Physics
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We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
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		PhysicsSmashing gold ions creates most swirly fluid ever
Collisions of gold ions create a fluid with more vorticity than any other known.
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		AstronomyWhen a nearby star goes supernova, scientists will be ready
Scientists hope to detect neutrinos and gravitational waves from a nearby supernova.
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		CosmologyNew data fuel debate on universe’s expansion rate
Quasar observations add to discrepancy in measurements of the universe’s expansion speed.
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		AstronomyFive gamma-ray blazars set new distance record
Intensely bright galaxies are the farthest blazars ever detected in gamma rays.
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		PhysicsPhysicists seek neutron lifetime’s secret
Updated experiments hope to resolve neutron lifetime discrepancy.
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		PhysicsPossible sign of dark matter shows up again
Excess of X-rays could indicate decaying sterile neutrinos.
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		PhysicsNew claim staked for metallic hydrogen
Scientists report transforming hydrogen into a metal at high pressure, but some experts dispute the claim.
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		TechLegos inspire versatile fluid-filled devices
Tiny devices shuttle fluid around using reconfigurable Lego-like bricks.
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		PhysicsConstruction of tiny, fluid-filled devices inspired by Legos
Tiny devices shuttle fluid around using reconfigurable Lego-like bricks.
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		PhysicsChemists strike gold, solve mystery about precious metal’s properties
A longstanding puzzle about gold’s properties has been solved with more complex theoretical calculations.
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		Materials ScienceNew ‘smart’ fibers curb fires in lithium-ion batteries
To stifle battery fires, scientists create component with heat-release flame retardant.
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		ChemistryNew molecular knot is most complex yet
The knot is woven from 192 atoms of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen and forms a triple braid with eight crossing points.
By Meghan Rosen