AI Reveals Unexpected New Physics in the Fourth State of Matter

The study, published in PNAS, was conducted by experimental and theoretical physicists at Emory University. It combines a specially designed neural network with laboratory measurements from a dusty plasma, a type of ionized gas that contains interacting particles. Unlike most uses of artificial intelligence in science, which focus on analyzing data or making predictions, this work used AI to help reveal previously unknown physical laws.

This snip is interesting

On the Moon, weak gravity allows charged dust particles to hover above the surface, creating a natural example of dusty plasma. “That’s why when astronauts walk on the moon their suits get covered in dust,” Burton explains.

Dusty plasma can also form on Earth. During wildfires, soot particles mix with smoke and can become electrically charged. These charged particles may disrupt radio communications used by firefighters.

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