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The interplay of quantum measurements and local interactions in many-body systems can lead to new out-of-equilibrium phase transitions. An experiment has now shown that quantum simulators can meet the challenge of detecting them.

Although mechanical resonators are routinely cooled to their quantum ground state, it has remained unclear if sizable nonlinearities could persist there. Experiments in the ultrastrong-coupling regime now show that this is possible.

The performance of superconducting qubits is often limited by spurious two-level systems. Now, a qubit operating as a heat engine manipulates its bath of nearby two-level systems, providing insights into their dynamics and interactions.

Some driven systems sustain non-equilibrium phases in which phase transitions occur without symmetry breaking. The use of a laser-cooled atomic cloud confined in a pencil beam now allows the demonstration of such a system.

The interplay of quantum measurements and unitary evolution is expected to produce dynamical phases with different entanglement properties. An entanglement phase transition has now been detected with hybrid quantum circuits in a superconducting processor.

Research in the past few decades has uncovered powerful generalities in the structure of many natural and built networks. Now, a study describes how certain structural properties of networks may cause them to endure or collapse over time.

Generating and controlling noncollinear spin textures is a promising route towards developing next-generation logic architectures beyond CMOS. Now, these spin textures can be engineered in twisted magnetic two-dimensional materials.

Strong dipole–dipole interactions between excitons in a moiré superlattice create a manifestation of the Bose–Hubbard model with a ground state similar to a Mott insulator.

Determining the melting temperature and electrical conductivity of ammonia under the internal conditions of the ice giants Uranus and Neptune is helping us to understand the structure and magnetic field formation of these planets.

Laser-driven shock compression experiments yield the melting curve of the superionic phase of ammonia at conditions relevant to the interiors of Uranus and Neptune.

Analogue photonic simulators have so far suffered from severe finite size effects and limited programmability. Now, a frequency-mode photonic simulator enables the simulation of large-scale models in two and three dimensions.

Active matter exhibits positional coherence in addition to the well-known orientational order. It is now shown that coherent structures in active nematics—made of dynamical attractors and repellers—form, move and deform, steered by topological defects.

Dynamic arrest in amorphous gels has so far been ascribed to glass transition. Now, experiments reveal a hierarchical structural ordering in dilute colloidal gels driven by the local potential energy, making this type of gel distinct from amorphous glasses.

Semiconductor qubits can benefit from existing industrial methods, but there are challenges in coupling qubits together. A hybrid superconductor–semiconductor qubit that couples to superconducting qubit devices may overcome these issues.

The direct observation of spin Berry curvature, an important aspect of non-trivial band topology, has not been achieved in quantum materials. Now it is observed in a bilayer Kagome metal.

A moiré potential may play a role in determining the magnetic properties of a two-dimensional homo or heterostructure. Now, non-collinear spin structures are observed in twisted double bilayer CrI₃, providing a platform to engineer unusual magnetic textures.