Scientists Discover Unique “Half-Ice, Half-Fire” Phase of Matter

Latino-owned businesses in the U.S. are experiencing significant declines in clientele due to heightened fears of immigration enforcement under President Donald Trump's administration. Daysi García, owner of Dana Beauty Salon in Mount Rainer, Maryland, reported a 60% drop in customers following an ICE operation targeting undocumented employees, stating, "What is happening now is worse than what we experienced during Covid." The crackdown has disproportionately impacted small businesses in Latino communities, including restaurants and beauty salons, leading to employee withdrawals and customer fears. Percy Pelaez-Contti, president of the Central American Chamber of Commerce, noted a "domino effect," indicating that even documented residents are anxious about their safety around immigration agents. Although U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) claims its actions target undocumented migrants with criminal records, many detained individuals have not committed any crimes related to their immigration status. This environment of fear is contributing to an estimated 30% decline in business for small Latino establishments since Trump's return to power, according to Pelaez-Contti.

A woman was arrested after a chaotic incident at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport on March 14, during which she stripped naked and assaulted airport workers. Samantha Palma, who claimed to be traveling with her eight-year-old daughter, reportedly was experiencing a "manic episode," according to a report by the New York Post. During her rampage, Palma stabbed two restaurant workers with a pencil and bit the manager, causing injury, and smashed an airport information display. Witnesses captured the surreal scene on video, showing her destabilized behavior, including throwing water and cursing when approached by other passengers. Upon police arrival, Palma was found hiding behind an emergency exit door, covered in blood that was not her own. She later revealed to authorities that she had neglected to take her medication that day and identified as various Disney princesses, including Ariel and Pocahontas. She was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and initially detained for mental health evaluation.

A team of researchers in the United States has successfully teleported a quantum state of light through over 30 kilometers of fiber optic cable while managing typical internet traffic. This achievement, reported by Prem Kumar, a computing engineer at Northwestern University, marks a significant milestone in the pursuit of a quantum-connected computing network, promising advancements in encryption and data transmission methods. The demonstration indicates that quantum states can be transmitted using existing optical fiber infrastructure, potentially merging quantum communication with classical internet traffic. Kumar noted, “This is incredibly exciting because nobody thought it was possible,” emphasizing the implications for future communications systems. To protect the quantum state of the photon during transmission, the researchers employed techniques that minimized scattering and interference from other data streams. This successful teleportation suggests that a quantum internet may be achievable without the need for new infrastructure, allowing both classical and quantum communications to coexist effectively. The findings were published in the journal Optica, further underscoring the growing recognition of quantum technologies' potential.