Researchers at the CUNY Advanced Science Research Center have built a stationary tabletop circuit that amplifies electromagnetic waves by mimicking the energy-extraction physics of rotating black holes, producing 7.8 dB of gain without any moving parts, according to a study published July 8, 2026, in Nature titled “Observation of Floquet rotational super-radiance.”
CUNY ASRC Team Validates Superradiance Theory Without Moving Parts
Physicists at the CUNY Graduate Center’s Advanced Science Research Center constructed a ring-shaped network of electronic resonators that remains completely stationary. According to the research findings published in Nature on July 8, 2026, the team rapidly modulated the circuit in a timed sequence to create a traveling pattern. This configuration tricks electromagnetic waves into interacting with the system as if it were rotating at ultrafast speeds, successfully reproducing the Penrose-Zel’dovich superradiance idea in a working laboratory setup.
Previous attempts to demonstrate this energy-extraction physics relied on physical motion. According to published project data, earlier demonstrations utilized rotating water vortices in 2017, rotating acoustic disks in 2020, and rotating metallic cylinders in 2024. The new CUNY setup bypasses physical rotation entirely, achieving a measurable 7.8 dB of gain solely through synthetic ultrafast modulation of electronic components.
Did you know?
The underlying superradiance theory tested in this experiment was proposed in 1969, theorizing that rotational energy could be extracted from black holes.
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Co-lead author Hady Moussa explained that waves possessing appropriate rotational characteristics successfully extracted energy from the system and experienced amplification, effectively mirroring the mechanics of the Penrose-Zel’dovich process. Principal investigator Andrea Alù, a Distinguished Professor and Einstein Professor of Physics at the CUNY Graduate Center, characterized the approach as a new method of wave-matter interaction that delivers broadband selective amplification.
Lead author Hadiseh Nasari noted that the experiment transitions extreme rotational dynamics from theory to practice. The study was authored by Hadiseh Nasari, Hady Moussa, Yoshiaki Kasahara, Arno Thielens, and Andrea Alù. Financial support for the project was provided by the U.S. Department of Defense, the U.S.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Floquet rotational super-radiance?
It is a physical process where electromagnetic waves extract energy from a system—traditionally a rotating black hole—by interacting with a rapidly modulated, traveling wave pattern that simulates ultrafast rotation without any physical movement.
How much signal gain did the CUNY circuit produce?
According to findings published in Nature on July 8, 2026, the stationary tabletop circuit produced 7.8 dB of gain.
Who led the research team?
The research was led by scientists at the CUNY Advanced Science Research Center, including lead author Hadiseh Nasari, co-lead author Hady Moussa, Yoshiaki Kasahara, Arno Thielens, and principal investigator Andrea Alù.
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