Sara Murciano

Conformal field theory describes the universal behavior of systems near quantum phase transitions, where the notion of scale disappears. These predictions long remained unverified. Now, in a chain of Rydberg atoms, physicists tuned to a critical point and recorded the excitation spectrum, finding ch

Scientists have discovered that in quantum systems where conservation laws split states into isolated 'pockets,' a strong disturbance of equilibrium recovers faster than a weak one—just like hot water sometimes freezes sooner than cold. Meanwhile, some imbalances vanish in a flash, while others get