Scientists Spotted 'Massless' Electrons Moving in 4 Dimensions

[Judi Lynn]

A polymer’s hidden properties illuminate a world where particles move with unparalleled freedom.

BY CAROLINE DELBERT
PUBLISHED: MAR 22, 2024 8:00 AM EST



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Scientists in Japan have isolated an important type of electron for further study.

Dirac electrons develop in certain conditions where cone-shaped openings appear in solid matter.

A new paper detailing their isolation adds more dimension to the subject.


In new research published in the peer-reviewed journal Materials Advances, physicists detail how they were able to examine an electron behavior that’s never been isolated before. They were looking at Dirac electrons, which are found in special conditions.

But in the past, they’ve always been in the mix with other types of electrons, making them difficult to study. Now, finally isolating them has let physicists study their unique properties: becoming effectively weightless and able to travel at photon-like speeds, up to the speed of light itself.

All it took was 12,000 times the average barometric pressure of Earth and a special kind of spin.

There are some big terms to define here. Dirac electrons have a key role in a relatively recent discovery called topological materials. These are compounds that conduct electricity only on their outer surfaces—their interiors continue to act as insulators. Think of it like a rubber ball with electrical wires wrapped around it, except somehow the entire thing is made from the same one material. Understandably, this discovery won the Nobel Prize in 2016, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) explains.

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https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/a60248487/scientists-spotted-massless-electrons-moving-in-4-dimensions/