It from Bit

In December 2025, Progress of Theoretical and Experimental Physics accepted "Particle creation by entanglement entropy" (2508.17067). There, we demonstrate that information creates matter.   

Entropic particle creation

In November 2025, Progress in Theoretical and Experimental Physics gave a favorable reception to our new work, "Particle creation by entanglement entropy" (2508.17067). The reviewers noted that “the work highlights a meaningful connection between information (bit), understood as entropy, and matter (it), understood as particles.” This recognition underscores the significance of our result: that matter excitations can emerge directly from information flow. The study is described as “of potential interest to researchers in related fields,” and we look forward to sharing the final published version soon.

Recognition from Stanford and others.

In October 2025, three physicists from Nazarbayev University, Anton Desyatnikov, Daniele Malafarina, and Michael Good, were included in the 2025 Stanford World's Top 2% of Scientists. 

In addition, Nazarbayev University’s Physics program, along with other STEM disciplines, received outstanding feedback from the recent ABET accreditation visit, with no deficiencies found and several program strengths recognized.

Moreover, Nazarbayev University has been ranked the #1 university in Central Asia and the Caucasus in the 2026 Times Higher Education World University Rankings. 

We Celebrate the Life of Dr. George Smoot

Dr. George Smoot passed away on September 24, 2025, in Paris. George was known worldwide for his groundbreaking contributions to cosmology, most notably through his leadership of the Cosmic Background Explorer (COBE) mission. His work provided the first precise measurements of anisotropies in the cosmic microwave background radiation, opening a new era in quantitative cosmology and earning him the 2006 Nobel Prize in Physics, shared with John C. Mather.

In addition to his global achievements, George was the founder and most distinguished member of the Energetic Cosmos Laboratory (ECL), established in 2017 at Nazarbayev University in Kazakhstan. His vision was to create a hub for world-class astrophysical research in Central Asia, advancing fundamental science while training the next generation of researchers. Under his leadership, the ECL pursued ambitious projects in theoretical astrophysics, data science, observational astronomy, and the development of cryogenic detectors. The laboratory’s continued success stands as a testament to his foresight and determination.

For both the Energetic Cosmos Laboratory and the Good Research Group, George’s passing represents the loss of a pioneering scientist whose influence extended far beyond his immediate collaborations. His presence at Nazarbayev University left a lasting mark on the research culture here, demonstrating how international cooperation and bold vision can elevate science in new regions of the world.

We celebrate George Smoot’s life through the enduring impact of his work, the institutions he helped shape, and the generations of scientists who continue to be inspired by his example. His legacy will remain firmly embedded in the fabric of modern cosmology and in the spirit of exploration he encouraged.

Cosmic Acceleration from Nothing

In 2025, our paper, ``Cosmic Acceleration from Nothing" (2503.02380) , has begun to spark interest beyond our group. In private correspondence, cosmologist Justin Khoury (University of Pennsylvania) described the work as “an original” and “out-of-the-box idea,” adding that “it would certainly be exciting if the acceleration scale were to emerge naturally from your model.” 

The paper has also received a highly positive referee report from The European Physical Journal C: Particles and Fields, which described it as “a novel and elegant application of the Schwarzian derivative to cosmology,” “deriving a cosmological sum rule with clear implications for cosmic acceleration,” “well-structured” with results that are “both original and quite relevant to the ongoing discussions of the community of the universe’s origin and expansion,” and “a valuable and thought-provoking contribution that merits publication.”

Matter Creation from Information Flow

In 2025, our group’s work on Particle Creation from Entanglement Entropy (2508.17067) was recently covered in a popular science outlet for general audiences. While the site is known for presenting speculative content, the article nonetheless draws attention to our research.

Conversation about Science, Life, and the Universe

In 2025, Physics Hub published an interview with Michael Good, conducted by Arsen Almaskhan, a 9th-grade student at the first Bilim-Innovation Lyceum for Boys, located in Shymkent, a member of the Republic of Kazakhstan's National Physics Team, and a gold medalist in the Physics Olympiad. 

Layman Article on the Observation of Acceleration Thermality

In 2025, we received notice that an article written by William Brown (MSc, NYU) at the International Space Federation discusses our group's discovery (2211.14774) of thermal radiation from accelerating electrons. While the publication frequently features speculative science, this article aims to introduce our work to a broader readership. 

Essay on Classical Acceleation Thermality (CAT)

In 2025, Michael Good, Evgenii Ievlev, and Morgan Lynch wrote about classical acceleration thermality (CAT).  It has been experimentally confirmed by observing that beta decay emits thermal photons.  The CAT is out of the bag!

Essay_2025.pdf

Sponsors, Collaborating Laboratories, Centers, Institutes

Beyond Center

Leung Center

Julian Schwinger Foundation 

Institute of Advanced Studies-Nanyang Technological University

Open Positions

April 2026. muon@asu.edu