Simulating nature’s cosmic laboratory, one helium droplet at a time

27-Mar-2019 - Two astronomers from the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy and from the University of Jena have found an elegant new method to measure the energy of simple chemical reactions, under similar conditions as those encountered by atoms and molecules in the early solar system. Their method promises ...

Scientists develop new soil moisture sensor

Innovative measuring device enables the water content of biological soil crusts to be measured for the first time

15-Sep-2015 - Biological soil crusts comprising lichens, algae and mosses play an important role in the earth’s ecosystems. They fix carbon dioxide and nitrogen while giving off significant amounts of the greenhouse gas nitrous oxide. Information on soil moisture is of vital importance to investigate their ...

Quantum gas in free fall

Physicists produce a Bose-Einstein condensate at zero gravity - a step towards extremely sensitive quantum sensors for gravitation

24-Jun-2010 - A sensitive measuring device must not be dropped - because this usually destroys the precision of the instrument. A team of researchers including scientists from the Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics has done exactly this, however. And the researchers want to use this experience to make the ...

Beyond the Quantum Limit

MPQ-LMU scientists create multi-particle entanglement of atoms in a Bose Einstein condensate on a microchip

08-Apr-2010 - The microcosm, the realm of quantum physics, is ruled by probability and chance. The behaviour of quantum particles cannot be predicted with certainty but only with certain probabilities given by quantum physics. This results in a so-called quantum noise, which fundamentally limits the precision ...