Science in action: Celebrate Europe Day with the ERC|ERC - European Research Council (ERC)

Neurons are a motley crew, varying widely in connectivity and firing properties. But computational models of the brain usually treat neurons as identical. “The convention in the field is homogeneity,” says Scott Rich, assistant professor at the University of Connecticut. Heterogeneity makes models mathematically complex and unwieldy, so researchers have shied away from incorporating it, he says. “But it shouldn’t be [omitted] if we really want to understand how the brain works.”

Scientists at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light (MPL) have achieved a breakthrough in quantum physics, developing a way to study individual molecules on a surface with extraordinary precision. For the first time, researchers have demonstrated that molecules attached to a surface can reach the ultimate quantum limit of optical coherence, overcoming a major obstacle that has long restricted molecular quantum research. The findings, published in Science, could open new possibilities for investigating how molecules interact with surfaces and developing advanced quantum technologies.