of your Galaxy A52 if you really want to and try to enjoy the last Android 14 update. Maybe you can even push it to the launch of the Galaxy A56 next year.

On the other hand, if you are looking for worthwhile improvements right now, the Galaxy A55 is here and offers plenty of upgrades inside and out. It’s in a different league.

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