Matter & Energy News -- ScienceDaily

• A simple chemical tweak could supercharge quantum computers
  Quantum computers need special materials called topological superconductors—but they’ve been notoriously difficult to create. Researchers have now shown they can trigger this exotic state by subtly adjusting the mix of tellurium and selenium in ultra-thin films. That tiny chemical tweak changes how electrons interact, effectively turning a quantum phase “dial” until the ideal state appears. The result is a more practical path toward building stable, next-generation quantum devices.
• 50 year quest ends with creation of silicon aromatic once thought impossible
  After nearly 50 years of failed attempts and scientific speculation, chemists at Saarland University have achieved what many thought might be impossible: creating a long-sought silicon-based aromatic molecule. By replacing carbon atoms in a famously stable ring-shaped compound with silicon, the team synthesized pentasilacyclopentadienide — a breakthrough published in Science.