Tag Archives: Counterparts

Spiral Lasers Can Manage Their Unruly Magnetic Counterparts

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Materials resembling magnets exhibit internal spirals that can solely be controlled with circularly polarized lasers.

Andrew Ostrovsky/iStockphoto/Getty Images

Scientists have successfully regulated the behavior of a previously elusive material, akin to magnetism, which may eventually lead to improved hard drives.

When a bar magnet is introduced to a magnetic field, it rotates due to that influence. However, materials characterized by a property called strong axis remain stationary under all known magnetic fields. Recently, Zeng Zhiyang and his team at the Max Planck Institute for the Structure and Mechanics of Matter in Germany discovered a method to manipulate strong-axis properties using lasers.

A conventional magnetic material is often thought of as a collection of many small bar magnets. Zeng explains that for strong-axis materials, it is more accurate to envision a group of dipoles (two opposing charges separated by a small distance) swirling in a minor spiral. He and his team realized they could control these vortices with laser pulses containing a specific swirl.

The researchers adjusted the laser to emit circularly polarized light. Upon striking a strong-axis material (specifically a compound made of rubidium, iron, molybdenum, and oxygen), it induced rotation in the material’s atoms, altering the dipole’s direction of motion.

Team member Michael Forst from the Max Planck Institute for Structure and Mechanics of Matter remarked that while it has been established that light can effectively control materials—transforming conductors into insulators and vice versa—tailoring light’s properties for material control has presented a significant technical challenge.

“This serves as a strong proof of concept,” notes Theo Rasing at Radboud University in the Netherlands. He adds that this material adds to the growing array of options for constructing more efficient and stable memory devices, such as hard drives that store information in electromagnetic charge patterns.

However, the current experiments necessitate cooling the material to approximately -70°C.°C (-94°F). Additionally, because the team’s laser was relatively large, Forst indicates that more development is required before a practical device can realistically be constructed.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Comparing the iPhone 16E and Google Pixel 9A to their pricier counterparts

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When it comes to tariffs increasing costs, the term “cheap” can provide a sense of relief for many. Google has recently launched its affordable smartphone shortly after Apple introduced a slightly cheaper iPhone.

This week, Google unveiled Pixel 9a, priced at $500, as a budget-friendly alternative to the $800 Pixel 9 flagship. It directly competes with the $600 iPhone 16E, which is the more affordable version of Apple’s $800 iPhone 16.

Both these new phones offer essential features that users prioritize, such as excellent cameras, quality screens, fast performance, updated software, and long-lasting battery life. To keep costs low, some advanced camera features have been omitted.

Is it smart to save money or invest in a more luxurious phone? To find out, I tested all four phones rigorously last week while lugging them around in a fanny pack.

Results show that, as expected, you get what you pay for. The $800 phone offers slightly better functionality and performance than the lower-priced model, while the $600 iPhone boasts a better camera compared to the $500 Pixel.

Interestingly, in some of my tests, the cheaper Pixel and iPhone models were almost indistinguishable from their pricier counterparts. In some aspects, the budget phones even outperformed, especially in terms of battery life.

The future of smartphone pricing remains uncertain, but an upward trend is likely. Following President Trump’s announcement of tariff suspension but an increase in tariffs on products from China, where many phones are manufactured, consumers may need to act fast and consider more affordable options.

While Apple has not confirmed any price adjustments for the iPhone, analysts predict potential increases due to tariffs, possibly raising the cost of the iPhone 16 Pro model to as high as $2,300. Google, on the other hand, has stated no changes for the $500 Pixel 9a price but did not comment on the pricing of the $800 Pixel 9.

The cheaper iPhone and Pixel models bear a striking resemblance to their pricier counterparts. Here’s a rundown of their key differences:

  • Phone Screen: Both have the same size which is 6.1 inches diagonal for iPhone 16E and 6.3 inches for Pixel 9a. The iPhone 16E screen appears slightly dimmer than the iPhone 16, but the variance is minimal.

  • Camera Features: Neither budget phone includes all the camera functions present in their pricier versions. The Pixel 9a has a smaller camera sensor than the Pixel 9, resulting in less light and detail. The iPhone 16E features a single camera lens, lacking the capability for certain special effects like “ultra-wide” photos.

  • Processing Power: Both budget phones are slightly less powerful than their higher-end counterparts. They share the same processor, but the Pixel 9a has less memory for multitasking, and the iPhone 16E has a slightly weaker graphics processing unit for handling graphic-intensive games.

  • Magsafe Feature: The iPhone 16E omits the Magsafe functionality available on the iPhone 16, which allows the attachment of accessories using magnets. Although wireless charging is still possible, it utilizes a slower standard called QI.

  • Artificial Intelligence: Both phones support AI capabilities. The iPhone 16E leverages Apple’s AI for tasks like text summarization and image generation, while the Pixel 9a utilizes Google’s AI for various applications. However, the AI software is still in development and may not be critical for most users.

For many new phone buyers, the extended battery life of the budget-friendly Pixel 9a and iPhone 16E stands out as a major advantage. These phones incorporate larger batteries due to the absence of certain features found in their pricier counterparts.

Both the iPhone 16E and Pixel 9A typically last a day and a half with regular usage like web browsing, photography, and video playback, surpassing the battery life of the higher-priced models that last only about a day.

One notable drawback of cheaper phones is evident in their camera performance.

During my camera tests, both the Pixel 9a and Pixel 9 captured clear and accurate photos in various lighting conditions, with the Pixel 9 suffering in challenging light situations where details were lost.

In more demanding lighting scenarios, such as shadows cast by trees with filtered sunlight, the Pixel 9a struggled to differentiate light and dark, resulting in overexposure. (The Pixel 9 handled this situation better.)

The camera performance of the iPhone 16E and iPhone 16 excelled during these tests, displaying consistent results with minimal variations.

Both iPhones surpassed the Pixel phones in video recording. Videos of Max, the Corgi, taken on an iPhone were smoother and clearer compared to the choppier footage captured on the Pixel Phone.

The primary limitation of budget iPhone cameras is the absence of certain features. For example, the iPhone 16E lacks a second lens, preventing the capture of wide-angle shots.

Higher-priced phones exhibited slightly better speed performance than budget phones.

According to GeekBench speed test results, the Pixel 9a is approximately 4% slower than the Pixel 9, while the iPhone 16E lags behind the iPhone 16 by 3%.

In everyday use, most users might not notice these speed differences. When I compared the phones side by side, launching various apps and games, the performance felt largely similar to me.

Whether you opt for the iPhone 16E or Pixel 9a, you’ll likely be satisfied with a smartphone that offers long battery life and good camera capabilities. However, if premium features like detailed photography or Apple’s Magsafe charging are important to you, investing in a higher-end model remains a viable choice.

With potential price hikes on the horizon, considering your smartphone as a long-term investment like a car is advisable.

Source: www.nytimes.com

The Power of the TikTok Generation: Female Athletes Raising the Standards Above Their Male Counterparts

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LIna Nielsen recalls the moment when inspiration struck. While lounging around the Olympic Village in Paris with her sprinting comrades, she felt bored. “I turned to Yemi Mary John and said, ‘Let’s transform this into TikTok,'” Nielsen recounted. She retreated to her room, grabbed the flip phone assigned to each player, and entered the following into an Excel sheet: “Come on, come at me.”

Shortly after, she swiftly created a five-second parody of Kelly Rowland’s music video text message blunder. “It’s amusing how a video that’s both simple and effortless can be so impactful,” Nielsen remarked with a chuckle. She still finds it hard to believe that her TikTok channel was the most popular among all British athletes at the Olympics, surpassing even the second-place finisher Tom Daley. By the end of the two-week Olympic event, her channel had more views than the Australian and German teams combined.

Nielsen, along with her twin sister Raviai, who also participated in the Paris Games, joined countless athletes in sharing glimpses of village life, ranging from chocolate muffins to cardboard beds. “It served as a good distraction because too much focus on competition can lead to intensity. Social media helped to take my mind off things,” she stated. While Nielsen was defeated in the 400m hurdles semi-finals, she later aided the British relay team in clinching a bronze medal in the 4x400m event.

The “TikTok Olympics” of 2024 uncovered surprising trends, revealing that female athletes outnumbered their male counterparts on social media platforms. Research conducted by the Women in Sport Trust disclosed that female athletes constituted 69% of TeamGB’s total TikTok content and 67% of its views. Globally, women’s voices dominated the discourse in Paris, spanning from Australian water polo ace Tilly Kearns to Dutch skateboarder Keet Oldenbubing.

American gymnasts’ feeds showcased Mykayla Skinner criticizing her former teammate’s work ethic before seizing the gold medal, and Simone Biles celebrating post-victory with the caption, “Champions. Lack of talent, lazy, Olympians.” The subsequent attention on this post evolved into its narrative.

However, the standout star of the competition was American rugby luminary Ilona Maher. Her signature lipstick and unfiltered demeanor in the fake Love Island video from the Olympic Village captured hearts. The 28-year-old, who bagged a bronze medal for the United States in Paris and was a runner-up on Dancing with the Stars, soared to fame upon joining the Bristol Bears team recently.

“I won’t even earn six figures in rugby, that’s the harsh reality,” Maher shared in a recent interview. “Some might perceive that I’m not serious about my career, with TikTok-ing and all, but it’s necessary for me. That’s where I generate most of my income.”

Her candidness plays a vital role in her appeal. “She stays true to herself,” remarked rugby sevens player Ellie Boatman, who scored in the quarter-final clash between Great Britain and the United States. “Her authenticity resonates with audiences. She candidly shares about her journey. Initially hesitant, she now takes pride in it, something that many women can relate to.”

Boatman has amassed a substantial following of her own, with her kit rundown being Team GB’s most-viewed video. Her online presence has grown through open discussions about overcoming eating disorders, advocating social media as a platform for sportswomen to exhibit vulnerability and authenticity.

“Previously, athletes merely kept their focus on performing and diligent work,” Boatman reflected. “Now, people are more intrigued by the person behind the athlete. It’s wonderful to witness more narratives about personal journeys unfold recently.”

In an era where highly-paid male athletes appear disconnected from reality, empathy becomes a unique selling point in the sports industry.

Jenny Mitton, managing partner and head of women’s sport at M&C Saatchi Agency, noted that sportswomen naturally possess effective social communication skills due to the historical need for them to advocate for themselves. “When they are passionate about an issue, be it excelling in the sport or combating discrimination, their sincerity shines through, resonating with audiences,” Mitton added. She pointed out that authenticity is what flourishes on social media platforms.

This newfound power of female athletes in addressing important issues on social media is seen as a positive development by Lina Nielsen, who, living with multiple sclerosis, aspires to advocate for those with disabilities. “Using my voice to raise awareness about MS is something I strive for,” Nielsen expressed, highlighting the impact social media has in driving change and creating a platform for important conversations.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Cooler White Dwarfs Found to Have Less Bulge than Hotter Counterparts in Recent Study

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Using a catalog of 26,041 white dwarfs observed by the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, astronomers confirmed a long-predicted effect in these ancient, ultra-dense stars.

Concept art of two white dwarfs with the same mass but different temperatures. The hot star (left) is slightly swollen, while the cool star (right) is more compact. Image credit: Roberto Molar Candanosa / Johns Hopkins University.

At the end of their stellar evolution, stars that are not massive enough to become neutron stars or black holes eject their outer layers and leave their cores as compact remnants known as white dwarfs.

All stars with initial masses in the range of 0.07 to 8 solar masses (about 97% of all stars) end their lives as white dwarfs.

Dr Nicole Crumpler said: 'White dwarfs are a great way for us to work together to test theories underlying commonplace physics in the hope that we might discover something exotic that points to new fundamental physics. It is one of the best characterized stars ever made.” , an astrophysicist at Johns Hopkins University.

“If you want to look for dark matter, quantum gravity, and other unusual things, you need to have a good understanding of normal physics.”

“Otherwise, what seems novel may just be a new manifestation of an effect we already know.”

The new study was based on measurements of how these extreme conditions affect the light waves emitted by white dwarf stars.

As light moves away from such a huge object, it loses energy in the process of escaping gravity and gradually turns red.

This redshift effect stretches light waves like a rubber band so they can be measured with telescopes.

This is caused by the distortion of space-time caused by extreme gravity, as predicted by Einstein's theory of general relativity.

By averaging measurements of a white dwarf's motion with respect to Earth and grouping them according to gravity and size, astronomers can isolate gravitational redshifts to determine how high temperatures affect the volume of their gaseous outer layers. We measured the impact it had.

The team's 2020 study of 3,000 white dwarfs confirmed that electron degeneracy pressure causes stars to shrink as their mass increases. Electron degeneracy pressure is a quantum mechanical process that keeps dense nuclei stable for billions of years without the need for the nuclear fusion that normally underpins our sun and other planets. Types of stars.

“Until now, we haven't had enough data to confidently confirm the subtle but important effects of increasing temperature on the mass-size relationship,” Crumpler said.

“The next frontier may be detecting very subtle differences in the chemical composition of the cores of white dwarf stars of different masses,” said Dr. Nadia Zakamska, an astrophysicist at Johns Hopkins University.

“The maximum mass a star can have to form a white dwarf, as opposed to a neutron star or a black hole, is not completely understood.”

“These increasingly precise measurements will help test and refine theories about this and other poorly understood processes in the evolution of massive stars.”

“This observation could also help in attempts to discover signatures of dark matter, such as axions and other hypothetical particles,” Crumpler said.

“By providing a more detailed picture of the structure of white dwarfs, these data could be used to reveal the signals of certain models of dark matter that cause interference patterns in our galaxy.”

“If two white dwarfs are in the same dark matter interference patch, the dark matter will change the structure of these stars in the same way.”

Although dark matter has gravity, it does not emit light or energy that can be seen with telescopes.

Scientists have learned that the sun makes up most of the matter in the universe because its gravity affects stars, galaxies, and other space objects in the same way that it affects the orbits of planets. I am.

“We've been banging our heads against the wall trying to figure out what dark matter is, and I'd say we've been caught flat-footed,” Crumpler said.

“We know a lot about what dark matter is not, and there are limits to what dark matter can and cannot do, but we still don't know what it is.”

“That's why it's so important to understand simple objects like white dwarfs, because they give us hope of discovering what dark matter is.”

of study will appear in astrophysical journal.

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Nicole R. Crumpler others. 2024. Detection of temperature dependence of mass radius and gravitational redshift of white dwarfs. APJ 977, 237;doi: 10.3847/1538-4357/ad8ddc

Source: www.sci.news