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Gizmodo
21-07-2025
- Science
- Gizmodo
Radical New Theory Rewrites the Story of the Earliest Universe
Following the Big Bang, our universe expanded at an exponential rate. According to this theory, known as cosmic inflation, the explosive growth produced tiny quantum fluctuations that later evolved into galaxies. Cosmic inflation neatly explains how our universe got so large and mostly homogenous, and that's why it's remained a strong theory in cosmology for decades. But it's far from perfect. Cosmic inflation depends on certain theoretical assumptions that can get rather arbitrary—not ideal for a theory that's supposed to explain why our universe appears the way it does. It's this shortcoming that motivated theoretical physicist Raúl Jiménez from the University of Barcelona in Spain to devise an alternative approach to decoding the dynamics of the very early universe. The resulting proposal, published earlier this month in Physical Review Research, seeks to eliminate the excessive, circumstantial parameters in traditional models that have made it difficult for physicists to agree on a single theory. The proposal, developed by Jiménez and colleagues, is a relatively simple paradigm founded mostly on well-understood principles of quantum mechanics and general relativity. It starts with the assumption that the very early universe existed in what's called a De Sitter space, which sees the universe as a flat-shaped vacuum governed by general relativity. According to quantum mechanics, applying some energy to this—namely the Big Bang—generates quantum fluctuations that give rise to tensor modes, or gravitational waves. These waves organically seeded small bits of density throughout the universe, and those little bits eventually evolved into galaxies, stars, and planets, according to the theory. Critics of traditional inflationary theory argue that it has too many adjustable parameters. One such parameter is the inflaton—hypothetical scalar fields that physicists believe drove rapid expansion in the early universe. But the new theory removes the inflaton from the picture, substituting it with a de Sitter space rocked by gravitational waves. That the new theory removes many adjustable parameters is a big bonus. 'There is no general principle that determines these things, so basically you need to put them in by hand,' explained Arthur Kosowsky, a cosmologist at the University of Pittsburgh not involved in the new work, in an email to Gizmodo. 'Physicists always strive to make models and theories which are in some sense as simple as possible, meaning that the number of arbitrary things you need to put in by hand is as small as possible.' In an ideal world, a solid theory or model shouldn't require so many adjustable variables. A similar problem exists with the all-encompassing Standard Model, which features a whopping 18 free parameters that need to be sorted out every single time. Physicists 'expend lots of blood, sweat, and tears (and money) because most people are convinced that there must be a better, more powerful model which has two or three parameters instead of 18,' Kosowsky said. And indeed, finding a simple, compelling explanation for early cosmic inflation is what motivated the new work, Jiménez told Gizmodo during a video call. The strength of this theory is that it is 'fully falsifiable' in the sense that it either can or cannot explain observational data, he said. However, this is also the theory's weakness, which Jiménez acknowledged: 'Maybe nature didn't choose this theory as the way things work.' Of course, the most valuable thing about falsifiable theories is that they tell us what doesn't work, he added. (While this might seem sketchy, physicists often employ something akin to a process of elimination for unknown phenomena, such as dark matter.) As for Jiménez's newly proposed theory, it's fair to ask whether it will hold up to observational data and survive further mathematical scrutiny. What Is Dark Matter and Why Hasn't Anyone Found It Yet? 'I like the overall philosophy driving this paper, [which is] 'let's see if we can come up with a situation where inflation arises naturally out of some basic physics,'' Kosowsky said. 'If we can, this is both more elegant than adding some speculative and, in some sense, arbitrary physical elements and also is likely to make more specific predictions, which can then hopefully be compared with observations.' 'I believe it's an interesting and novel proposal—it's something that's well worth a closer look,' commented Andrew Liddle, a theoretical cosmologist at the Institute of Astrophysics and Space Sciences (IA) at the University of Lisbon in Portugal, during a video call with Gizmodo. At the same time, its simplicity could also be its biggest flaw, but only time will tell if more mathematically minded cosmologists take a liking to it, he said. 'There have always been cosmologists who are uncomfortable with inflation [theory]. I'm one of them—and I work on it,' said Marina Cortês, also with the IA, in the same call. 'One of the most uncomfortable things about inflation is that physicists understand everything from the Big Bang onwards, but not the Big Bang and the earliest stages.' Liddle and Cortês, both uninvolved in the new work, said that while cosmologists (including themselves) often disagree on how to best interpret cosmic inflation, the evidence seems to support the notion that inflation did in fact take place. Many physicists have devised alternative explanations, but practically everything has ended up in a 'dustbin' of discarded ideas, Liddle explained. 'But there's no limit to people's imagination,' Liddle said. And the next few decades should see no shortage of new ideas and models—just like this one, according to the two cosmologists. 'Cosmology right now is mostly about these things called tensions, or hints that things are not quite well aligned with the standard cosmological model,' Liddle said. Several questions threatening to usurp what we know about the physical universe—dark energy, the Hubble tension—appear to be coming together in one paradoxical package for scientists, and inflation could be a part of that, Cortês added. No matter what happens, it goes without saying that we're witnessing a time of excitement, chaos, and discovery for cosmology—a sentiment that all the scientists agreed on. 'Not only is the data growing at exponential amounts, but the quality of the analysis is also growing at an exponential quality,' Jiménez said. 'I think that we are living a golden age of cosmology.' 'When we are thinking about inflation, we are trying to take the next step and answer the question of why the universe looks the way it does, and not just describe how it looks,' Kosowsky said. 'Is this due to some deep physics principle yet undiscovered? It could be, and this is what keeps us working hard to push back the boundaries of our understanding.'
Sustainability Times
16-06-2025
- Science
- Sustainability Times
Scientists Just Hacked the Planet: This New Tech Extracts Energy Directly From Earth's Spin and Could End the Fossil Fuel Era
IN A NUTSHELL 🌍 Christopher Chyba from Princeton discovered a method to generate electricity using the Earth's rotation. from Princeton discovered a method to generate electricity using the Earth's rotation. 🔬 This experiment challenges traditional physics by tapping into the Earth's asymmetrical magnetic field . . ⚡ The manganese-zinc ferrite cylinder produced a measurable voltage, opening new possibilities for energy generation. produced a measurable voltage, opening new possibilities for energy generation. 🛰️ Potential applications include space exploration, offering an alternative energy source for spacecraft beyond solar power. In a groundbreaking development, physicist Christopher Chyba from Princeton has made a remarkable discovery that could revolutionize the way we harness energy. By utilizing a seemingly simple device composed of manganese, zinc, and iron, Chyba has tapped into a source of energy generated from the Earth's rotation. This novel approach, published in the prestigious journal Physical Review Research, challenges the conventional boundaries of physics. It opens up a realm of possibilities that could significantly impact the future of energy production, making it more sustainable and accessible. Challenging the Limits of Physics Christopher Chyba's experiment appeared almost too simple to be true. Observing a weak yet distinct electrical tension, Chyba traced the energy source to the Earth's rotation. This idea originated nearly a decade ago, when he studied how distant moons generate heat by traversing the magnetic fields of their planets. In theory, the Earth's rotation within its magnetic field could generate an electric current in a conductive material. However, this phenomenon was considered impractical due to the rapid reorganization of electrons that nullifies any potential current. Chyba, alongside Kevin Hand from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, argued that the conventional assumptions based on Michael Faraday's 1832 experiments might not hold under specific conditions. They discovered that the Earth's asymmetrical magnetic field might present an untapped opportunity. This revelation suggests that with further exploration, new avenues in energy generation could be explored. Living Skin for Buildings: Smart Facade in Germany Moves Like an Organism to Slash Cooling Needs and Energy Use A Promising Device The Earth's magnetic field, generated by the movements of liquid iron within its core, is not uniform. A component of this field, symmetrical and aligned with the Earth's rotational axis, could serve as a stable energy source. To test this hypothesis, researchers constructed a manganese-zinc ferrite cylinder, a material both conductive and resistant to magnetic disturbances. By tilting the cylinder at 57 degrees relative to the Earth's magnetic field, they measured a weak but undeniable voltage of 18 microvolts. Subsequent tests, which involved adjusting the angle and using a solid cylinder, confirmed the phenomenon was genuine and not a mere anomaly. Rigorous testing was implemented to shield the experiment from external interferences such as temperature fluctuations or electromagnetic noise. Although the power produced is minimal, this device opens intriguing prospects. A scaled-up version or one utilizing optimized materials could generate more energy. Researchers are also considering space applications, where the Earth's magnetic field is more potent. Eventually, this technology could produce micro-currents to power small devices, serving as 'indestructible batteries.' 'Deepest Hole on Earth': Quaise Energy Unveils Revolutionary Wave Drilling Tech to Pierce the Planet's Crust Like Never Before Scientific Skepticism The study's results have sparked both interest and skepticism. Yong Zhu, a microelectronics expert at Griffith University, pointed out that several factors, such as temperature variations, could yield similar signals. He advocates for further testing before these conclusions can be accepted. Likewise, Rinke Wijngaarden, a retired physicist who conducted comparable experiments without success, remains cautious. Despite praising Chyba's rigorous testing, he believes these weak voltages might have alternative explanations. Nonetheless, this discovery continues to intrigue the scientific community. Christopher Chyba acknowledges that for full validation, his results need to be reproduced by other teams. Although in its infancy, this technology could pave the way for new possibilities. Could we one day harness the Earth's rotation to power our world? 'Wild Spinach Saves the Day': Scientists Discover This Ordinary Plant Could Stop Catastrophic Fungus From Destroying US Farmlands Future Implications and Potential Applications The implications of Chyba's findings are vast and could transform our approach to energy generation. If scalable, this technology might reduce our reliance on conventional energy sources like fossil fuels, leading to a more sustainable future. The ability to harness energy from the Earth's rotation also presents exciting prospects for space exploration. Spacecraft could potentially use this energy source to power instruments and communication devices without relying on solar power, which is less effective beyond Earth's orbit. Moreover, this discovery raises intriguing possibilities for technological innovation on Earth. By scaling up the device or improving its efficiency, we might develop new energy solutions that are not only eco-friendly but also economically viable. As research progresses, the world watches with interest, pondering the potential of a future where the Earth's rotation plays a significant role in energy production. Could this be the dawn of a new era in sustainable energy? As scientists continue to delve into the potential of this remarkable discovery, the possibilities seem endless. The idea of harnessing energy from the Earth's rotation challenges our current understanding and opens up a new frontier for research and innovation. How might this breakthrough influence our future energy landscape, and what other untapped natural phenomena could we explore for sustainable energy solutions? Our author used artificial intelligence to enhance this article. Did you like it? 4.4/5 (25)
The Independent
30-05-2025
- General
- The Independent
Scientists finally crack mystery of how clapping generates sound
Scientists have finally unravelled the complex process that generates sound during handclaps, a discovery that shows how even simple acts can be rich with physics. The research, published in the journal Physical Review Research, shows that the characteristic ' pop ' sound of a clap is not just from two hands smashing into each other but a much more complex phenomenon. The key to generating sound from clapping is a cavity of air that is compressed and pushed out of a small space. Scientists followed an interdisciplinary approach to understand clapping, using live experiments, theoretical modelling and silicone replicas of human hands. They modified the volume and duration of claps by changing the speed, the shape of the hands and even the skin softness. 'We clap all the time but we haven't thought deeply about it. That's the point of the study,' said study co-author Yicong Fu from Cornell University, 'to explain the world with deeper knowledge and understanding.' 'The point was not to look just at the acoustics, or the flow excitation or the collision dynamics, but to look at them all simultaneously,' Likun Zhang, another study author from the University of Mississippi, said. 'That's an interdisciplinary effort that allows us to really understand how sound relates to hand clapping.' The study shows that when hands come together during a clap, they create a pocket of air between the palms. This pocket is rapidly expelled from the narrow opening between the forefinger and thumb, causing the air molecules to vibrate. Scientists liken this vibration to the Helmholtz resonance principle, which is behind the tone heard when blowing across the mouth of an empty bottle. 'Traditional Helmholtz resonators have rigid walls like the glass walls of a bottle. This produces a long-lasting sound that attenuates very slowly because most of the energy contributes to the acoustic signal,' Dr Zhang explained. 'But when we have elastic walls – let's say our hands – there is going to be more vibration of the solid material, and all of that motion absorbs energy away from the sound.' This is why clapping generates a single short 'pop' as opposed to a longer noise, researchers say. Scientists hope their research can help inform music education, where handclaps are often used for rhythm timing. The study also shows that every person's clap has a different sound and a different frequency, indicating that clapping can be used in the future as an identification method, like how we use fingerprints. 'One of the most promising applications of this research is human identification. Just through the sound, we could tell who made it,' Guoqin Liu, another author of the study, said.
Yahoo
22-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Scientists Build Device to Generate Electricity Using the Earth's Rotation
In a controversial experiment, a team of physicists investigated whether we could harness the Earth's rotational energy to generate electricity. It's a deceptively simple idea that researchers have only started to grapple with over the last decade. But whether the concept will ever turn into a feasible source of renewable energy remains to be seen, with the team's peers noting their skepticism of the results. As detailed in their paper published in the journal Physical Review Research, the team led by Princeton University physicist Christoper Chyba, aligned a special device made up of a weak manganese-zinc ferrite conductor and electrodes at each end, at a 57 angle, making it perpendicular to our planet's rotational motion and its magnetic field. They observed that the device generated 17 microvolts of electricity, which as Nature points out is a fraction of the voltage released by a single neuron firing. It's a "controversial but intriguing" result, as researchers told the science journal, especially considering the minuscule voltage is extremely difficult to isolate from other physical influences. "The idea is somewhat counter-intuitive and has been argued since Faraday," University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire emeritus physicist Paul Thomas, who wasn't involved in the research, told Nature. Retired physicist Rinke Wijngaarden, who found the effect didn't work in his own 2018 experiments added that he's "still convinced that the theory of Chyba et al. cannot be correct." The device could theoretically work by having the generator pass through the Earth's magnetic field, parts of which remain static, producing a current. However, as the journal points out, electrons could end up rearranging themselves as a result to create an opposing force, negating the effect. Chyba and his team claim to have corrected for this by coming up with a special material that isn't prone to rearranging itself in this way by maintaining the same electrostatic force inside the device. In short, plenty of research has yet to be done before we can definitively say that we could harness the Earth's rotational energy to generate power. But the team of physicists is planning to do just that, attempting to scale up their experiment to generate an actually useful amount of energy. Intriguingly, assuming that the system would work and would be scaled up to meet the demands of the entire planet, the Earth's rotational spin would only slow by seven milliseconds over the next 100 years, the researchers found — which is in the same ballpark as the amount the Moon's pull slows the Earth's rotation over the same period. More on renewable energy: Capitalists Alarmed as Renewables Keep Making Electricity Temporarily Free
Yahoo
22-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Scientists Build Device to Generate Electricity Using the Earth's Rotation
In a controversial experiment, a team of physicists investigated whether we could harness the Earth's rotational energy to generate electricity. It's a deceptively simple idea that researchers have only started to grapple with over the last decade. But whether the concept will ever turn into a feasible source of renewable energy remains to be seen, with the team's peers noting their skepticism of the results. As detailed in their paper published in the journal Physical Review Research, the team led by Princeton University physicist Christoper Chyba, aligned a special device made up of a weak manganese-zinc ferrite conductor and electrodes at each end, at a 57 angle, making it perpendicular to our planet's rotational motion and its magnetic field. They observed that the device generated 17 microvolts of electricity, which as Nature points out is a fraction of the voltage released by a single neuron firing. It's a "controversial but intriguing" result, as researchers told the science journal, especially considering the minuscule voltage is extremely difficult to isolate from other physical influences. "The idea is somewhat counter-intuitive and has been argued since Faraday," University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire emeritus physicist Paul Thomas, who wasn't involved in the research, told Nature. Retired physicist Rinke Wijngaarden, who found the effect didn't work in his own 2018 experiments added that he's "still convinced that the theory of Chyba et al. cannot be correct." The device could theoretically work by having the generator pass through the Earth's magnetic field, parts of which remain static, producing a current. However, as the journal points out, electrons could end up rearranging themselves as a result to create an opposing force, negating the effect. Chyba and his team claim to have corrected for this by coming up with a special material that isn't prone to rearranging itself in this way by maintaining the same electrostatic force inside the device. In short, plenty of research has yet to be done before we can definitively say that we could harness the Earth's rotational energy to generate power. But the team of physicists is planning to do just that, attempting to scale up their experiment to generate an actually useful amount of energy. Intriguingly, assuming that the system would work and would be scaled up to meet the demands of the entire planet, the Earth's rotational spin would only slow by seven milliseconds over the next 100 years, the researchers found — which is in the same ballpark as the amount the Moon's pull slows the Earth's rotation over the same period. More on renewable energy: Capitalists Alarmed as Renewables Keep Making Electricity Temporarily Free
