Bitcoin

It underscores the accelerating pace of fundamental physics research, which could eventually disrupt industries like computing, energy, and materials. For crypto, the relevance is indirect: any advance in optical control of nanoscale motion could improve hardware efficiency (e.g., cooling for mining rigs) or, in the distant future, enable quantum-resilient hardware, but those are decades away.

Near-infrared fluorescent carbon nanotubes in water exhibit light-induced quantum friction where exciton interactions slow nanoscale motion, enabling optical control of diffusion and fluid dynamics.