Tech

Physicists Revive 1990s Laser Concept To Propose a Next-Generation Atomic Clock

Published

1 hour ago

25 April 2026

Physicists have proposed a new kind of atomic clock based on a revived superradiant laser concept that could produce an extraordinarily stable signal with a linewidth around 100 microhertz, potentially the narrowest ever for an optical laser. “The implications of this result could stretch well beyond timekeeping,” reports Phys.org. “A laser immune to environmental frequency shifts would be a powerful tool in optical interferometry — using interference patterns in light to make ultra-precise measurements.” From the report: In a conventional laser, a mirrored cavity bounces light back and forth between atoms, building up a bright, coherent beam. A superradiant laser works differently: rather than relying on the cavity to maintain coherence, the atoms themselves act as single coordinated emitters, collectively synchronizing their light emission. Following early theoretical ideas emerged in the 1990s, the concept didn’t gain concrete traction until 2008, when researchers at the University of Colorado proposed that superradiant lasers could serve as a new kind of atomic clock.

Atomic clocks work by using laser light to probe a very precise transition in an atom, causing electrons to transition between energy levels at an extraordinarily stable frequency. Because a superradiant laser stores its coherence in the atoms rather than the cavity, its output frequency is far less vulnerable to environmental disturbances like vibrations or temperature fluctuations. Yet although this concept was first demonstrated experimentally in 2012 in a pulsed regime, the influence of heating has so far held superradiant lasers back from their full potential. To keep the laser running continuously as an atomic clock requires, atoms must be constantly replenished with energy. Doing this atom-by-atom delivers random kicks that heat the atomic sample and disrupt the lasing process, confining it to brief pulses rather than a steady beam.

In their study, Reilly’s team considered whether a modification to earlier theoretical concepts could make a continuous laser suitable for an atomic clock. In almost all previous studies, atoms were treated as simple two-level systems: an electron sitting in a ground state, occasionally jumping up to an excited state and back again. The team proposed that the heating problem could be solved by adding one extra ground state to the picture. In a two-level system, if both the pumping (re-energizing) and decay processes happen collectively through the cavity, the mathematics constrains the system in a way that prevents stable, continuous lasing. But with three levels available, pumping and decay can operate on entirely separate transitions, breaking that constraint and allowing the collective approach to work. The findings have been published in the journal Physical Review Letters.

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Belfast’s Cloudsmith eyes ‘massive growth’ with $72m raise

Published

9 minutes ago

25 April 2026

NewsAdmin

The company raised $23m last year to expand its workforce.

Belfast software company Cloudsmith has raised $72m in Series C funding led by the investment firm TCV.

The raise, Cloudsmith said, would position the company for “massive growth” as it eyes the AI-generated software market. The funds will help accelerate product development and expand its go-to-market capabilities. Insight Partners and other existing investors also supported the round.

The latest funding comes just a year after the company raised $23m in a Series B to expand its workforce across departments and invest in AI R&D. TVC also led this round.

Founded in 2016 by Lee Skillen and Alan Carson, Cloudsmith helps businesses manage software on the cloud, and is used by companies that need control, security and scalability in their software supply chain. The company made two Series A raises – $15m in 2021 and $11m in 2023.

The new investment follows a period of strong year-over-year growth, Cloudsmith said, as companies seek modern infrastructure to keep pace with the speed and scale of AI-generated software.

Businesses also rely on software companies such as Cloudsmith to provide guardrails and governance when adopting AI-coding agents.

The investment comes at a time when AI coding is seeing unprecedented uptake by enterprises, which brings with it an ever-expanding threat surface.

Enterprises need to manage an growing software supply chain, while facing regulatory pressures and their own security requirements to ensure their AI-generated software is secure by design.

“AI agents generate so much software, so fast, it’s nearly impossible for humans to carefully review it all,” said Glenn Weinstein, the CEO of Cloudsmith.

Weinstein said Cloudsmith has the capacity to protect enterprises against the new kinds of threats that AI-driven development introduces.

“TCV and Insight Partners both recognise this profound shift, and their backing is helping Cloudsmith scale up for the massive wave of adoption of AI agents across enterprise software teams.”

Thomas Krane, the managing director at Insight Partners added: “In an era increasingly defined by AI-driven development, securing the software supply chain is critical.

“As a cloud-native offering, Cloudsmith is well positioned to do this – providing the scale and reliability needed to help power enterprise and AI-driven builds and mitigate emerging risks.”

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This Is JD Power’s Most Reliable French Door Refrigerator Brand

Published

22 minutes ago

25 April 2026

NewsAdmin

Appliances might be smarter than ever, but 2025 study data from J.D. Power suggests that they aren’t as reliable as they used to be. Senior managing director of retail practice at J.D. Power, Michael Taylor, explained that although “modern appliances are far more sophisticated and packed with more technologies than ever before,” the increased complexity of today’s appliances means that there are more systems to potentially go wrong. As a result, he said that reliability was now a “critical factor” in picking a new appliance.

According to the study, buyers looking for the most reliable French door refrigerator from a major refrigerator brand should look toward GE’s current lineup. The brand saw the lowest number of problems per 100 appliances (PP100), with owners reporting 65 PP100. GE’s score was slightly ahead of Whirlpool’s rival refrigerators, which saw 68 PP100 reported. The third most reliable brand in the segment was LG, with owners reporting 74 PP100.

French door refrigerators suffered from more problems on average than most other types of appliances. Across the category, owners reported 76 PP100 on average, while side-by-side refrigerators were subject to 68 PP100 on average. Two appliance categories shared top honors for being the most reliable on average: cooking appliances and clothes dryers. Both saw an average of 56 PP100 reported.

GE scored highly for reliability in other categories

Aaron of L.A. Photography/Shutterstock

Although it didn’t quite achieve a clean sweep, GE managed a first-place finish for reliability in almost all appliance categories in J.D. Power’s study. As well as being the most reliable French door refrigerator brand, GE also took top honors in the clothes dryer, front-load washer, and top-load washer categories, among others. However, not everyone agrees with J.D. Power’s verdict, with Consumer Reports crowning LG’s front-load washers the best on the market.

Even so, J.D. Power’s study unequivocally puts GE’s home appliance range at the top of the pile for reliability. As a bonus, when things do go wrong, the study claims that GE has the best service experience, too. The brand received 778 points for its appliance service out of a possible 1,000 points, while Samsung earned second place with a score of 768 points. Unfortunately, owners of Samsung appliances are more likely to end up testing out its appliance service than most, since the Korean brand’s appliances were subject to more problems than average in seven out of eight appliance categories.

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Cohere acquires, merges with Germany-based startup to create a ‘transatlantic AI powerhouse’

Published

31 minutes ago

25 April 2026

NewsAdmin

Cohere, the Canada-based enterprise AI unicorn, announced Friday that it would merge with the Germany-based enterprise AI company Aleph Alpha.

The deal, which has yet to close, will value the newly formed company at $20 billion, the FT reported. Schwarz Group, one of Aleph Alpha’s top backers, will also invest $600 million in Cohere’s Series E round, which is expected to close later this year, CNBC reported.

A handful of Silicon Valley players continue to dominate the AI commercial landscape, which is busy with consolidation activity.

A press release announcing the Cohere-Aleph Alpha union said one goal of the merger was to give businesses and governments an alternative to these dominant tech players, one that offers greater independence and control over their data. It also hopes to combine the talent pool across Canada and Germany to create a “transatlantic AI powerhouse.”

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This Ring Doorbell deal is a cheap way to smarten up your front door

Published

45 minutes ago

25 April 2026

NewsAdmin

Most video doorbells make you choose between a wide-angle view of your porch or a tight shot of whoever’s face is at the door, but the Ring Battery Doorbell doesn’t ask you to compromise.

Right on that premise, the Ring Battery Doorbell is currently down from $99.99 to $59.99 at Amazon, putting $40 back in your pocket for a camera that covers significantly more of your front door area.

Ring Battery Video Doorbell on a red and orange background