The “Liquid Light” Computer: A Bizarre New State of Matter May Unlock Deep Space
Deep space has a problem: it destroys electronics. The intense radiation on a trip to Mars would fry a standard computer long before it reached the Red Planet.
But physicists at UC Irvine may have just found the solution, and it looks like something straight out of a sci-fi movie. They have discovered a completely new state of matter—one that acts like a glowing liquid and could be the key to building “indestructible” computers.
It Glows, It Flows, It Spins We know matter usually comes in solids, liquids, gases, or plasmas. But this new discovery defies the standard list.
By blasting a custom-made crystal with a magnetic field 700 times stronger than a fridge magnet, researchers forced the electrons inside to do something strange. Instead of repelling each other, the electrons paired up with “holes” (positively charged spaces) and began spinning in perfect unison.
The result? A bizarre “quantum liquid” that, if you could hold it in your hand, would emit a bright, eerie glow.
The End of the Silicon Age? This isn’t just a cool light show; it’s a technological revolution.
Current computers use electrical charge to send signals (1s and 0s). This new matter uses “spin.” This means it doesn’t need to push electricity around, which generates heat and energy loss. Instead, it creates “spintronic” circuits that are incredibly efficient and, crucially, impervious to radiation.
Mars and Beyond “If you want computers in space that are going to last, this is one way to make that happen,” says Professor Luis A. Jauregui.
While companies like SpaceX are building the rockets to get us to Mars, these scientists are building the brains that will survive the journey. We might be looking at the birth of the first self-charging, radiation-proof quantum computer.
The future of computing isn’t just faster; it’s glowing.
Source: science daily
‘Human washing machine’ that can clean head to toe in 15 mins goes on sale in Japan
The “Liquid Light” Computer: A Bizarre New State of Matter May Unlock Deep Space