Scientists have discovered that 'information' in an ultrasound scan flows through objects like a liquid and can be physically destroyed by a sensor.
April 1, 2026
Original Paper
Generation, Annihilation and Flow of Structural Information in Ultrasonic Nondestructive Evaluation
arXiv · 2603.29504
The Takeaway
This research treats information not as abstract data, but as a physical quantity that is 'born' at a defect and 'dies' when detected. By tracking this flow like heat or electricity, engineers can map exactly how structural data moves through a material, making it much easier to spot hidden cracks in critical infrastructure.
From the abstract
Non-destructive testing using ultrasound is based on the interaction of sound waves with the object being tested and any defects it may contain. The aim is to extract as much information as possible about the object and its defects from the scattered wave field. In this paper, the concept of information in the context of ultrasonic testing is formalized and quantified physically for the first time. To this end, a balance equation for information is derived, analogous to Poynting's theorem for el