Anna Demming
@annademming.bsky.social
Freelance science writer and editor, science communication and outreach
Time crystals may not be so fragile after all. Researchers @aalto.fi @royalholloway.bsky.social and @lancasteruni.bsky.social have shown their time crystal can withstand interactions with the sloshing about of a mechanical surface wave, like those at the seaside
www.livescience.com/technology/c...
www.livescience.com/technology/c...
Exotic 'time crystals' could be used as memory in quantum computers, promising research finds
Experiments show that a time crystal based on magnons can interact with mechanical waves without being destroyed.
www.livescience.com
November 14, 2025 at 6:00 AM
Time crystals may not be so fragile after all. Researchers @aalto.fi @royalholloway.bsky.social and @lancasteruni.bsky.social have shown their time crystal can withstand interactions with the sloshing about of a mechanical surface wave, like those at the seaside
www.livescience.com/technology/c...
www.livescience.com/technology/c...
A broken clock is still right twice a day but what use is a really bad clock? Apparently very useful for settling the trade off between precision and entropy at the quantum level...
physicsworld.com/a/researcher...
physicsworld.com/a/researcher...
Researchers pin down the true cost of precision in quantum clocks – Physics World
Trade-off between precision and entropy production lies in measurement process
physicsworld.com
November 11, 2025 at 2:29 PM
A broken clock is still right twice a day but what use is a really bad clock? Apparently very useful for settling the trade off between precision and entropy at the quantum level...
physicsworld.com/a/researcher...
physicsworld.com/a/researcher...
Reposted by Anna Demming
Q: What can you do with a clock that only "ticks" when an electron randomly tunnels through a double quantum dot?
A: More than you might expect!
Fun story about entropy & the second law of thermodynamics in the #quantum world by @annademming.bsky.social 🧪⚛️ physicsworld.com/a/researcher...
A: More than you might expect!
Fun story about entropy & the second law of thermodynamics in the #quantum world by @annademming.bsky.social 🧪⚛️ physicsworld.com/a/researcher...
Researchers pin down the true cost of precision in quantum clocks – Physics World
Trade-off between precision and entropy production lies in measurement process
physicsworld.com
November 11, 2025 at 1:55 PM
Q: What can you do with a clock that only "ticks" when an electron randomly tunnels through a double quantum dot?
A: More than you might expect!
Fun story about entropy & the second law of thermodynamics in the #quantum world by @annademming.bsky.social 🧪⚛️ physicsworld.com/a/researcher...
A: More than you might expect!
Fun story about entropy & the second law of thermodynamics in the #quantum world by @annademming.bsky.social 🧪⚛️ physicsworld.com/a/researcher...
Reposted by Anna Demming
Known as a “lip out” or the “golfer’s curse,” the sometimes strange behavior of golf balls has bedeviled players for centuries. Now, physicists have figured out how they happen. Just don't expect the discovery to improve your game... Fun story by @annademming.bsky.social for @science.org
Have physicists finally solved the ‘golfer’s curse’?
Team says it has hit on an explanation for heartbreaking “lip outs”
www.science.org
November 5, 2025 at 1:47 PM
Known as a “lip out” or the “golfer’s curse,” the sometimes strange behavior of golf balls has bedeviled players for centuries. Now, physicists have figured out how they happen. Just don't expect the discovery to improve your game... Fun story by @annademming.bsky.social for @science.org
Reposted by Anna Demming
Experimentalist's maxim:
“I’m not surprised it worked. I’m always surprised how hard it is to *get* it to work. Making it look and do exactly what you design it to do – that’s the really hard part.”
- Simon Gröblacher in this @annademming.bsky.social piece:
physicsworld.com/a/single-pho... 🧪⚛️
“I’m not surprised it worked. I’m always surprised how hard it is to *get* it to work. Making it look and do exactly what you design it to do – that’s the really hard part.”
- Simon Gröblacher in this @annademming.bsky.social piece:
physicsworld.com/a/single-pho... 🧪⚛️
Single-phonon coupler brings different quantum technologies together – Physics World
Waveguide-style approach promises to pair the versatility of phononic quantum technologies with the tight control of photonic ones
physicsworld.com
October 20, 2025 at 1:46 PM
Experimentalist's maxim:
“I’m not surprised it worked. I’m always surprised how hard it is to *get* it to work. Making it look and do exactly what you design it to do – that’s the really hard part.”
- Simon Gröblacher in this @annademming.bsky.social piece:
physicsworld.com/a/single-pho... 🧪⚛️
“I’m not surprised it worked. I’m always surprised how hard it is to *get* it to work. Making it look and do exactly what you design it to do – that’s the really hard part.”
- Simon Gröblacher in this @annademming.bsky.social piece:
physicsworld.com/a/single-pho... 🧪⚛️
“I’m not surprised that it worked. I’m always surprised how hard it is to get it to work” says Simon Groeblacher at TU Delft “Making it to look and do exactly what you design it to do – that’s the really hard part.”
Here the effort paid off...
physicsworld.com/a/single-pho... #quantum
Here the effort paid off...
physicsworld.com/a/single-pho... #quantum
Single-phonon coupler brings different quantum technologies together – Physics World
Waveguide-style approach promises to pair the versatility of phononic quantum technologies with the tight control of photonic ones
physicsworld.com
October 20, 2025 at 9:31 AM
“I’m not surprised that it worked. I’m always surprised how hard it is to get it to work” says Simon Groeblacher at TU Delft “Making it to look and do exactly what you design it to do – that’s the really hard part.”
Here the effort paid off...
physicsworld.com/a/single-pho... #quantum
Here the effort paid off...
physicsworld.com/a/single-pho... #quantum
Reposted by Anna Demming
Biophysicists are realizing that there is an undervalued element at play in early development: Aside from genes, mechanical forces also steer the growth of embryos. @annademming.bsky.social reports: www.quantamagazine.org/genes-have-h...
Genes Have Harnessed Physics to Help Grow Living Things | Quanta Magazine
The same pulling force that causes “tears” in a glass of wine also shapes embryos. It’s another example of how genes exploit mechanical forces for growth and development.
www.quantamagazine.org
October 10, 2025 at 2:29 PM
Biophysicists are realizing that there is an undervalued element at play in early development: Aside from genes, mechanical forces also steer the growth of embryos. @annademming.bsky.social reports: www.quantamagazine.org/genes-have-h...
Reposted by Anna Demming
Congratulations to Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson and Omar Yaghi! For more reaction, follow our live blog.
The 2025 Nobel prize in chemistry as it happens – live
Join us as we provide analysis and commentary in the run up to the announcement of the biggest prize in chemistry
www.chemistryworld.com
October 8, 2025 at 9:50 AM
Congratulations to Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson and Omar Yaghi! For more reaction, follow our live blog.
Congratulations John Clarke, Michel Devoret & John Martinis for today's #PhysicsNobel Prize for detecting the quantum effect - "quantum tunnelling" - in systems large enough to hold in your hand. Love an excuse to dwell on quantum physics! youtube.com/playlist?lis...
Quantum Dance - YouTube
Dance piece snippets and digital dance pieces inspired by quantum science and technology. This collection is created to celebrate the UNESCO International Ye...
youtube.com
October 7, 2025 at 11:09 AM
Congratulations John Clarke, Michel Devoret & John Martinis for today's #PhysicsNobel Prize for detecting the quantum effect - "quantum tunnelling" - in systems large enough to hold in your hand. Love an excuse to dwell on quantum physics! youtube.com/playlist?lis...
Hydrogen provides a clean source of energy on demand…if you have the means to store such a volatile and reactive substance. Now researchers in Japan suggest they have hit on a game changing electrolyte for hydrogen batteries.
www.chemistryworld.com/news/hydroge... #hydrogenbattery
www.chemistryworld.com/news/hydroge... #hydrogenbattery
Hydrogen battery relieves the pressure for clean energy storage
Researchers develop an electrolyte that overcomes the low-capacity high-operating-temperature issues of previous hydrogen storage setups
www.chemistryworld.com
October 3, 2025 at 2:16 PM
Hydrogen provides a clean source of energy on demand…if you have the means to store such a volatile and reactive substance. Now researchers in Japan suggest they have hit on a game changing electrolyte for hydrogen batteries.
www.chemistryworld.com/news/hydroge... #hydrogenbattery
www.chemistryworld.com/news/hydroge... #hydrogenbattery
How do you make a page turner out of industrial chemistry? One way is to mine the rich seam linking movies with weapons of mass destruction as @alicelovejoy.bsky.social demonstrates so successfully in Tales of Militant Chemistry.
www.sciencenews.org/article/tale... @sciencenews.bsky.social
www.sciencenews.org/article/tale... @sciencenews.bsky.social
A new book explores the link between film giant Kodak and the atomic bomb
In Tales of Militant Chemistry, Alice Lovejoy traces how film giants Kodak and Agfa helped produce weapons of war during the 20th century.
www.sciencenews.org
October 2, 2025 at 9:32 AM
How do you make a page turner out of industrial chemistry? One way is to mine the rich seam linking movies with weapons of mass destruction as @alicelovejoy.bsky.social demonstrates so successfully in Tales of Militant Chemistry.
www.sciencenews.org/article/tale... @sciencenews.bsky.social
www.sciencenews.org/article/tale... @sciencenews.bsky.social
Einstein's general relativity and classical Newtonian physics - not so different after all? Researchers @caltech.edu develop equations to explore gravity & black hole physics inspired by Maxwell's equations for light physicsworld.com/a/reformulat... @physicsworld.bsky.social
#relativity #blackhole
#relativity #blackhole
Reformulation of general relativity brings it closer to Newtonian physics – Physics World
Calculations reveal inverse square law behaviour in binary black holes
physicsworld.com
September 6, 2025 at 8:39 AM
Einstein's general relativity and classical Newtonian physics - not so different after all? Researchers @caltech.edu develop equations to explore gravity & black hole physics inspired by Maxwell's equations for light physicsworld.com/a/reformulat... @physicsworld.bsky.social
#relativity #blackhole
#relativity #blackhole
Could retrieving the “neglecton” from the scrap heap of anyon maths allow topological quantum computing enthusiasts to finally have their cake and eat it?
physicsworld.com/a/predicted-... #quantumcomputing @physicsworld.bsky.social
Thanks Aaron Lauda @usc.edu for explaining it all to me
physicsworld.com/a/predicted-... #quantumcomputing @physicsworld.bsky.social
Thanks Aaron Lauda @usc.edu for explaining it all to me
Predicted quasiparticles called ‘neglectons’ hold promise for robust, universal quantum computing – Physics World
Discovery could lift theoretical constraints on calculations achievable with certain types of topological quantum computers
physicsworld.com
August 19, 2025 at 5:40 AM
Could retrieving the “neglecton” from the scrap heap of anyon maths allow topological quantum computing enthusiasts to finally have their cake and eat it?
physicsworld.com/a/predicted-... #quantumcomputing @physicsworld.bsky.social
Thanks Aaron Lauda @usc.edu for explaining it all to me
physicsworld.com/a/predicted-... #quantumcomputing @physicsworld.bsky.social
Thanks Aaron Lauda @usc.edu for explaining it all to me
‘Any noise at all and I can react,’ says Paul on a video by the mental health charity @Mind. He is sharing his experiences with others who have PTSD. ‘My heart will go fast … I’ll jump and my nerves will tingle all down my back.’...
www.chemistryworld.com/features/the...
www.chemistryworld.com/features/the...
The chemistry of fear
Recent advances in measurement techniques have shed light on the different roles of various biomolecules during frightening and stressful situations. Anna Demming looks at how it may lead to new therapeutic interventions for conditions like PTSD
www.chemistryworld.com
August 12, 2025 at 11:23 AM
‘Any noise at all and I can react,’ says Paul on a video by the mental health charity @Mind. He is sharing his experiences with others who have PTSD. ‘My heart will go fast … I’ll jump and my nerves will tingle all down my back.’...
www.chemistryworld.com/features/the...
www.chemistryworld.com/features/the...
Reposted by Anna Demming
Hi all, I’m going to be writing an article that looks at when in their careers scientists feel they do their most satisfying work… I’m sure it’ll vary hugely but if you’d like to help provide a starting point please fill in this survey - and please share! survey.alchemer.com/s3/8407348/C...
Careers survey - best work
survey.alchemer.com
August 6, 2025 at 7:51 PM
Hi all, I’m going to be writing an article that looks at when in their careers scientists feel they do their most satisfying work… I’m sure it’ll vary hugely but if you’d like to help provide a starting point please fill in this survey - and please share! survey.alchemer.com/s3/8407348/C...
Thought the structure of ice was “crystal clear”? Most ice exists in space accumulating molecule by molecule where the temperatures are too low for the molecules to reorganise themselves. So outer space ice is amorphous? Wrong again...
www.chemistryworld.com/news/evidenc... @chemistryworld.com
www.chemistryworld.com/news/evidenc... @chemistryworld.com
Evidence found of nanocrystals lurking in low-density ‘amorphous’ ice
Findings may have wide-ranging implications, from the origins of life to the characterisation of technological glasses
www.chemistryworld.com
July 29, 2025 at 12:37 PM
Thought the structure of ice was “crystal clear”? Most ice exists in space accumulating molecule by molecule where the temperatures are too low for the molecules to reorganise themselves. So outer space ice is amorphous? Wrong again...
www.chemistryworld.com/news/evidenc... @chemistryworld.com
www.chemistryworld.com/news/evidenc... @chemistryworld.com
An imbalance in sodium ions in the blood causes a number of physiological problems, but it has not been possible to measure these ion concentrations in vivo, until now physicsworld.com/a/terahertz-... #Terahertz #optoacoustics @physicsworld.bsky.social
Terahertz optoacoustics allows real-time monitoring of blood sodium levels – Physics World
Researchers find a “cool” way to mitigate background water signals and demonstrate non-invasive blood ion monitoring in living mice
physicsworld.com
July 14, 2025 at 1:46 PM
An imbalance in sodium ions in the blood causes a number of physiological problems, but it has not been possible to measure these ion concentrations in vivo, until now physicsworld.com/a/terahertz-... #Terahertz #optoacoustics @physicsworld.bsky.social
Expectations over optical behaviour widely held since Louis Pasteur’s seminal discoveries in 1848 have been upended by a new study. ‘Within the inorganic crystal community there’s been a strong sentiment that you cannot have chiroptical effects under centrosymmetry,’ says Roel Tempelaar...
July 1, 2025 at 4:38 AM
Expectations over optical behaviour widely held since Louis Pasteur’s seminal discoveries in 1848 have been upended by a new study. ‘Within the inorganic crystal community there’s been a strong sentiment that you cannot have chiroptical effects under centrosymmetry,’ says Roel Tempelaar...
While machine learning algorithms have wowed with how they help figure out protein folding problems, most proteins function by switching between conformations and engineering ‘de novo’ proteins that do this has proved a lot more tricky...
www.chemistryworld.com/news/designe...
www.chemistryworld.com/news/designe...
Designer protein switches conformations like a natural one
Researchers design, produce and test a synthetic protein with a dynamic structure
www.chemistryworld.com
May 31, 2025 at 7:10 AM
While machine learning algorithms have wowed with how they help figure out protein folding problems, most proteins function by switching between conformations and engineering ‘de novo’ proteins that do this has proved a lot more tricky...
www.chemistryworld.com/news/designe...
www.chemistryworld.com/news/designe...
Fungi are often described as the "dark matter" of the gut microbiome as they are hard to study. But it could be well worth the effort according to research led by Changtao Jiang at Peking University... www.livescience.com/health/truly...
Common gut microbe shows promise as fatty liver disease treatment
Researchers shed light on the "dark matter" of the gut, revealing a species of fungus that could potentially help counter fatty liver disease. The research is in its early days, though.
www.livescience.com
May 15, 2025 at 10:35 AM
Fungi are often described as the "dark matter" of the gut microbiome as they are hard to study. But it could be well worth the effort according to research led by Changtao Jiang at Peking University... www.livescience.com/health/truly...
A month ago today we celebrated World Quantum Day and the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology with our event Art of Quantum - here's a glimpse of what we did: youtu.be/5UwT1ThOqjc Huge thanks to everyone who contributed their brilliance to make it such a great day! #IYQ #quantum
Art of Quantum highlights in 60s
YouTube video by SW Dance Theatre
youtu.be
May 14, 2025 at 3:45 AM
A month ago today we celebrated World Quantum Day and the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology with our event Art of Quantum - here's a glimpse of what we did: youtu.be/5UwT1ThOqjc Huge thanks to everyone who contributed their brilliance to make it such a great day! #IYQ #quantum
“…this is the most exciting experimental technique of the last 15 years or so in condensed matter physics; new interesting data are surely coming.” - Ochoa De Eguileor Romillo on research by Ilani's Group @weizmanninstitute.bsky.social
physicsworld.com/a/quantum-tw... @physicsworld.bsky.social
physicsworld.com/a/quantum-tw... @physicsworld.bsky.social
Quantum twisting microscope measures phasons in cryogenic graphene – Physics World
Cool tool creates and characterizes exotic phonons in twisted graphene
physicsworld.com
May 6, 2025 at 11:18 AM
“…this is the most exciting experimental technique of the last 15 years or so in condensed matter physics; new interesting data are surely coming.” - Ochoa De Eguileor Romillo on research by Ilani's Group @weizmanninstitute.bsky.social
physicsworld.com/a/quantum-tw... @physicsworld.bsky.social
physicsworld.com/a/quantum-tw... @physicsworld.bsky.social
Really excited for tomorrow's Somerscience - www.somerscience.cowww.somerscience.co.uk - we'll be kicking off at 10:30 with our #QuantumDance youtu.be/3Q1o4O1lcB0?... but really looking forward to all the other activities throughout the rest of the day too #lovescience !
www.somerscience.cowww.somerscience.co.uk
May 4, 2025 at 9:48 AM
Really excited for tomorrow's Somerscience - www.somerscience.cowww.somerscience.co.uk - we'll be kicking off at 10:30 with our #QuantumDance youtu.be/3Q1o4O1lcB0?... but really looking forward to all the other activities throughout the rest of the day too #lovescience !
Huge thanks to all the quantum experts, artists and dancers who brought their expertise and creativity to our event "Art of Quantum" on Sunday, to everyone who attended, got stuck in, asked all those probing questions and were such a great audience - Happy World Quantum Day!
April 15, 2025 at 4:12 AM
Huge thanks to all the quantum experts, artists and dancers who brought their expertise and creativity to our event "Art of Quantum" on Sunday, to everyone who attended, got stuck in, asked all those probing questions and were such a great audience - Happy World Quantum Day!
Wondering what to do with yourself/with the family this Sunday 13th April? We've got you covered! Join our community event full of things to see, hear, watch, do, eat and drink for all ages and interests throughout the day - Art of Quantum www.headfirstbristol.co.uk/whats-on/the...
The Art of Quantum at The Trinity Centre
• Ever wondered how a quantum particle moves, or how a dancer might move to express it?
• Ever pondered what kind of technology we are really likely to get out of quantum physics and what place there...
www.headfirstbristol.co.uk
April 10, 2025 at 11:50 AM
Wondering what to do with yourself/with the family this Sunday 13th April? We've got you covered! Join our community event full of things to see, hear, watch, do, eat and drink for all ages and interests throughout the day - Art of Quantum www.headfirstbristol.co.uk/whats-on/the...