Physicists with the U.S. Department of Energy have discovered a new phase of matter—and, with apologies to George R. R. Martin, it's something of "a song of ice and fire." The new phase comes in the ...

New research offers clearer insight into how phase transitions unfold at the atomic scale in real materials. When ice turns into water, the change happens almost instantly. Once the melting ...

A team of researchers reported the first direct observation of a surprising quantum phenomenon predicted over half a century ago known as a superradiant phase transition, which occurs when two groups ...

Quantum phase transitions represent fundamental changes between distinct quantum states of matter, driven not by thermal fluctuations but by quantum fluctuations at zero temperature. These transitions ...

Percolation theory constitutes a cornerstone of statistical physics, offering a framework to understand how local connectivity in systems gives rise to macroscopic phase transitions. Originally ...

Both a wildfire and activity of digital “neurons” exhibit a phase transition from an active to an absorbing phase. Once a system reaches an absorbing phase, it cannot escape from it without outside ...

HOUSTON – (April 11, 2025) – A team of Rice University researchers reported the first direct observation of a surprising quantum phenomenon predicted over half a century ago, opening pathways for ...