For the first time, scientists have observed a collection of particles, also known as a quasiparticle, that's massless when moving one direction but has mass in the other direction. The quasiparticle, called a semi-Dirac fermion, was first theorized 16 years ago, but was only recently spotted inside a crystal of semi-metal material called ZrSiS. The observation of the quasiparticle opens the door to future advances in a range of emerging technologies from batteries to sensors, according to researchers at Penn State.
Unfortunately we can’t just build something out of particles like this. Consider electrons or neutrinos, something similar is what we’re dealing with here.
Unfortunately we can’t just build something out of particles like this. Consider electrons or neutrinos, something similar is what we’re dealing with here.