VIII. Earth Earns: An Open CoCreative Earthropocene to Astropocene PediaVerse

1. Mind Over Matter and Energy: Quantum, Atomic, Chemical, Astronomic Realms

Markovic, Danijela and Julie Grolier. Quantum Neuromorphic Computing. arXiv:2006.15111. We note this entry by CNRS, University of Paris-Saclay physicists as an instance of a 2020s hyper-synthesis by an effective integration of deep physical and active cerebral qualities. See also Physics for Neuromorphic Computing by the authors and colleagues in Nature Reviews Physics (2/499, 2020).

Quantum neuromorphic computing physically implements neural networks in brain-inspired quantum hardware so to speed up their computation. In this perspective article, we show that this emerging paradigm could make best use of existing and near future intermediate size quantum computers. Some approaches are based on parametrized quantum circuits, and use neural network-inspired algorithms to train them. Other approaches, closer to classical neuromorphic computing, take advantage of the physical properties of quantum oscillator assemblies to mimic neurons and compute. (Abstract)

Over the past years, quantum and neuromorphic computing have emerged as two leading visions for the future of computation. Quantum computing makes use of intrinsic properties such as entanglement and superposition to design algorithms that are faster than classical ones. Neuromorphic computing gets inspiration from the brain and uses complex ensembles of artificial neurons and synapses to mimic animal intelligence and calculate faster with low energy consumption. In this article we review convergences between these two fields, and on the experimental implementations of neuromorphic computing on quantum hardware. (1)

McCarthy, Wil. Hacking Matter. New York: Basic Books, 2003. A technology writer extols the seemingly unlimited potentials to redesign, create and “program” the subatomic basis of nature, by which endeavor humankind might take over the material creation of the universe.

Mehr, Hessam, et al. A Universal System for Digitization and Automatic Execution of the Chemical Synthesis Literature. Science. 370/101, 2020. As our collective human acumen begins to take up and over a new material creation, aka synthetic chemistry, University of Glasgow chemists including Leroy Cronin describe how language-based computational methods can enhance and speed up the process. The project involves both the detection of current natural forms, along with finding and making novel compositions for a better life and planet.

Robotic systems for chemical synthesis are growing in popularity but can be difficult to run and maintain because of the lack of a standard operating system or capacity for access to the literature through natural language processing. Here we describe an extendable chemical execution architecture that can be informed by automatically reading the literature so to achieve a universal autonomous workflow. We showcase automated syntheses of 12 compounds from the literature, including the analgesic lidocaine, the Dess-Martin periodinane oxidation reagent, and the fluorinating agent AlkylFluor. (Abstract)

Mitra, Anupam, et al.. Macrostates vs. Microstates in the Classical Simulation of Critical Phenomena in Quench Dynamics of 1D Ising Models. arXiv:2310.08567.. This entry by Center for Quantum Information and Control, University of New Mexico physicists including Ivan Deutsch is posted as an example among many to show how readily human intellects can delve into these fundamental depths and then to take over and commence anew a second intentional, informed material cocreation. See also Ultracold field-linked tetratomic molecules by Chen, Xing-Yan Chen, et al in Nature (January 31, 2024) for a similar instance.

We study the tractability of classically simulating critical phenomena in the quench dynamics of one-dimensional transverse field Ising models (TFIMs) using highly truncated matrix product states (MPS). We focus on two paradigmatic examples: a dynamical quantum phase transition (DQPT) that occurs in nonintegrable long-range TFIMs, and the infinite-time correlation length of the integrable nearest-neighbor TFIM when quenched to the critical point. For the DQPT, we show that the order parameters can be efficiently simulated with surprisingly heavy truncation of the MPS bond dimension. This can be used to reliably extract critical properties of the phase transition, including critical exponents, even when the full many-body state is not simulated with high fidelity.

Moeini, Samaneh and Tie Jun Cui. Reflective Metasurfaces: Fractal Coding Metamaterials. Annalen der Physik. 531/2, 2019. University of Aveiro, Portugal and Southeast University, Nanking, China informatic engineers (a global team posts in a German periodical) discern and deftly apply nature’s self-similar mathematics to create a novel realm of visionary surfaces.

Editor’s Note In article number 1800134, Samaneh Moeini and Tie Jun Cui propose a concept of fractal coding metamaterials, which can be used to design reflective metasurfaces with self‐similar pseudo‐random phase responses. The introduced coding strategy utilizes fractal interpolation functions. An analytical relation between the reflection phase distribution and the far‐field radiation pattern is derived.

Moore, Katharine, et al. Universal Characteristics of Chemical Synthesis and Property Optimization. Chemical Science. 2/417, 2011. As the Abstract conveys, in this Royal Society of Chemistry journal, Princeton University mathematical chemists including Alex Pechen and Jason Dominy press the frontiers of 2010s new material creations. See also Why is Chemical Synthesis and Property Optimization Easier than Expected? by this group in Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics (13/10048, 2011).

A common goal in chemistry is to optimize a synthesis yield or the properties of a synthesis product by searching over a suitable set of variables (e.g., reagents, solvents, reaction temperature, etc.). Synthesis and property optimizations are regularly performed, yet simple reasoning implies that meeting these goals should be exceedingly difficult due to the large numbers of possible variable combinations that may be tested. This paper resolves this conundrum by showing that the explanation lies in the inherent attractive topology of the fitness landscape specifying the synthesis yield or property value as a function of the variables. Under simple physical assumptions, the landscape is shown to contain no suboptimal local extrema that could act as traps on the way to the optimal outcome. The literature contains broad evidence supporting this “OptiChem” theory. OptiChem theory implies that increasing the number of variables employed should result in more efficient and effective optimization, contrary to intuition. (Abstract)

Naam, Ramez. The Infinite Resource: The Power of Ideas on a Finite Planet. Hanover, NH: University Press of New England, 2013. The Egyptian-American computer scientist and futurist tracks the course of history by an ever growing social, public information repository, good for survival and prosperity. The “Tragedy of the Commons” whence consumption out ran supplies is to be countered by a nascent “Knowledge Commons.” Into the 21st century, as megacities take on a guise as dynamic organisms, the locus of learning decisively shifts to a composite worldwide phase. Indeed, a vectorial learning capacity and acquisition could be seen to well define the arc of evolution and humanity as a grand endeavor of self-education, counter to wasteful entropies. As a result, if we might become mindful together, our future destinies will much depend on our own common, informed choice.

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” The opening line of Charles Dickens’ 1859 masterpiece A Tale of Two Cities applies equally well to our present era. We live in unprecedented wealth and comfort, with capabilities undreamt of in previous ages. WE live in a world facing unprecedented global risks – risks to our continued prosperity, to our survival, and to the health of our planet itself. We might think of our current situation as A Tale of Two Earths. (Preface)

This is a story about these two conflicting realities of our present day. The core argument of this book is that the force that’s propelled us to our present well-being is also the most powerful resource we have to tackle our future challenges: innovation. If we tap into and direct that force correctly, we have the very real potential to lift global wealth and well-being while reducing our impact on the planet and even reversing the damage we’ve done. If we fail to tap into that force, we flirt with the very real prospect of disaster. (Preface)

The whole world is becoming a city now. The technology of the Internet, mobile phones, and a million spinoffs of that are networking us all together. We’re drawing more connections, exchanging more insights, innovations, and information, Minds are the source of wealth and innovation. But their production isn’t linear. It scales with the number and quality of connections. And so, the more minds we have – educated minds, empowered minds, interconnected minds – the more each produces. (291) Our planet is like a giant living brain. Each mind added to it is a neuron. Each connection between those minds is a synapse. As we grow larger, we grow denser in connections, and so we grow smarter, more able to innovate, at rates faster than we consume. (291)

The human mind is the ultimate source of all wealth. We stand poised on the brink of the largest-ever explosion of human mental power, a second Renaissance, more transformative, more far-reaching, and more inclusive that the first. If we make the right choices to empower humans minds and encourage innovation, to steer innovation toward the solutions for our planet’s problems, and to embrace the fruits that it offers, then the future will be one of almost unimaginable wealth, health, and well-being. (308)

Nguyen, Michael and Suriyanarayanan Vaikuntanathan. Design Principles for Nonequilibrium Self-Assembly. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 113/14231, 2016. While the specific medium for these University of Chicago chemists is nanoscale colloids, the article goes on to show how independent physical and thermal fgenerative forces can be intentionally applied so as to create new material solutions. In regard, we could be reflectively witnessing the phenomenal passage of nature’s creative propensities to our collaborative human furtherance.

Understanding the principles governing self-assembly remains an important problem in statistical mechanics. We find, surprisingly, that general design principles for this challenging problem can be obtained by applying ideas from the field of stochastic thermodynamics to nonequilibrium self-assembly problems. Our central results constrain the set of possible configurations achievable under a nonequilibrium drive. (Significance)

Ni, Xiang, et al. Topological Metamaterials. arXiv:2211.10006. We cite this entry by CCNY Photonics Initiative and Florida International University researchers among much current work as an example as the global mind over matter frontier opens for cocreative business.

Recent physics findings that materials with non-trivial topological properties for electronic, electromagnetic, acoustic and mechanical usages can be designed and made through engineered metamaterials (MMs). We review these state-of-the-art advances and discuss how topological MMs enable novel wave phenomena for a broad range of interdisciplinary sciences such as classical and quantum chemistry. This survey aims at basing this progress associated with topological concepts, and highlight opportunities going forward offered by these geometric facilities for the chemistry community at large. (Excerpt)

Norreys, Peter, et al. Prospects for High Gain Inertial Fusion Energy: An Introduction to the First Special Edition. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A. October, 2020. An introduction to papers from a March 2020 London meeting about progress and problems with large scale, practical usage of this atomic power source. In any event, it seems that human intellect is actually capable of learning about and taking over nature’s deep energies.

A European consortium of 15 laboratories across nine nations have worked together by way of EUROFusion Enabling Research grants for the past decade with three principle objectives. These are: (a) investigating obstacles to ignition on megaJoule-class laser facilities; (b) investigating novel alternative approaches to ignition, including fast ignition, auxiliary heating, shock ignition etc.; and (c) developing technologies that will be required for a fusion reactor. The Hooke discussion meeting was an opportunity to reflect on progress in inertial confinement fusion research world-wide to date. (Abstract)

Inertial Confinement Fusion is a type of fusion energy research that attempts to initiate nuclear fusion reactions by heating and compressing a fuel target, typically in the form of a pellet that most often contains a mixture of deuterium and tritium. (Wikipedia)

Nosengo, Nicola. The Material Code. Nature. 533/23, 2016. A news report on the historic revolution with regard to the formula and preparation of novel atomic, (bio)chemical, electronic, structural compositions. The articles draws on the work of Gerbrand Ceder and Kristin Persson (search) which we reported in 2013. A national and worldwide collaboration has since expanded their vision of treating natural materiality as genomic in kind, so as to apply similar computational, machine learning, and intelligent search approaches. In the USA, a NAS Materials Genome Initiative is underway, an Open Quantum Materials Database at Northwestern University, along with other projects. New journals such as NPJ: Computational Materials, Computational Materials Science, and Nature Reviews: Materials cover the latest advances. By a philosophical regard could be seen an epic takeover by human intellect of substantial matter from subatomic scales as we Earthlings may begin a new intentional creation. A further import would be to witness this endeavor as a matteromics effort, which deeply infers an organic cosmic genesis.

Oganessian, Yuri. Superheavy Elements. Physics World. July, 2004. The discovery – and novel creation - of transuranium elements now extends to “islands of stability” in atomic number ranges of 112 to 118. The former Soviet Union has long been a leader in this regard.

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