For Clay Sell, it is an exciting time. His company, X-energy, is making progress on possibly becoming the first to energize a ...

The time is nigh for nuclear clocks. In a first, scientists have used a tabletop laser to bump an atomic nucleus into a higher energy state. It’s a feat that sets scientists on a path toward creating ...

Two recent studies published in Nature and Science Advances explored quantum approaches that could improve the precision of ...

Atomic, molecular and optical physics lies at the intersection of quantum mechanics and electromagnetic theory, providing the fundamental framework for our understanding of matter and light.

The nucleus of an atom is now the modern version of sand flowing through an hourglass. Researchers have spent 15 years trying to increase accuracy in timekeeping. The U.S. standard currently relies on ...

More than 40 researchers from international institutes collaborated to develop and implement a method that enables measurements with unprecedented precision. This sets new standards for theories and ...

Nuclear and plasma physics form complementary pillars in our understanding of the fundamental forces and states of matter. Nuclear physics investigates the structure, dynamics and interactions of ...

Discovered in Gabon, the Oklo natural nuclear reactor operated about 2 billion years ago, a testament to nature's ability to ...

No one can control the weather, but certain clouds can be deliberately triggered to release rain or snow. The process, known ...

A new theory-based approach provides access to the minute transverse motion of quarks within protons. Nuclear physicists have developed a new theoretical framework that allows them to calculate a ...