Science Ticker Quantum Physics

Excitons’ motions captured in images

When plants make food, they absorb energy from light. Excitons move that energy to places in plants where it can be stored in its chemical form. Observing excitons in motion may help scientists better understand the process of photosynthesis.

Derek Tam/FLICKR (CC BY-SA 2.0)

By Ashley Yeager

Quasiparticles called excitons transfer energy through materials such as solar cells, LEDs, semiconductor circuits and even plant cells. Now, that motion has been observed and captured in images, researchers report April 16 in Nature Communications. The observations could lead to advances in electronics and improve scientists’ understanding of photosynthesis.

About Ashley Yeager

Ashley Yeager is the associate news editor at Science News. She has worked at The Scientist, the Simons Foundation, Duke University and the W.M. Keck Observatory, and was the web producer for Science News from 2013 to 2015. She has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and a master’s degree in science writing from MIT.

More Stories from Science News on Quantum Physics

  1. Quantum Physics

    Physicists are mostly unconvinced by Microsoft’s new topological quantum chip

    By Emily Conover
  2. Quantum Physics

    A quantum computing milestone is immediately challenged by a supercomputer

    By Mara Johnson-Groh
  3. Quantum Physics

    Quantum mechanics was born 100 years ago. Physicists are celebrating

    By Emily Conover
  4. Quantum Physics

    Why this physicist is bringing thermodynamics to the quantum age

    By Emily Conover
  5. Quantum Physics

    A quantum computer corrected its own errors, improving its calculations 

    By Emily Conover
  6. Quantum Physics

    Physicists measured Earth’s rotation using quantum entanglement

    By Emily Conover
  7. Particle Physics

    Scientists propose a hunt for never-before-seen ‘tauonium’ atoms 

    By Emily Conover
  8. Quantum Physics

    Two real-world tests of quantum memories bring a quantum internet closer to reality

    By Emily Conover
Use up and down arrow keys to explore.Use right arrow key to move into the list.Use left arrow key to move back to the parent list.Use tab key to enter the current list item.Use escape to exit the menu.Use the Shift key with the Tab key to tab back to the search input.