A new study published in Physical Review Letters demonstrates that robust information storage is more complex than previously understood. Researchers used machine learning to discover multiple new classes of two-dimensional memories capable of reliably storing information despite constant environmental noise, moving beyond the traditionally known Toom's rule. The research reveals that noise can sometimes *stabilize* memories, and that standard theoretical models often fail to predict the behavior of these systems, highlighting the importance of fluctuations. This work has implications for quantum error correction and understanding how robust behavior emerges in complex systems.
Daniel Kleppner, a renowned physicist who made significant contributions to atomic physics and quantum computing, passed away on June 16, 2025, at the age of 92. He was best known for his work on hydrogen masers, which laid the groundwork for the Global Positioning System (GPS), and his pioneering research on Rydberg atoms and Bose-Einstein condensation. Kleppner spent nearly four decades as a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and received the National Medal of Science in 2006. His final words were a toast to the future of science at his grandson's high school graduation party.
