Quantum Computers Could Tackle Enormous Linear Equations
from U.S. News & World Report
A new algorithm may give quantum computers a new, practical job: quickly solving monster linear equations. Such problems are at the heart of complex processes such as image and video processing, genetic analyses and even Internet traffic control. The new work, published Oct. 7 in Physical Review Letters, may dramatically expand the range of potential uses for quantum computers. Full Article

Click here for free access to the paper and a synopsis of the research available at APS Physics.

Energy Out of the Blue: Generating Electric Power from the Clash of River and Sea Water
from Scientific American
In the hunt for alternatives to polluting and climate-warming fossil fuels, attention has turned to where rivers meet the sea. Here, freshwater and saltwater naturally settle their salinity difference, a phenomenon that two pioneering projects in Europe will try to harness to generate clean energy. Full Article

Studying Carpet Wrinkles: Physics of a Bump in a Rug
from The Minnesota Post
The way a bump in a rug travels across a floor offers insight into plate tectonics, cell membrane dynamics and inchworm locomotion. Full Article

Considering an Alternative Fuel for Nuclear Energy
from The New York Times
For decades, scientists have dreamed about turning thorium — an element that is less radioactive and produces less nuclear waste than uranium — into an alternative fuel for nuclear energy. Recent technological developments may be bringing the dream closer to reality. Full Article

Exotic Quasicrystal Structures May Be More Normal Than Assumed
from Scientific American
In contrast to accepted wisdom, it turns out that quasicrystals may be a fairly natural way for objects to pack themselves together and may not require much manipulation to take shape. Full Article

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Modeling a Black Hole with a 300 GigaWatt Laser
from Ars Technica
Researchers have figured out how to recreate the environment near a black hole in order to understand the processes that cause them to emit high energy X-rays. Full Article

Discovery of 'Magnetricity' Marks Important Advance in Physics
from The Times
Scientists have generated a magnetic version of electricity, which they have called magnetricity. The discovery marks an important advance in theoretical physics. The existence of magnetic "charges" has been predicted for nearly 70 years but has never been observed in practice. Full Article