Gold refuses to melt at temperatures hotter than the Sun’s surface

Researchers taking the first-ever direct measurement of atom temperature in extremely hot materials inadvertently disproved a decades-old theory and upended our understanding of superheating. It’s notoriously difficult to take the temperature of really hot things. Whether it’s the roiling plasma in our Sun, the extreme conditions at the core of planets or the crushing forces…

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Forget LASIK: Safer, cheaper vision correction could be coming soon

Millions of Americans have altered vision, ranging from blurriness to blindness. But not everyone wants to wear prescription glasses or contact lenses. Accordingly, hundreds of thousands of people undergo corrective eye surgery each year, including LASIK — a laser-assisted surgery that reshapes the cornea and corrects vision. The procedure can result in negative side effects,…

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