Faraday's hot science in the ultracold
Promising new research into the properties of molecules close to absolute zero could offer up new insights into the nature of matter
A Faraday Discussions meeting organised by the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) and held at the University of Durham in April revealed how research into ultracold molecules close to absolute zero is progressing rapidly and leading to new insights into our understanding of matter.
'During 2008, several research groups around the world succeeded in producing ultracold molecules in their lowest rotation-vibration state for the first time', explains the meeting's chair, Jeremy Hutson of Durham University. This has been a major scientific goal for several years. The discoveries will let researchers create and study new phases of matter that follow the rules of quantum mechanics. Such research might also lead to new ways to control matter and eventually help us develop incredibly powerful quantum computers.
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