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The Kibble-Zurek mechanism and finite-time scaling provide descriptions of the driven critical dynamics from gapped initial states. Here, the authors generalize these theories to Dirac systems accommodating gapless initial states.

Pioneered in the cosmological setting, the Kibble–Zurek mechanism (KZM) describes the universal dynamics across a phase transition, leading to the breakdown of adiabatic dynamics and the formation of topological defects. The authors present an experimental study of the universal critical dynamics of a 1D quantum Ising chain driven across the paramagnet-to-ferromagnet phase transition using a trapped-ion quantum simulator, and characterize the probability distribution of topological defects, which is found in excellent agreement with theoretical predictions.

The Kibble-Zurek (KZ) mechanism is traditionally an equilibrium scaling argument that yields an estimate for the density of topological defects in the ordered phase as a function of the quenching rate close to the critical point. Here, the authors show that this argument can be applied to nonequilibrium phase transitions and demonstrate numerically that for superconducting vortex lattices and colloidal ensembles the defect number follow a power law given by the directed percolation universality class.

Topological antiferromagnetic states are generated and spatially reconfigured in free-standing crystalline membranes of haematite through strain design.

The Kibble–Zurek mechanism gives a universal description of scaling laws for second-order phase transitions, but a universal theory for first-order transitions is still lacking. The authors show that a Bose–Einstein condensate exhibits a first-order quantum phase transition where a Kibble–Zurek theory is applicable and can serve as an experimental testbed.

Thermal lepton pairs are ideal probes for the temperature of quark-gluon plasma. Here, the STAR Collaboration uses thermal electron-positron pair production to measure quark-gluon plasma average temperature at different stages of the evolution.

The Kibble–Zurek mechanism describes the formation of topological defects in systems undergoing continuous phase transitions, and predicts a power law for their density. Pyka et al. create defects in ion coulomb crystals and observe their scaling behaviour in the context of the Kibble–Zurek theory.

Quantum annealers have been used to study equilibrium states of condensed matter models and recently extended to 1D quantum quench dynamics. Here the authors use a quantum annealer to study the quench dynamics of 2D quantum spin models that are hard to simulate classically.

A family of topological antiferromagnetic spin textures is realized at room temperature in α-Fe₂O₃, and their reversible and field-free stabilization using a Kibble–Zurek-like temperature cycling is demonstrated.

A hybrid analogue–digital quantum simulator is used to demonstrate beyond-classical performance in benchmarking experiments and to study thermalization phenomena in an XY quantum magnet, including the breakdown of Kibble–Zurek scaling predictions and signatures of the Kosterlitz–Thouless phase transition.

Symmetry-allowed topological defects, like quantized vortices, often control the universal behavior of macroscopic quantum systems. Here, Mäkinen et al. report survival of half-quantum vortices in symmetry-breaking transitions to polar-distorted phases in nanostructure-confined superfluid ³He.

Using a quantum annealer to simulate the dynamics of phase transitions shows that superconducting quantum devices can coherently evolve systems of thousands of individual elements. This is an important step toward quantum simulation and optimization.

A programmable quantum simulator based on Rydberg atom arrays is used to study the collective dynamics of a quantum phase transition and observe the phenomenon of quantum coarsening.

Solutions of computations can be encoded in the ground state of many-body spin models. Here the authors show that solutions to generic reversible classical computations can be encoded in the ground state of a vertex model, which can be reached without finite temperature phase transitions.

A programmable quantum simulator with 256 qubits is created using neutral atoms in two-dimensional optical tweezer arrays, demonstrating a quantum phase transition and revealing new quantum phases of matter.

The properties of materials can be drastically modified under extreme pressure. Here the authors investigate ramp-compressed sodium to 5 million atmospheres with in situ X-ray diffraction and optical reflectivity, revealing a complex temperature-driven polymorphism and suggesting the formation of a previously predicted electride phase.

The A–B transition in superfluid ³He is a pure experimental model system to study first-order phase transitions in the early Universe. Tian et al. observe the path dependence of the supercooling of the A phase in a wide parameter range and provide explanations for the heterogeneous nucleation of the B phase.

The speed with which symmetry breaking transitions occur in the solid state makes them difficult to study in the time domain. State-of-the-art pump–probe measurements of the dynamics of charge-density waves in terbium telluride enable the evolution of the symmetry breaking charge-order transition of this system to be studied with unprecedented temporal resolution.

The two-dimensional Bose glass state of matter is realized experimentally using ultracold atoms in an eight-fold symmetric quasicrystalline optical lattice, and the phase transition between Bose glass and superfluid is directly observed.

This flagship study from the European Solve-Rare Diseases Consortium presents a diagnostic framework including bioinformatic analysis of clinical, pedigree and genomic data coupled with expert panel review, leading to 500 new diagnoses in a cohort of 6,000 families with suspected rare diseases.

This Perspective presents the Solve-RD Solvathon model, an innovative, pan-European framework uniting clinical and bioinformatics experts to diagnose rare diseases through integrative multiomics analysis and structured collaboration.

The biophysical properties of cellular organelles are difficult to study directly. Here, the authors generate and characterize osmotically-expanded giant vesicles of several organelles, which maintain some of their functional properties.

Recently, the asymmetric bifunctionalization of alkenes has received much attention but the development of enantioselective alkoxyalkenylation has posed a considerable challenge and has lagged largely behind. Here, the authors report a palladium-catalyzed enantioselective alkoxyalkenylation reaction, using a range of primary, secondary, and tertiary γ-hydroxyalkenes with alkenyl halides.

Using particle-by-particle assembly and adiabatic manipulation of disorder, low-entropy, strongly correlated quantum fluids of light are constructed, opening up new possibilities for the preparation of exotic phases of synthetic matter.

Three different ultrafast probes investigate a non-adiabatic phase transition and find substantial evidence of topological defects inhibiting the reformation of the equilibrium phase.

Frustration in lattices of interacting spins can lead to rich and exotic physics, such as fractionalized excitations and emergent order. Here, the authors demonstrate a low-temperature transition from a disordered spin-ice-like phase to an emergent charge ordered phase in the bulk kagome Ising magnet Dy₃Mg₂Sb₃O₁₄.

Ferroelectric polarization vortices close to a ferroelectric transition turn out to be striking models of the cosmos in which strings are thought to have condensed out of the rapid expansion of the early Universe.

Bubbles of ultracold atoms have been created, observed and characterized at the NASA Cold Atom Lab onboard the International Space Station, made possible by the microgravity environment of the laboratory.

The understanding of the magnetisation evolution upon femtosecond optical pumping remains elusive. The authors perform resonant X-ray magnetic scattering measurements and multiscale simulations that reveal rapid magnetic order recovery in ferrimagnets via nonlinear magnon processes.

While in 3D materials melting is a single, first-order phase transition, in 2D systems, it can also proceed via an intermediate phase. For a skyrmion lattice in Cu₂OSeO₃, magnetic field variations can tune this quasiparticle 2D solid into a skyrmion liquid via an intermediate hexatic phase with short-range translational and quasi-long-range orientational order.

Time-resolved X-ray scattering is utilized to demonstrate an ultrafast 300 ps topological phase transition to a skyrmionic phase. This transition is enabled by the formation of a transient topological fluctuation state.

Spin-orbit coupling is interesting for fundamental understanding of spin transport and quench dynamics. Here the authors demonstrate spin-current generation and its relaxation in spin-orbit-coupled Bose-Einstein condensates of Rb atoms in different spin states.

Superfluid helium-3 provides a clean testing ground for the understanding of quantum phases and their transitions. Here the authors show that when helium is confined in a nanofluidic cavity supercooling across the first-order A–B transition is suppressed, indicating an intrinsic nucleation mechanism.

The mechanism for exciton-polariton condensation in the presence of an incoherent reservoir has been long debated. Here the authors demonstrate the role of the spatial hole burning in condensation of long‐lived exciton polaritons by imaging the condensates in a single-shot excitation regime.