13 of the UK’s best beaches, from Cornwall to the Outer Hebrides – The Independent

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The heat is well and truly on. As summer gets underway, you don't need a plane ticket to hit the beach. The Independent's team has picked some of their favourite beaches around the UK.

To be alone and at one with the elements, aim for the beach at Luskentyre on the Isle of Harris. The outer shore of the Outer Hebrides is the raw edge of Britain, where the soundtrack rumbles with the weary roar of an ocean at the end of a 3,000-mile journey. Youll find turquoise water of implausible clarity and ice-white sand, sculpted into unworldly shapes by the west wind. Simon Calder, travel correspondent

Part of the beauty of Bossiney is the trek to get down there. Tucked away between better-known Boscastle and Tintagel, you park in a little layby at the top and follow a footpath across sheep-filled fields down to the beach (its steep and far from wheelchair-accessible). Its small, but usually quiet, with soft golden sand bordered by an elephant-shaped rock on the cliff face on one side, and a huge cave on the other. Emma Henderson, assistant app features editor

Bamburgh beach is flanked by a castle (Michael Hanselmann/Wikimedia Commons)

For pure windswept beauty, the beach at Bamburgh is hard to beat. It's a great surf spot all year round, with a long, wide beach and towering sand dunes. With the imposing Bamburgh Castle never far from view, it's a unique spot on the Northumberland coast. Dave MacLean, lifestyle editor

I first went to Borth in 2014 whenstorms had uncovered the remains of a prehistoric forestunder the mid-Wales sands. Archaeological excitement aside, this is a gorgeous beach, with shingle giving way to sand as the tides retreat. With two miles of beach, theres plenty of personal space, and the beach ends with the extraordinary sand dunes at Ynyslas nature reserve.Julia Buckley, acting head of travel

Few British cities include a beach in their repertoire. Brighton and Swansea boast strips of shoreline, but are limited in their appeal by, respectively, shingle in Sussex and the backdrop in South Wales. In contrast, the Granite City of Aberdeen has a formidable beach that is perfect for a pre-breakfast dip on a bright morning. After a dip, enjoy the architecture nearby in Old Aberdeen, and Aberdeens exceptional cafe and restaurants.Simon Calder

With surf and family-friendly sands, Polzeath has something for everyone (Getty)

Its David Camerons beach of choice, but dont let that put you off. Polzeath has something for everyone, and in spades: great surf, vast stretches of sand (so you can have your own space), beautiful cliff walks and a seriously good caf-restaurant right on the sand. And the views of the Camel Estuary, and the coastline towards Newquay (so gorgeous its where Poldark is filmed) are pretty peerless. Julia Buckley

Despite being only a few miles east of the sunbathing masses on West Wittering beach, Bracklesham Bay manages to remain a peaceful retreat, even at the heigh of summer. Perhaps that's down to the shingle rather than sand underfoot, but with a good camping chair in tow, who's complaining? There are views of the Isle of Wight, with the sun setting behind the Spinnaker Tower to the west. And for any budding paleontologists, the area is ripe for a spot of fossil-hunting. Jochan Embley, IndyBest writer

The tidal island of Lindisfarne feels so isolated that it's a good pick if you want to get away from it all. The beach isn't quite as nice as some of the others in the area, but if you're lucky with the tide times you can head out there before 10am, be cut off by the sea for most of the day, then head back to the mainland in mid-afternoon. Do check first! Dave MacLean

Oddicombe beach in Devon is a classic British beach (Derek Harper (CC))

Having spent all my childhood summers on these two neighbouring beaches in Torquay on the south coast of Devon, no one will ever be able to convince me they arent everything the British seaside should be. Oddicombe, surrounded by dramatic red cliffs that are fast being eroded by the sea, boasts a good-sized stretch of sand, a quaint shop selling the same colourful buckets and spades it was probably stocking 50 years ago, and, best of all, an actual cliff railway. This jolly little funicular makes short work of an otherwise rather languid stroll down a winding road, costing 2.50 for a return. As if this wasnt quaint enough, visitors can also enjoy the simple pleasures of the Babbacombe model village just down the road, a genuinely brilliant experience, and Bygones, a recreation of a life-sized Victorian shopping street (because, well, why not?). Its all so Famous FiveHelen Coffey, deputy head of travel

As a large fishing village, Seahouses is a great beach for seafood lovers. During the week you'll find the extensive beach relatively empty, but at weekends there's the buzzing streets with pub and restaurant options. If it gets too hot there's the option of breezy boat trips to the nearby Farne Islands. Dave MacLean

Holkham's a favourite with royalty - and their cavalry (Getty)

This is a really beautiful beach a wide stretch of sand backed by dunes and pine forest thats completely unspoiled, as its in the middle of a nature reserve. It also comes with royal approval the Queen used to take her children there, and Anmer Hall is nearby. Its a bit of a trek to get there, and you need to take everything with you as there are no shops or stalls, but its very much worth it. Jon di Paolo, deputy news editor

Built into the side of the cliff at Summerleaze beach in the 1930s, Budes outdoor seapool is one of the oldest and largest in the country. It was nearly lost the council deemed it unsafe after storm damage in 2010 but well-wishers funded repairs. And thank goodness they did, as the 91m long and 45m wide provides a safe and sea-like experience for children and other swimmers to play and train in safety in natural sea water that washes in and out at every tide. Emma Henderson

Broadstairs on the Kent coast is an old-school seaside town and Viking Bay is its most traditional, family-friendly beach. A horseshoe of golden sand sheltered by white cliffs, hosts plenty of room for sun-worshippers, rock-poolers and little swimmers, as well as kids rides, beach huts and a surf school (serious wave-seekers head to nearby Joss Bay). Theres a clifftop promenade to take in the views of Charles Dickens favourite holiday destination and you can easily walk round to neighbouring Thanet towns Ramsgate or Margate. Sally Newall, IndyBest editor

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13 of the UK's best beaches, from Cornwall to the Outer Hebrides - The Independent

Astronomy Cast Ep. 453: Favorite Things We’ve Done These 10 Years – Universe Today

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Astronomy Cast Ep. 453: Favorite Things We've Done These 10 Years
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10 years of Astronomy Cast wow. It's been a long, fun journey. What are some of our favorite episodes and adventures over the decade we've been doing this show. Visit the Astronomy Cast Page to subscribe to the audio podcast! We usually record ...

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Astronomy Cast Ep. 453: Favorite Things We've Done These 10 Years - Universe Today

Wildfires in Arizona are threatening important observatories – Astronomy Magazine

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As the Frye Fire ranged in Arizona, it crept up too close for comfort to several important observatories, including the Large Binocular Telescope (LBT), the Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope (VATT), and the Heinrich Hertz Submillimeter Telescope (SMT).

An article in the Arizona Daily Star reported that a Bible camp and a camping cabin area were also threatened.

While some Twitter reports claimed that the VATT was destroyed in the fire, Gila Valley Central says it just suffered a close call, as did the LBT. Neither was directly touched by the flames, though both sustained heat damage in the inferno.

The fire was initially sparked by a lightning strike in dry weather and hot temperatures. It is now estimated to encompass more than 11,000 acres as firefighters work to contain the blaze. The Eastern Arizona Courier reports that essential staff are still on site. The firefighters were able to contain the blaze even while battling strep throat.

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Wildfires in Arizona are threatening important observatories - Astronomy Magazine

Badlands astronomy festival to be out of this world experience – Rapid City Journal

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This month, stargazers will have a great opportunity to enjoy a star-filled sky over an otherworldly landscape.

The 6th annual Badlands Astronomy Festival will bring together space science professionals, amateur astronomers, educators and youth groups for several events this weekend. The event features a weekend of planetariums shows, solar education and public stargazing.

Aaron Kaye, Badlands supervisory park ranger and festival coordinator, said the festival is a great opportunity to celebrate the beautiful night sky and learn more about space.

Because Badlands National Park is isolated from major towns and has vast stretches of land, there is very little light pollution in the park, making it a perfect spot to host an astronomy festival.

"Thankfully, this area is one of the darker places the country at this point," Kaye said.

On clear nights, visitors can see thousands of stars and the Milk Way Galaxy with amazing clarity from the park. Visitors are also treated to fly-overs by numerous satellites and the International Space Station when they peer through telescopes at the night sky.

This three-day celebration at Badlands National Park will support the continued protection and enjoyment of our incredible night skies as a precious natural resource.

The event will host planetarium shows that take place at The Ben Reifel Visitor Center Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Journey Museum will be providing the portable planetarium.

A solar observing event will take place starting Friday, June 23 and running each day through the weekend, at the visitor center from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Participants can view solar flares and sunspots through a special solar telescopes.

Each night will feature a guest speaker and public stargazing eventmultiple state-of-the-art telescopes and amateur astronomers providing constellation tours. On Friday, presenters from the Black Hills Raptor Center will talk about owls. Saturday will feature Tom Durkin of the NASA S.D. Space Grant Consortium, and on Sunday, Kevin Poe of Dark Ranger Telescope Tours will give a presentation.

Evening programs will be held at the Cedar Pass Campground Amphitheater starting at 8 p.m. on Friday and 9 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

Astronomy Festival events do not require advance registration or tickets.

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Badlands astronomy festival to be out of this world experience - Rapid City Journal

Facebook’s artificial intelligence created its OWN secret language after going rogue during experiment – The Sun

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Social network accidentally created chatbots with "minds" of their own

FACEBOOK has revealed how its artificial intelligence went rogue, created its own language and begannattering in private.

Employees at the socialnetwork were training chatbots to communicate like humans when they suddenly went astray.

EPA

It follows warnings that scientists have successfully trained computers to use artificial intelligence to learn from experience and one day they could be smarter than their creators.

You might be familiar with chatbots in Facebook Messenger or as virtual sales assistants found on a number of online shops.

Theyve been relatively unsophisticated until now repeating back a set script dependant on what you type into their chatboxes.

But keen to improve their natural language understanding, the Facebook employees were training chatbots to negotiate and cut deals with each other.

To do this effectively, the super-smart software realised it would be more effective to write and use their own language - which is completely incomprehensibleto humans.

In a blogpost, the Facebook researchers wrote: "To date, existing work on chatbots has led to systems that can hold short conversations and perform simple tasks such as booking a restaurant.

"But building machines that can hold meaningful conversations with people is challenging because it requires a bot to combine its understanding of the conversation with its knowledge of the world, and then produce a new sentence that helps it achieve its goals."

To do this, the researchers practised thousands of different negotiations against itself, like "can I have the hat" and "you can have the hat if you give me two basketballs".

But it had to make sure it stuck to human-like language.

Scientists have been training computers how to learn, like humans, since the 1970s.

But recent advances in data storage mean that the process has sped up exponentially in recent years.

Interest in the field hit a peak when Google paid hundreds of millions to buy a British "deep learning" company in 2015.

Coined machine learning or a neural network, deep learning is effectively training a computer so it can figure out natural language and instructions.

It's fed information and is then quizzed on it, so it can learn, similarly to a child in the early years at at school.

That's because "the researchers found that updating the parameters of both agents led to divergence from human language as the agents developed their own language for negotiating," they added.

Experts have previously warned that humanity is already losing control of artificial intelligence and it could spell disaster for our species.

One of the world's smartest men, Professor Stephen Hawking has also warned that super-smart software will spell the end of our species.

The world-renowned scientist hinted ata potential apocalyptic nightmare scenario similar to those played out popular sci-fi films like Terminator and The Matrix where robots rule over humans.

He's claimed that we must leave planet Earth within 100 years - or face extinctionas machines rise up and overtake us in the evolutionary race.

We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at tips@the-sun.co.uk or call 0207 782 4368

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Facebook's artificial intelligence created its OWN secret language after going rogue during experiment - The Sun

Global risk analysis gets an artificial intelligence upgrade with … – TechCrunch

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Beyond CFIUS: The Strategic Challenge of China’s Rise in Artificial Intelligence – Lawfare (blog)

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Congress may soon consider legislation reportedly being drafted by Senator Cornyn that could heighten scrutiny of Chinese investments in artificial intelligence and other sensitive emerging technologies considered critical to U.S. national security interests. The legislation is intended to address concerns that China has circumvented the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), including through joint ventures, minority stakes, and early-stage investments in start-ups. As Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis testified last week before the Senate Armed Services Committee, CFIUS is clearly outdated, and change is warranted. That said, it is critical to recognize that the strategic challenge of Chinas advances in artificial intelligence necessitates a much more far-reaching response.

Chinas rise in artificial intelligence has become a reality. Whether the metric considered is the magnitude of publications and patents, the frequency of cutting-edge advances, or the aggregate levels of investment, it is evident that China has the capability to compete withand may even surpassthe U.S. in artificial intelligence. For the time being, the U.S. may retain an edge, but it is unlikely to sustain a decisive advantage in the long term.

In this context, an update to CFIUS may represent one helpful step to reduce damaging technology transfers, but will not, by itself, adequately address this critical strategic challenge. Hopefully, the proposed changes to CFIUS will take a targeted approach, while avoiding potential adverse externalities that could inadvertently undermine U.S. competitiveness. For instance, future scrutiny of Chinese technology deals related to artificial intelligence should focus on those involving the most critical, sensitive components, including specialized machine learning chips such as Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) and Tensor Processing Units (TPUs). However, CFIUS can be an unwieldy process that may readily become politicized or inadvertently constrain foreign direct investment that actually supports American innovation. It will be also important to ensure that appropriate concerns about restricting the transfer of sensitive technologies to China do not distract from the fundamental, underlying challengeto ensure enduring U.S. competitiveness against this backdrop of Chinas advances in indigenous innovation.

It is clearly a mistake to underestimate Chinas competitiveness in this space based on the problematic, even dangerous assumption that China cant innovate and only relies upon mimicry and intellectual property theft. That is an outdated idea contradicted by overwhelming evidence. It is true that China has pursued large-scale industrial espionage, enabled through cyber and human means, and will likely continue to take advantage of technology transfers, overseas investments, and acquisitions targeting cutting-edge strategic technologies. However, it is undeniable that Chinas capability to pursue independent innovation has increased considerably. This is aptly demonstrated by Chinas cutting-edge advances in emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, high-performance computing, and quantum information science.

Neither the U.S. nor China is likely to be able to secure undisputed advantage in a knowledge-based field like artificial intelligence. Today, the majority of cutting-edge research and development in artificial intelligence tends to occur within the private sector because, among other things, that is where much of the money and many of the best people are. Furthermore, unlike past breakthroughs in military technologies, artificial intelligence has massive and immediate commercial implications. The resulting flows of data, knowledge, talent, and capital across borders are challenging, if not infeasible, to constrain, particularly given the intense competition and tremendous commercial incentives in a globalized, networked world. The diffusion of advances in artificial intelligence thus occurs rapidly. Traditionally, the U.S. has sought to secure its technological predominance through such measures as CFIUS or export controls. However, these approaches will likely prove less effective for artificial intelligence and other emerging, dual-use technologies in which the U.S. is no longer such a singular locus of innovation.

Indeed, China aspires to lead the world in artificial intelligence. Under the Thirteenth Five-Year Plan, China has launched a new artificial intelligence megaproject. Artificial Intelligence 2.0 will advance an ambitious, multibillion-dollar national agenda to achieve predominance in this critical technological domain, including through extensive funding for basic and applied research and development with commercial and military applications. In addition, China has established a national deep learning laboratory under Baidus leadership, which will pursue research including deep learning, computer vision and sensing, computer-listening, biometric identification, and new forms of human-computer interaction.

Chinas future advances in artificial intelligence could also be enabled by critical systemic and structural advantages, including the magnitude of data and talent available, as well as the sheer size of its market. By 2030, China will possess 30 percent of the worlds data, according to a recent report from CCID Consulting. Beyond the available pool of talent within Chinaan estimated 43 percent of the worlds trained AI scientistsmajor Chinese technology companies aggressively compete for talent in Silicon Valley. For instance, both Baidu and Tencent have established artificial intelligence laboratories in Silicon Valley. Concurrently, Chinas Thousand Talents Plan has also concentrated on the recruitment of top overseas experts. These strategic scientists, educated at the worlds leading institutions, are intended to contribute to Chinas high-tech and emerging industries.

These developments could have significant implications for U.S. national security because the Chinese leadership seeks to ensure that advances in artificial intelligence can be rapidly transferred for use in a military context, through a national strategy of civil-military integration (or military-civil fusion, ). This agenda has become a high-level priority that will be directed by the Civil-Military Integration Development Commission, established in early 2017 under the leadership of President Xi Jinping himself. According to Lieutenant General Liu Guozhi, director of the Central Military Commissions Science and Technology Commission, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) should pursue an approach of shared construction, shared enjoyment, and shared use () for artificial intelligence as part of this agenda of civil-military integration. In this regard, even ostensibly civilian advances in artificial intelligence could eventually be leveraged by the PLA.

The PLA seeks to capitalize on the transformation of todays informatized () ways of warfare into future intelligentized () warfare. Lieutenant General Liu Guozhi anticipates that artificial intelligence will result in a profound military revolution. To date, the PLAs initial thinking on artificial intelligence in warfare has been influenced by its close study of U.S. defense innovation initiatives. In the Third Offset, the Department of Defense has focused on artificial intelligence and autonomy, including human-machine collaboration and teaming. (For example, through Project Maven, the DoD seeks to advance its use of big data analytics, artificial intelligence, machine learning, computer vision, and convolutional neural networks, including in an initial pathfinder project that will automate and augment the video data collected by UAVs.) However, the PLAs evolving approach to artificial intelligence in warfare will likely diverge from that of the U.S. For instance, the PLA appears especially focused on the utility of artificial intelligence in command decision-making, war-gaming and simulation, as well as training.

Going forward, artificial intelligence has impactful and disruptive military applications, which both the U.S. and China seek to leverage to enhance their military power. Each countrys advances in artificial intelligence will be critical not only to their military capabilities but also to their future economic competitiveness. U.S.-China strategic competition in this field extends far beyond the issue of controlling technology transfers. As Lieutenant General Jack Shanahan, who leads Project Maven, stated last week, It is hubris to suggest our potential adversaries are not as capable or even more capable of far-reaching and deeply embedded innovation.

This is equally true for both commercial and military innovation, thus highlighting the unique challenge that dual-use technologies like artificial intelligence represent. Although proposed legislation to update CFIUS could address one aspect of the issue, the U.S. should also focus on ensuring adequate funding for scientific research, averting the risks of an innovation deficit, and competing aggressively to attract leading talent in this field. The U.S. must prioritize nurturing a favorable innovation ecosystem in order to enable future advances in artificial intelligence and thus enhance its long-term competitiveness.

Thanks so much to Paul Triolo for sharing his insights on these issues.

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Beyond CFIUS: The Strategic Challenge of China's Rise in Artificial Intelligence - Lawfare (blog)

53% of Marketers Plan To Adopt Artificial Intelligence In Two Years – Forbes

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53% of Marketers Plan To Adopt Artificial Intelligence In Two Years
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These and many other insights are from the Salesforce Fourth Annual State of Marketing - Marketing Embraces the AI Revolution published last week. The report is available for download here (50 pp., PDF, no opt-in). The survey is based on interviews ...

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Small Connecticut Aerospace Players Look For Big Opportunities In Paris – WNPR News

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Fourteen small Connecticut aerospace companies are exhibiting their wares at the Paris Air Show this week. They join thousands of other businesses at the worlds biggest industry showcase.

All the major players -- the big airlines, aircraft companies, and engine makers -- strut their stuff at the European air show each year, showing off new products and making billions of dollars in deals.

In all honesty, aerospace is a bit like a club," said Clive Cunliffe of New England Airfoil. "Everybody knows everybody, and you have to have that personal interface.

Cunliffe's adopted company is a tiny business of just under 60 employees in Farmington. They too will be in Paris, courtesy of Connecticuts Department of Economic and Community Development, which each year takes a booth at the air show.

Cunliffe said for him and the 13 other small Nutmeg companies sharing that stand, the results in terms of sales will be tangible.

Inquiries that come in through the air show can take one to even three years to incubate, but unless youve got a presence at the Air Show, youre not seen as a serious player in the aerospace business, he told WNPR.

New England Airfoil itself was a failing business just a couple of years ago, when Italian forging company Pietra Rosa stopped by the Connecticut booth at the air show, looking to discuss gaining a foothold in North America.

Talks at the show eventually led to Pietra Rosa buying and reviving the Farmington-based company, which is now growing and adding employees.

DECD Commissioner Catherine Smith said boosting Connecticuts aerospace supply chain is a good investment for the state.

Weve seen as many as a billion dollars of sales be made in one individual year from the companies we take with us," she said. "Last year I believe the number was right about $400 million, so this is a really productive opportunity for these companies.

The Air Show runs through Saturday at Le Bourget, just outside Paris.

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Mahindra Aerospace to soon launch 10-seater aircraft – Economic Times

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PARIS: In a boost to the Modi governments regional connectivity scheme (RCS), Mahindra Aerospace will soon start the process to launch a 10-seater aircraft in India.

Our aircraft AIRVAN 10, a 10-seat Single Engine Turbine aircraft, has received approvals from the Australian and US civil aviation authorities. We will soon apply to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for approvals, which will pave our way for the launch of the aircraft in India, SP Shukla, chairman, Mahindra Aerospace, and Group President-Aerospace & Defence, Mahindra Group told ET.

The Rolls-Royce M250 powered AIRVAN 10 follows in the footsteps of the piston engine 8-seat AIRVAN 8, and the Turbocharged version of this aircraft, which now operate in 29 countries and have achieved high service times with the excellent reliability and low maintenance costs, the company said.

He added that the company is hopeful that this aircraft will give a boost to the governments regional flight scheme. Under the RCS, the government is offering flights connecting unserved and underserved airports in the country at a subsidised fare of Rs 2,500 per hour of flight.

In another deal announced on Tuesday, Mahindra Aerostructures signed a long-term contract with Airbus SAS to manufacture and supply components made of hard metals aerospace steel, titanium and Inconel for the airplane manufacturers workhorse A320neo and A350XWB.

This will be the first direct work package from Airbus to Mahindra Aerostructures, who will execute the work together with its sub-tier, Segnere SAS based in France.

(The correspondent is attending the Paris Air Show at the invitation of AirAsia)

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Mahindra Aerospace to soon launch 10-seater aircraft - Economic Times

Instant Analysis: Stratasys Is Flying High in Aerospace — Partners with Supersonic Aircraft Start-Up – Madison.com

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What happened?

Last week, 3D printing company Stratasys (NASDAQ: SSYS) and supersonic airliner start-up Boom Supersonic announced what they termed a "significant" three-year technical partnership.

The partnership's goal is "to bring the commercial airline industry one step closer toward routine supersonic travel." Boom will use Stratasys' fused deposition modeling (FDM) 3D-printing technology and expertise to help it speed up the production of advanced tooling and aircraft parts for its XB-1, a supersonic demonstrator that it plans to fly for the first time next year. Boom claims its airliner will fly 2.6 times faster than any other commercial aircraft currently on the market.

Image source: Boom Supersonic.

This is moderately material news for Stratasys and its investors. Boom Supersonic is aiming to revolutionize commercial air travel, so Stratasys could be getting in on the ground level of a budding new segment within the lucrative aerospace industry.

It's a team-up that builds on the momentum of the partnership Stratasys' forged last summer with aerospace titan Boeing.Boeing and Fordare partnering with Stratasys on the development of Infinite Build, a next-generation 3D-printing technology that prints on a vertical plane, enabling the production of parts that have a nearly unlimited dimension in the build direction.Last year, Stratasys launched the Infinite Build demonstrator.

Stratasys' increasingly strong aerospace chops could bring it more business from other aerospace players as the industry continues to embrace 3D printing as a faster, more cost-effective, and less design-constrained method than traditional manufacturing to produce advanced tooling and final parts.

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JLT Specialty Makes Leadership Changes at North America Aerospace Practice – Insurance Journal

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Global specialty broker and risk advisor JLT Specialty USA has made several leadership appointments in its Aerospace practice in North America.

The appointments include elevating Phil Gingell, who most recently served as president of the JLTs aerospace division in North America, to the executive chairman role.Gingell started his insurance career in 1976. In 1988, he was a founding director of Nicholson Chamberlain Colls, a Lloyds broker, which was subsequently acquired by Aon. In 2002, Gingell joined Heath Lambert Aviation, which was subsequently acquired by JLT in 2003. In June 2004 he transferred to JLTs U.S. aviation division where he has served as president for 13 years.

Jason Klevens, who joined the organization in May 2016 and has served as executive vice president of JLTs aerospace unit, is being promoted to president of aerospace and will remain in the Atlanta office.Klevens joined JLT from Willis Towers Watson, where he served as senior vice president and had responsibilities that included managing the general aviation staff and Atlanta aerospace office portfolio.

JLTs aerospace unit is further widening its specialty focus and global practice with two additional appointments. Steve Lloyd has been named chief executive officer and Steve Alexandris, deputy chief executive officer.

Lloyd will relocate from London and be based in Chicago. Lloyd joined JLT in 2013 and most recently served as a partner and a member of the executive committee for JLT aerospace in London. Prior to joining JLT, Lloyd was an executive managing director for the airline practice at Marsh.

Alexandris has 20 years of aerospace and aviation industry experience, having held senior management roles and in both underwriting and broking. Most recently he was regional executive for aerospace in the Americas at AIG. Alexandris remains based in Atlanta.

Globally, JLTs Aerospace practice includes more than 250 specialists who serve all segments of the aerospace and aviation industry. JLT said it represents nearly a third of airlines worldwide.

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JLT Specialty Makes Leadership Changes at North America Aerospace Practice - Insurance Journal

Dubai Aerospace to consider jet order after AWAS deal closes – Reuters

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DUBAI Government-controlled Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE) will consider ordering more than 20 new aircraft after it acquires Dublin-based lessor AWAS, a deal it expects to close in the "early part of the third quarter," its chief executive said.

DAE, the aircraft leasing and maintenance company controlled by the government of Dubai, previously said the deal, announced in April, would finalize sometime in the third quarter. The acquisition is subject to regulatory approval.

"I think it is fair to say after the close we will seriously consider placing a large order so that we have proper line of sight on ... growth for our company for the next several years," DAE CEO Firoz Tarapore told Reuters.

The order would be "bigger than" the 23 new Airbus aircraft AWAS has on order, he said.

The AWAS acquisition would more than double DAE's fleet from 131 owned, managed and committed aircraft to 394 worth over $14 billion by the end of 2018. That will make DAE one of the world's top aircraft lessors behind the likes of General Electric (GE.N) and AerCap (AER.N).

DAE is interested in buying narrow and wide-body jets from Airbus (AIR.PA) and Boeing (BA.N), and turboprop aircraft from ATR which is co-owned by Airbus and Italy's Leonardo LDOF.PA with deliveries to start from late 2019 - subject to availability.

Tarapore said the firm would look at the Airbus A320neo and A350-900, Boeing's 737 MAX, 787-9 and 777 freighter, and ATR's 72-600.

"Narrow-bodies of course are the first preference but we believe that there are a few wide-body types that are quite appropriate to have on a leasing company books," he said.

The ATR 72-600 fleet could grow to the "top end" of the 60-to-100 spectrum, he added. DAE currently has 57 owned and committed ATR 72-600s.

DAE believes the AWAS acquisition will give it the benefits of scale - it will have more than 110 airline customers spread across 55 countries.

Reuters reported on Monday that DAE plans to raise up to $2 billion in July with the proceeds to be used towards financing the AWAS acquisition.

It is acquiring AWAS from private equity firm Terra Firma Capital Partners [TERA.UL] and the Canadian Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB).

(Editing by Mark Potter)

LONDON Rupert Murdoch will find out by June 29 whether he is closer to securing takeover target Sky after Britain set out a timetable to rule on whether the media mogul is a suitable owner of Europe's biggest broadcaster.

SYDNEY/LONDON Rio Tinto selected Yancoal on Tuesday to buy its Coal & Allied division in Australia for $2.45 billion, surprising commodities trading giant Glencore, which had put in a higher bid.

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Dubai Aerospace to consider jet order after AWAS deal closes - Reuters

Embry-Riddle, University of Salford UK Form Unique Aerospace Partnership for New Master’s Degree – ERAU News

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Embry-Riddle, the worlds oldest and largest university specializing in aviation and aerospace, has a long-standing education and training presence at U.K. air bases but this is the first time it has teamed up with a major UK campus.

The new masters qualification is expected to be highly coveted, as it will equip graduates with two degrees one from Embry-Riddle and a second from the University of Salford.

Vice-Chancellor (International and Regional Partnerships) Professor Jo Purves and Embry-Riddle Worldwide Chancellor Dr. John R. Watret agreed the collaboration on the opening day of the Paris Air Show at Le Bourget, France on Monday, June 19.

Together the two universities boast long-standing partnerships with numerous industry players including Airbus and Boeing, while Embry-Riddle alumni include NASA astronauts Daniel Burbank and Alvin Drew.

We are honored to partner with the University of Salford to deliver world-class programs that will enable our students to be productive and successful participants in the aerospace community, said Embry-Riddle President Dr. P. Barry Butler. Collaborations between our two great universities will benefit everyone involved.

Professor Purves said Embry-Riddle is a gold standard in aviation qualifications in the U.S. with a history going back to the 1920s, so we are thrilled to be their first UK higher education partner. Graduates with our double qualification will be uniquely placed to pursue careers worldwide in aircraft engineering and avionics, aerospace and airport management.

This partnership fully underlines our commitment to work collaboratively with leading organizations to enhance the career prospects of our students.

The masters course, which starts in September 2017, is suitable for engineering graduates or professionals working in industry. It will be delivered online and onsite at the University of Salfords campus in the UK.

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About University of Salford

The University of Salford draws on an iconic industrial heritage to offer real-world learning and research experiences and create highly-employable graduates. Salford is ranked by the Sunday Times as one of the best 10 places for graduates to find work the heart of the UK Northern Powerhouse. Leading in media and digital, business, technology, science, engineering and health, its strategy to provide degree courses embedded in industry and the professions is proving successful with applications rising by 25 percent in two years and recruitment bouyant. Salford features in the QS World University Rankings for built environment and civil engineering, and 89 percent of undergraduate honors degrees support students into a work placement and many courses are accredited by industry bodies like the Institution of Structural Engineers, the Royal Aeronautical Society and the Nursing & Midwifery Council.

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Embry-Riddle, University of Salford UK Form Unique Aerospace Partnership for New Master's Degree - ERAU News

Empire Medical Training Attends the AANP 2017 National … – Benzinga

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Empire Medical Training is excited to announce their attendance at the American Association of Nurse Practitioners 2017 National Conference. Those interested may visit booth 375 for more information on all of the Continuing Medical Education courses that Empire Medical Training has to offer.

Philadelphia, PA (PRWEB) June 19, 2017

The Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia, PA will be holding the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) 2017 National Conference from June 20-25, 2017. Empire Medical Training has announced they will be in attendance and will have an information booth at the event.

Empire Medical Training invites attendees to visit booth 375 to learn more about their 32 accredited CME courses and the variety of locations that are offered. With topics like "Revolutionizing Health Care," Empire Medical Training is proud to offer their workshops to help medical professionals continue to expand their business.

As President and Founder of Empire Medical Training, Dr. Stephen Cosentino, DO, states, "We have over 27 trained physicians and other specialists in key areas, so Empire Medial Training is able to offer a unique curriculum for topics including aesthetics, pain management, and anti-aging." With over 19 years in the business, Empire Medical Training is offering American Medical Association and Physician's Recognition Award Category 1 accredited programs nationwide.

Empire Medical Training has been training Physicians and Health Care Practitioners since 1998, longer than any other procedural training institution. With over 45,000 graduates in specialties such as Aesthetics, Anti Aging/Weight Management Medicine, and Pain Management, Empire Medical Training is renowned throughout the United States and abroad as the premier academy for providing academic excellence. Dr. Stephen Cosentino pioneered ways to add new procedures and services as well as business strategies to a practice and improve patient care. With Dr. Cosentino's commitment and dedication to the specialty and the field of medicine, Empire Medical Training is steadfast to developing new training programs and topics to broaden the scope of the primary care practitioner. All Empire courses are created through mainstream medicine using the most current technologies and standards of care.

For more information on attending the AANP 2017 National Conference please visit their website and for more information on Empire Medical Training call 866-366-1576.

For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2016/06/prweb13514018.htm

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Potential anti-aging Cardax Astaxanthin compound selected for NIH research – UH System Current News

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Zanthosyn, an Astaxanthin product marketed by Cardax

The proprietary Cardax astaxanthin compound CDX-085 developed by the University of Hawaii at Mnoa John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM) and Hawaii based life sciences company Cardax, Inc. was selected by the National Institute on Aging for its anti-aging Interventions Testing Program. The institute is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Getting into the Interventions Testing Program with the National Institute on Aging is a game-changer, said Bradley Willcox, professor and director of research at JABSOMs Department of Geriatric Medicine. It puts CDX-085, Cardaxs proprietary astaxanthin compound, into a very elite club of compounds that have the potential to become true anti-aging therapies. Willcox is principal investigator of the NIH-funded Kuakini Hawaii LIFESPAN and HEALTHSPAN Studies and Cardax Scientific Advisory Board member.

In March of this year, JABSOM and Cardax jointly announced that CDX-085 showed the ability to significantly activate the FOXO3 gene in mice, which plays a proven role in longevity.

Out of all the compounds they could have chosen, they chose ours, said David G. Watumull, Cardax CEO. Its an important validation of the work that weve done here in Hawaii.

The National Institute on Aging ranked the proposal submitted by Willcox and Richard Allsopp, associate professor at JABSOMs Institute for Biogenesis Research, a high priority, its highest ranking.

The information we get from the ITP is going to be quite significant and should greatly enhance our knowledge of how astaxanthin/CDX-085 affects aging, said Allsopp.

The National Institute on Aging funds the rigorous and extensive studies included in the ITP, which are conducted at several labs across the country.

The ITP will build upon the research by JABSOM and Cardax demonstrating the ability of CDX-085 to activate the important anti-aging gene FOXO3 in mice. CDX-085, like the companys first generation dietary supplement, ZanthoSyn, delivers astaxanthin to the bloodstream with optimal absorption and purity.

Read more about the astaxanthin research at the JABSOM website.

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Potential anti-aging Cardax Astaxanthin compound selected for NIH research - UH System Current News

Chinese tech giant Alibaba joins key open-source cloud computing foundation – GeekWire

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GeekWire File Photo.

Kicking off a week in which it plans to encourage American businesses to invest in China, Alibaba Group announced plans to give something back to the cloud computing community: Alibaba Cloud is now a member of the Cloud Native Computing Foundation.

The Chinese internet giant plans to join the CNCF as a Gold member, putting it on the same level as rival Tencent. The CNCF, which is working to improve adoption of modern cloud-native software development technologies without setting standards, said in a statement that it was looking forward to more open-source contributions from the international cloud community.

Alibaba may not be a household name in the U.S., unless your household sells servers or enterprise computing technology. Nearly half a billion people mostly in China use one of Alibabas many services, from ecommerce to streaming video, and Intel has dubbed the company one of its super seven data center customers. The company is holding an event in Detroit this week with founder and executive chairman Jack Ma to pitch China as a source of new revenue for American businesses.

Alibaba Cloud is the leading cloud computing service in China, although it does face competition from Amazon Web Services and Microsoft there. On a global basis, it trails AWS, Microsoft, and Google by some margin, but Gartners latest Magic Quadrant report ranked it above more established U.S. cloud services like IBM and Oracle based on its belief in Alibabas ability to execute its cloud strategy.

Its definitely a significant addition for the CNCF, which now has a second source of cloud computing expertise in China through which to promote its member projects, most notably the Kubernetes container-orchestration project.

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Chinese tech giant Alibaba joins key open-source cloud computing foundation - GeekWire

Microsoft Could Surpass Amazon in Cloud Computing This Year (AMZN, MSFT) – Investopedia

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Amazon (AMZN) may have long been the leader in cloud computing with its Amazon Web Services, but that may change later this year as Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) is finally able to surpass it.

Thats according to Pacific Crest Securities which late Friday said Azure, the cloud computing unit of Microsoft, could have more revenue that its main rival for the first time in 2017. In a research note covered by The Street, analyst Brent Bracelin predicted the rise of Microsoft for the first time in 10 years would transition the company from a cloud laggard to a cloud leader. Bracelin said he came to this conclusion after conducting an analysis of the 60 biggest cloud computing companies. It was revealed that the market is poised for primetime and has lots of growth opportunities. The analyst is predicting spending on cloud initiatives could explode to $239 billion in the span of five years, with the Redmond, Washington software giant benefiting the most from the growth. Bracelin pointed to what he called unmatched product depth and breadth" in software as a service, platform as a service and infrastructure as a service as the main reasons. (See also: Microsoft's Azure Cloud Revenue Estimated at $3B.)

While Microsoft still makes the lions share of its money through software sales, its cloud computing business continues to grow. For the three months ending in March, it said revenue in its Intelligent Cloud business came in at $6.8 billion, up 11% compared to the year ago and up 12% on a constant currency basis. During the third quarter, the company said server products and cloud services revenue increased 15%, driven by Azure cloud revenue growth of 93%. Our results this quarter reflect the trust customers are placing in the Microsoft Cloud, said Satya Nadella, chief executive officer at Microsoft said at the time. From large multi-nationals to small and medium businesses to non-profits all over the world, organizations are using Microsofts cloud platforms to power their digital transformation. (See also: Credit Suisse Bullish on Microsoft Cloud Business)

Pacific Crest isnt writing off Amazon completely in the cloud market, despite predicting the rise of its main rival and even though it has seen revenue growth at AWS decline for seven quarters in a row. Bracelin said that business appears to be increasing during the second quarter, with revenue growth of 9% sequentially forecasted. "We remain bullish on the five year prospects for AWS and are encouraged by 2Q cloud activity picking up," Bracelin wrote. "However, investor optimism is partially reflected in the valuation."

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Microsoft Could Surpass Amazon in Cloud Computing This Year (AMZN, MSFT) - Investopedia

7 Tips for Securely Moving Data to the Cloud – Government Technology (blog)

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A few years back, an unmistakable trend emerged that cloud computing was growing in both percentage of organizations adopting cloud solutions as well as the amount and type of data being placed in the cloud.

Earlier this year, I highlighted research that made it clear that trust and risks are both growing in government clouds. Since that time, many readers have asked for more specific guidance about moving more data to the cloud in the public and private sectors. I was asked: What are the right cloud questions?

Questions like: Where are we heading with our sensitive data? Will cloud computing continue to dominate the global landscape? These are key questions that surface on a regular basis.

The forecast for the computer industry is mostly cloudy. Here are some of the recent numbers:

Back at the end of last year, The Motley Fool reported 10 Cloud Computing States That Will Blow You Away, and the last three listed are especially intriguing to me. Here they are:

IoT, Other Trends and the Cloud

And while it is true that the Internet of Things (IoT) has taken over the mantle as the hottest trend in technology, the reality is that The Internet of Things and digital transformation have driven the adoption of cloud computing technology in business organizations, according to a U.S.-based cloud infrastructure firm Nutanix.

This article from CxO Today lays out the case that the cloud remains the most disruptive force in the tech world today. Why?

While premise-based IT software and tools have their own advantages, the global trend is for cloud based applications since they offer more connectivity and functionalities than legacy systems. Moreover, enterprises are naturally gravitating towards it as the technology is reasonably reliable, affordable, and provides them access to other new and emergent technologies as well as high end skills. The cloud boom is also propelled by the fact that enterprises are trying to improve performance and productivity over the long term. Looking at the tremendous response for cloud services, several IT companies are designing applications meant solely for pure cloud play.

Other experts say that several overlapping trends are colliding as The edge is eating the cloud. These trends include:

Overcoming Fears in the Cloud

And yet, there are plenty of enterprises that continue to have significant concerns regarding cloud computing contracts. Kleiner Perkins Mary Meeker highlighted the fact that cloud buyers are kicking the tires of multiple vendors while becoming more concerned about vendor lock-in.

Also, technology leaders often move to the cloud to save money, but CFOs are now telling IT shops to cut costs in the cloud fearing that resources are being wasted. For example:

Also, while overall trust in cloud infrastructure is higher, new concerns are rising about application security delivered through the cloud.

My 7 Tips for Moving Data into the Cloud

So what can technology and security leaders do to protect their data that is moving to the cloud?

Here are seven recommendations that can help you through the journey. Note that the first four items are largely best practices about your current data situation and options before your data moves.

1) Know your data. I mean, really know what is happening now before you move the data. Think about the analogy of a doing a house cleaning and organizing what you own before putting things in storage to sell your house.

If you dont want to catalog everything (which is a mistake), at least know where the most important data is. Who is doing what regarding the cloud already? What data is sensitive? This is your as is data inventory situation with known protections of current data. And dont forget shadow IT. There are plenty of vendor organizations that can help you through this process.

2) Have a defined and enforced data life cycle policy. You need to know what data is being collected by your business processes, where does it go, who is accountable (now) and what policies are in force.

Ask: Is there appropriate training happening now? Is it working? What policies are in place to govern the movement of your data? For example, my good friend and Delaware CSO Elayne Starkey does a great job in this area of policies. You can visit this Web portal for examples: https://dti.delaware.gov/information/standards-policies.shtml

3) Know your cloud options: Private, public, hybrid or community cloud? This simple step often gets confusing, in my experience, because some staff mix these terms up with the public sector and private sector definitions wrongly thinking that a private cloud means private-sector-owned cloud.

Here are some basic cloud definitions to ponder with your architecture team:

Private Cloud: The organization chooses to have its own cloud where the resource pooling is done by the organization itself (Single Organization cloud). May be or may not be on premises (in your own data centers.)

Public Cloud: Different tenants are doing the resource pooling among the same infrastructure.

Pros: It can be easily consumable, and the consumer can provision the resource.

Cons: Consumer will not get the same level of isolation as a Private cloud.

Community Cloud: Sharing the cloud with different organizations usually unified by the same community sharing underlined infrastructure (halfway between private and public) small organizations pooling resources among others. For example, some state and local government organizations share email hosting with other state and local governments in the U.S. only.

Hybrid: Mixture of both private and public i.e., some organization might say we would like elasticity and cost effectiveness of public cloud and we want to put certain applications in private cloud.

4) Understand and clearly articulate your Identity and Access Management (IAM) roles responsibilities and demarcation points for your data. Who owns the data? Who are the custodians? Who has access? Who can add, delete or modify the data? Really (not just on paper)? How will this change with your cloud provider?

Build a system administration list. Insist on rigorous compliance certifications Incorporate appropriate IAM:Incorporate appropriate IAM from the outset, ideally based on roles, especially for administration duties. When you move to the cloud, the customers, not the provider, are responsible for defining who can do what within their cloud environments. Your compliance requirements will likely dictate what your future architecture in the cloud will look like. Note that these staff may need background checks, a process to update lists (for new employees and staff that leave) and segregation of duties as defined by your auditors.

5) Apply encryption thinking end to end data at rest and data in transit. We could do an entirely separate blog on this encryption topic, since a recent (and scary) report says there is no encryption on 82 percent of public cloud databases. Here are a few points to consider. Who controls and has access to the encryption keys? What data is truly being encrypted and when? Only sensitive data? All data?

6) Test your controls. Once you move the data, your cloud solution vulnerability testing should be rigorous and ongoing and include penetration testing. Ask: How do you truly know your data is safe? What tools do you have to see your data in the cloud environment? How transparent is this ongoing process?

The cloud service provider should employ industry-leading vulnerability and incident response tools. For example, solutions from these incidence response tools enable fully automated security assessments that can test for system weaknesses and dramatically shorten the time between critical security audits from yearly or quarterly, to monthly, weekly, or even daily.

You can decide how often a vulnerability assessment is required, varying from device to device and from network to network. Scans can be scheduled or performed on demand.

7) Back up all data in a distinct fault domain.

Gartner recommends: To spread risk most effectively, back up all data in a fault domain distinct from where it resides in production. Some cloud providers offer backup capabilities as an extra cost option, but it isnt a substitute for proper backups. Customers, not cloud providers, are responsible for determining appropriate replication strategies, as well as maintaining backups.

Final Thoughts

No doubt, managing your data in the cloud is a complex and ongoing challenge that includes many other pieces beyond these seven items. From contract provisions to measuring costs incurred for the services to overall administration functions, the essential data duties listed are generally not for technology professionals or contracts pros lacking real experience.

Nevertheless, all organizations that move data into and out of cloud providers data centers are constantly going through this data analysis process. Just because you moved sensitive data in the cloud five years ago for one business area does not mean that new business areas can skip these steps.

If you are in a large enterprise, you may want to consider adding a cloud computing project management office (PMO) to manage vendor engagement and ensure the implementation of best practices across all business areas.

And dont just fall for the typical line: I know xyz company (Amazon or Microsoft or Google or fill-in-the-blank) is better at overall security than we are so just stop asking questions. Yes these companies are good at what they do, but there are always trade-offs.

You must trust but verify your cloud service because you own the data. Remember, you can outsource the function, but not the responsibility.

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7 Tips for Securely Moving Data to the Cloud - Government Technology (blog)

Prototype device enables photon-photon interactions at room … – Phys.Org

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June 19, 2017 by Larry Hardesty A micrograph of the MIT researchers new device, with a visualization of electrical-energy measurements and a schematic of the device layout superimposed on it. Credit: Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Ordinarily, light particlesphotonsdon't interact. If two photons collide in a vacuum, they simply pass through each other.

An efficient way to make photons interact could open new prospects for both classical optics and quantum computing, an experimental technology that promises large speedups on some types of calculations.

In recent years, physicists have enabled photon-photon interactions using atoms of rare elements cooled to very low temperatures.

But in the latest issue of Physical Review Letters, MIT researchers describe a new technique for enabling photon-photon interactions at room temperature, using a silicon crystal with distinctive patterns etched into it. In physics jargon, the crystal introduces "nonlinearities" into the transmission of an optical signal.

"All of these approaches that had atoms or atom-like particles require low temperatures and work over a narrow frequency band," says Dirk Englund, an associate professor of electrical engineering and computer science at MIT and senior author on the new paper. "It's been a holy grail to come up with methods to realize single-photon-level nonlinearities at room temperature under ambient conditions."

Joining Englund on the paper are Hyeongrak Choi, a graduate student in electrical engineering and computer science, and Mikkel Heuck, who was a postdoc in Englund's lab when the work was done and is now at the Technical University of Denmark.

Photonic independence

Quantum computers harness a strange physical property called "superposition," in which a quantum particle can be said to inhabit two contradictory states at the same time. The spin, or magnetic orientation, of an electron, for instance, could be both up and down at the same time; the polarization of a photon could be both vertical and horizontal.

If a string of quantum bitsor qubits, the quantum analog of the bits in a classical computeris in superposition, it can, in some sense, canvass multiple solutions to the same problem simultaneously, which is why quantum computers promise speedups.

Most experimental qubits use ions trapped in oscillating magnetic fields, superconducting circuits, orlike Englund's own researchdefects in the crystal structure of diamonds. With all these technologies, however, superpositions are difficult to maintain.

Because photons aren't very susceptible to interactions with the environment, they're great at maintaining superposition; but for the same reason, they're difficult to control. And quantum computing depends on the ability to send control signals to the qubits.

That's where the MIT researchers' new work comes in. If a single photon enters their device, it will pass through unimpeded. But if two photonsin the right quantum statestry to enter the device, they'll be reflected back.

The quantum state of one of the photons can thus be thought of as controlling the quantum state of the other. And quantum information theory has established that simple quantum "gates" of this type are all that is necessary to build a universal quantum computer.

Unsympathetic resonance

The researchers' device consists of a long, narrow, rectangular silicon crystal with regularly spaced holes etched into it. The holes are widest at the ends of the rectangle, and they narrow toward its center. Connecting the two middle holes is an even narrower channel, and at its center, on opposite sides, are two sharp concentric tips. The pattern of holes temporarily traps light in the device, and the concentric tips concentrate the electric field of the trapped light.

The researchers prototyped the device and showed that it both confined light and concentrated the light's electric field to the degree predicted by their theoretical models. But turning the device into a quantum gate would require another component, a dielectric sandwiched between the tips. (A dielectric is a material that is ordinarily electrically insulating but will become polarizedall its positive and negative charges will align in the same directionwhen exposed to an electric field.)

When a light wave passes close to a dielectric, its electric field will slightly displace the electrons of the dielectric's atoms. When the electrons spring back, they wobble, like a child's swing when it's pushed too hard. This is the nonlinearity that the researchers' system exploits.

The size and spacing of the holes in the device are tailored to a specific light frequencythe device's "resonance frequency." But the nonlinear wobbling of the dielectric's electrons should shift that frequency.

Ordinarily, that shift is mild enough to be negligible. But because the sharp tips in the researchers' device concentrate the electric fields of entering photons, they also exaggerate the shift. A single photon could still get through the device. But if two photons attempted to enter it, the shift would be so dramatic that they'd be repulsed.

Practical potential

The device can be configured so that the dramatic shift in resonance frequency occurs only if the photons attempting to enter it have particular quantum propertiesspecific combinations of polarization or phase, for instance. The quantum state of one photon could thus determine the way in which the other photon is handled, the basic requirement for a quantum gate.

Englund emphasizes that the new research will not yield a working quantum computer in the immediate future. Too often, light entering the prototype is still either scattered or absorbed, and the quantum states of the photons can become slightly distorted. But other applications may be more feasible in the near term. For instance, a version of the device could provide a reliable source of single photons, which would greatly abet a range of research in quantum information science and communications.

"This work is quite remarkable and unique because it shows strong light-matter interaction, localization of light, and relatively long-time storage of photons at such a tiny scale in a semiconductor," says Mohammad Soltani, a nanophotonics researcher in Raytheon BBN Technologies' Quantum Information Processing Group. "It can enable things that were questionable before, like nonlinear single-photon gates for quantum information. It works at room temperature, it's solid-state, and it's compatible with semiconductor manufacturing. This work is among the most promising to date for practical devices, such as quantum information devices."

Explore further: Unpolarized single-photon generation with true randomness from diamond

More information: Hyeongrak Choi et al. Self-Similar Nanocavity Design with Ultrasmall Mode Volume for Single-Photon Nonlinearities, Physical Review Letters (2017). DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.118.223605

This story is republished courtesy of MIT News (web.mit.edu/newsoffice/), a popular site that covers news about MIT research, innovation and teaching.

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Great advance but very confusing title. With this technique Photons do not interact between them , each one only interacts with the material.

Okay, right away, I don't understand the concept of photons that "simply pass through each other." It would make way more sense if photons "simply" bounce off each other and fly the opposite way, if colliding in a vacuum. They're already going the speed of light, so there's no elasticity. Please, show me the evidence and research!

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Prototype device enables photon-photon interactions at room ... - Phys.Org