Università di Torino

Sep 25, 2024 | link.aps.org | Jacques K. Desmarais |Dipartimento di Chimica |Università di Torino |Giovanni Vignale

Understanding of bonding is key to modeling materials and predicting properties thereof. A widely adopted indicator of bonds and atomic shells is the electron localization function (ELF). The building blocks of the ELF are also used in the construction of modern density functional approximations. Here, we demonstrate that the ELF breaks down when applied beyond regular nonrelativistic quantum states.

Jul 1, 2024 | academic.oup.com | Università di Torino

“Mediocrity’s threat to freedom” presents Prince Michael’s statements about geopolitics and world economics during the 2019–2022 period. Each contribution is synthetic (two or three pages each), focused, easy to read, and offers much food for thought from a classical–liberal viewpoint. In fact, Prince Michael is a strong and well-known believer in free markets, voluntary exchange, private property, freedom from coercion and limited government, the linchpins of his views and reasoning.

Jun 21, 2024 | link.aps.org | Jacques K. Desmarais |Dipartimento di Chimica |Università di Torino |Jefferson Maul

The prominence of density functional theory in the field of electronic structure computation stems from its ability to usefully balance accuracy and computational effort. At the base of this ability is a functional of the electron density: the exchange-correlation energy. This functional satisfies known exact conditions that guide the derivation of approximations. The strongly constrained and appropriately normed (SCAN) approximation stands out as a successful, modern, example.

Apr 19, 2024 | academic.oup.com | Università di Torino

The Neolithic revolution saw the independent development of agriculture among at least seven unconnected hunter-gatherer populations. I propose that the rapid spread of agricultural techniques resulted from increased climatic seasonality causing hunter-gatherers to adopt a sedentary lifestyle and store food for the season of scarcity. Their newfound sedentary lifestyle and storage habits facilitated the invention of agriculture.

Feb 22, 2024 | academic.oup.com | Dipartimento di Fisica |Università di Torino

With the detection of the gravitational wave event GW170817 (Abbott et al. 2017) and the following electromagnetic counterpart on the 2017 August 17, our understanding of the synthesis of heavy elements within our universe has made a major step. It became clear that neutron star mergers exist and produce heavy elements such as Strontium (Watson et al. 2019) or lanthanides (e.g. Tanvir et al. 2017). However, even though observed, some riddles remain and do not fully add up.