Author(s): David Ehrenstein

Prize-winning videos cover the range from microscopic droplets to global climate.

[Physics 17, 171] Published Tue Dec 03, 2024

Author(s): Rachel Berkowitz

Cell–cell alignment and a background of stationary cells together shape the emergence of cellular clusters in a primary tumor.

[Physics 17, s141] Published Tue Dec 03, 2024

Author(s): Philip Ball

A new method for controlling the interactions between ultracold atoms and light could advance efforts to simulate complex quantum systems using atom clouds.

[Physics 17, 170] Published Mon Dec 02, 2024

Author(s): Ryan Wilkinson

A new analysis challenges the claim that a gamma-ray signal observed from a direction near the Milky Way’s center is produced by a dwarf galaxy.

[Physics 17, s147] Published Mon Dec 02, 2024

Author(s): Charles Day

Researchers used machine learning to optimize the process by which a tiny cage is opened to release a molecule.

[Physics 17, 169] Published Wed Nov 27, 2024

Author(s): Rachel Berkowitz

Forces imposed by laser light can manipulate the shape of a membrane’s vibrational modes.

[Physics 17, s148] Published Wed Nov 27, 2024

Author(s): Charles Day

Observations confirm a theoretical model explaining how—in Earth’s magnetosphere—large-scale magnetic waves heat up the magnetosphere’s plasma by transferring their energy to smaller-scale acoustic waves.

[Physics 17, 168] Published Tue Nov 26, 2024

Author(s): David Ehrenstein

Erbium and similar elements provide a wide range of electronic “handles” for manipulating atoms in many-body quantum experiments.

[Physics 17, s151] Published Tue Nov 26, 2024

Author(s): Carmelo Evoli

A new analysis of more than a decade’s worth of observations extends the spectrum of cosmic-ray electrons to unprecedented high energies.

[Physics 17, 165] Published Mon Nov 25, 2024

Author(s): Sachin Rawat

A new recipe for making hydrogels delivers a material that is both flexible and semiconducting—desired properties for interfaces in implantable medical devices.

[Physics 17, 167] Published Fri Nov 22, 2024

Author(s): Charles Day

A new analysis of B-meson decays strongly hints that they harbor physics beyond the standard model.

[Physics 17, s142] Published Thu Nov 21, 2024

Author(s): Ryan Wilkinson

By manipulating and detecting nuclear spins in a tiny floating diamond, scientists have reported a record-long spin coherence time for a levitated system.

[Physics 17, s143] Published Thu Nov 21, 2024

Author(s): Carlos Mejuto-Zaera

A new framework that embeds electrons in a surrounding bath captures nonlocal correlation effects that are relevant to metals, semiconductors, and correlated insulators.

[Physics 17, 164] Published Wed Nov 20, 2024

Author(s): Ryan Wilkinson

Contrary to conventional wisdom, a lattice of engineered nanoparticles called meta-atoms can have a chiral optical response even when each meta-atom is not chiral.

[Physics 17, s135] Published Wed Nov 20, 2024

Author(s): Charles Day

Low-frequency radio observations could allow researchers to distinguish among several dark matter models, thanks to dark matter’s influence on the early Universe.

[Physics 17, s132] Published Tue Nov 19, 2024

Author(s): Michael Schirber

The experimental confirmation of supersolid vortices opens the prospect of making and studying laboratory analogues of rotating neutron stars.

[Physics 17, 166] Published Mon Nov 18, 2024

Author(s): Benjamin Rotenberg

The identification of a new type of symmetry in statistical mechanics could help scientists derive and interpret fundamental relationships in this branch of physics.

[Physics 17, 163] Published Mon Nov 18, 2024

Author(s): Ryan Wilkinson

The observation of a previously unseen photon delay in the production of quantum light has implications for the development of quantum technologies.

[Physics 17, s130] Published Thu Nov 14, 2024

Author(s): Agnese Curatolo

A new frequency-based analysis of recordings from neurons in the brain may give insight into brain pathologies such as Parkinson’s disease.

[Physics 17, s145] Published Wed Nov 13, 2024

Author(s): Marric Stephens

Researchers have characterized the naturally occurring background radiation hitting a typical quantum circuit—a result that might help with the engineering of devices that are less vulnerable to radiation-induced decoherence.

[Physics 17, s140] Published Tue Nov 12, 2024

Author(s): Michael Schirber

A theoretical model shows that exchange of information plays a key role in the molecular machines found in biological cells.

[Physics 17, 162] Published Fri Nov 08, 2024

Author(s): Matteo Rini

Two dark matter searches report that their detectors have likely recorded neutrinos coming from the Sun—spotting the “neutrino fog” that could imperil future dark matter searches.

[Physics 17, 161] Published Thu Nov 07, 2024

Author(s): Charles Day

Crystals that have both a particular structure and a particular combination of electronic orbitals can be simultaneously ferromagnetic and ferroelectric.

[Physics 17, s131] Published Thu Nov 07, 2024

Author(s): Michael Schirber

By repeatedly applying coats of a hardening polymer to a surface, researchers have created rubbery stalactite-like formations that could be useful in soft robotics.

[Physics 17, s138] Published Wed Nov 06, 2024

Author(s): Susan Curtis

A theoretical analysis suggests that a novel “twisting “microscope could offer new insights into the exotic electronic behavior of layered 2D materials.

[Physics 17, 160] Published Tue Nov 05, 2024

Author(s): Nikhil Karthik

A low-energy signature of physics beyond the standard model fails to appear in proton collisions at the Large Hadron Collider.

[Physics 17, s137] Published Tue Nov 05, 2024

Author(s): W. Michael Snow

By exploiting polarized-gas collisions, researchers have conducted a sensitive search for exotic spin-dependent interactions, placing new constraints on a dark matter candidate called the axion.

[Physics 17, 157] Published Mon Nov 04, 2024

Author(s): Mark Buchanan

A scheme that moves electromagnetically trapped ions around a 2D array of sites could aid development of scaled-up ion-based quantum computing.

[Physics 17, 159] Published Fri Nov 01, 2024

Author(s): Rachel Berkowitz

A “Little Earth Experiment” inside a giant magnet sheds light on so-far-unexplained flow patterns in Earth’s interior.

[Physics 17, 142] Published Thu Oct 31, 2024

Author(s): Rachel Berkowitz

Breaking the problem into pieces makes it easier to design a fusion reactor’s coils for optimum energy confinement.

[Physics 17, s124] Published Thu Oct 31, 2024

Author(s): David Ehrenstein

Sometimes a rotating molecule can transition to a new state only if an electron carries away some of the molecule’s angular momentum.

[Physics 17, s134] Published Thu Oct 31, 2024

Author(s): Michael J. W. Hall

Simulations deliver hints on how the multiverse produced according to the many-worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics might be compatible with our stable, classical Universe.

[Physics 17, 155] Published Wed Oct 30, 2024

Author(s): Rachel Berkowitz

A new model of liquid sprays reveals the mechanisms behind droplet formation—providing important information for eventually controlling the droplet sizes in, for example, home cleaning sprays.

[Physics 17, 158] Published Tue Oct 29, 2024

Author(s): Charles Day

A light beam with orbital angular momentum can produce the rotational analog of the Doppler effect on an ion.

[Physics 17, s133] Published Tue Oct 29, 2024

Author(s): Eric Lutz

By manipulating a nitrogen vacancy’s single spin, researchers have shown that the more coherent the system is, the more work can be extracted from it.

[Physics 17, 154] Published Mon Oct 28, 2024

Author(s): Philip Ball

By observing two fighting fish, researchers have decoded the repertoire of trajectories and body postures used in the interaction—and identified the winner.

[Physics 17, 156] Published Fri Oct 25, 2024

Author(s): Ryan Wilkinson

Theoretical work provides a long-awaited explanation for why measurements of qubits in superconducting quantum computers are less accurate than expected.

[Physics 17, s126] Published Thu Oct 24, 2024

Author(s): Christian Roos

A way to address the individual ions of a rotating ion crystal could allow scientists to perform quantum simulations in which each qubit can be carefully controlled.

[Physics 17, 152] Published Wed Oct 23, 2024

Author(s): Marric Stephens

An automatic, algorithmic technique can find optimal laser configurations for inertial-confinement fusion—one of two main fusion approaches.

[Physics 17, s127] Published Wed Oct 23, 2024

Author(s): Susan Curtis

Applying data mining tools to a rich observational dataset has enabled researchers to track the turbulent plasma clouds that accompany the aurora.

[Physics 17, s128] Published Tue Oct 22, 2024

Author(s): Sophia Heinz

Scientists have synthesized an isotope of the superheavy element livermorium using a novel fusion reaction. The result paves the way for the discovery of new chemical elements.

[Physics 17, 150] Published Mon Oct 21, 2024

Author(s): Michael Schirber

A new method for studying the behavior of multiparticle systems relies on a simple “head count” of particles in imaginary boxes.

[Physics 17, 153] Published Fri Oct 18, 2024

Author(s): Charles Day

Axions—theorized particles that could account for dark matter—could accumulate around rapidly rotating neutron stars to the point that they become detectable.

[Physics 17, s114] Published Thu Oct 17, 2024

Author(s): Ryan Wilkinson

The prediction that twisted semiconductor bilayers can host so-called non-Abelian states without a magnetic field holds promise for fault-tolerant quantum computing.

[Physics 17, s129] Published Thu Oct 17, 2024

Author(s): Charles Day

Emus inherited from their dinosaur ancestors a crouched posture that dictates the gait they adopt when moving quickly, according to a new computer simulation of bird motion.

[Physics 17, 151] Published Wed Oct 16, 2024

Author(s): Marric Stephens

Theorists have developed a model to explain how a protein structure keeps its position while being buffeted by currents.

[Physics 17, s125] Published Wed Oct 16, 2024

Author(s): Fangwei Ye

Overlapping two 3D lattices with a relative twist opens the door to synthesizing crystals with diverse symmetries that showcase nontrivial band structures and novel properties.

[Physics 17, 147] Published Tue Oct 15, 2024

Author(s): Charles Day

A quantum degeneracy named after a Chinese yo-yo boosts the magnetization lifetime of a short chain of magnetic iron atoms by a factor of 1000.

[Physics 17, s118] Published Tue Oct 15, 2024

Author(s): Rachel Berkowitz

A rare configuration of seven galaxies aligned behind a galaxy cluster allows researchers to probe with high precision the dark matter distribution within the cluster.

[Physics 17, 148] Published Fri Oct 11, 2024

Author(s): Philip Ball

The algorithm called AlphaFold has now been used to predict structures for all known proteins.

[Physics 17, 149] Published Fri Oct 11, 2024

Author(s): Susan Curtis

The mitigation of a previously neglected energy-loss mechanism in organic light-emitting diodes has enabled researchers to enhance both efficiency and lifetime of these devices.

[Physics 17, s115] Published Thu Oct 10, 2024

Author(s): Charles Day

Despite its intensity, the gravitational collapse of certain massive stars does not produce an abundance of heavy elements.

[Physics 17, s122] Published Wed Oct 09, 2024

The 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics honors pioneering work on artificial neural networks, which provided the foundation for many of the artificial intelligence technologies in use today.

[Physics 17, 146] Published Tue Oct 08, 2024

Author(s): Charles Day

When two laser beams converge on a volume of gas, their interference creates a diffraction grating made of plasma that can divert and shape a third beam.

[Physics 17, s123] Published Tue Oct 08, 2024

Author(s): Matteo Ciarchi and Ivan Di Terlizzi

Bacteria, cells, swarms, and other organisms pluck information from noisy environments with extraordinarily high precision.

[Physics 17, 143] Published Mon Oct 07, 2024

Author(s): Mark Buchanan

An infrared detector is sensitive to a wide range of intensities and could potentially pick up biomarkers from exoplanet atmospheres.

[Physics 17, 144] Published Mon Oct 07, 2024

Author(s): Michael Schirber

A short-lived combination of an electron and an antielectron has been cooled with lasers to near absolute zero—a step toward tackling fundamental questions about matter and antimatter.

[Physics 17, 145] Published Fri Oct 04, 2024

Author(s): Ryan Wilkinson

By observing the motion of preschool children, researchers have developed a thermodynamic description of human movement that pinpoints collective phases emerging when social interactions are strong.

[Physics 17, s111] Published Thu Oct 03, 2024

Author(s): Michael Schirber

New experimental results from the Large Hadron Collider argue against the existence of multiple Higgs bosons, as predicted in certain “beyond-standard-model” theories.

[Physics 17, s119] Published Wed Oct 02, 2024

Author(s): Rachel Berkowitz

Imposing time-dependent strain on a magnetic disk induces vortex dynamics and offers a path toward energy-efficient spintronic devices.

[Physics 17, s117] Published Tue Oct 01, 2024

Author(s): Elizabeth Fernandez

As part of an effort to establish a lunar time standard, researchers have used relativity to calculate time differences between Earth and the Moon.

[Physics 17, 140] Published Mon Sep 30, 2024

Author(s): David Ehrenstein

A lab-scale model provides a testing ground for studying the breakup of ice sheets or of other thin solids floating on the surface of a fluid.

[Physics 17, 141] Published Fri Sep 27, 2024

Author(s): Rachel Berkowitz

Magnetic feedback causes two atomic gases to guide each other’s spins into long-lasting collective alignment.

[Physics 17, s116] Published Thu Sep 26, 2024

Author(s): Paweł Moskal

The quantum entanglement of photons used in positron emission tomography (PET) scans has been shown to be surprisingly robust, opening prospects for developing quantum-enhanced PET schemes.

[Physics 17, 138] Published Wed Sep 25, 2024

Author(s): Martin Rodriguez-Vega

Experiments show that a property of the vibrations in a quasicrystal is linked to the number known as the golden ratio.

[Physics 17, s121] Published Wed Sep 25, 2024

Author(s): Charles Day

The time an inner electron takes to exit an atom after photoionization has been determined using attosecond pulses from an x-ray laser.

[Physics 17, 139] Published Tue Sep 24, 2024

Author(s): Ryan Wilkinson

An experiment reveals that frictional forces can have a surprisingly complex velocity dependence at the nanoscale.

[Physics 17, s120] Published Tue Sep 24, 2024

Author(s): Suman Kulkarni and Dani S. Bassett

Researchers leverage synapse-level maps of the fruit fly brain to examine how neuronal connection probabilities vary with distance, offering insights into how these neuronal networks may optimize function within spatial constraints.

[Physics 17, 136] Published Mon Sep 23, 2024

Author(s): Philip Ball

Experiments reveal the factors that determine the friction between the single-atom-thick layers in van der Waals materials, which may have uses in lubrication technology.

[Physics 17, 137] Published Fri Sep 20, 2024

Author(s): Katherine Wright

Marie-Catherine Vozenin explains why an interdisciplinary approach is key to taking a promising experimental radiotherapy cancer treatment from the lab to the clinic.

[Physics 17, 102] Published Thu Sep 19, 2024

Author(s): Charles Day

A one-dimensional Bose-Einstein condensate’s superfluid state is surprisingly robust if the atoms are trapped in a quasiperiodic lattice.

[Physics 17, s112] Published Thu Sep 19, 2024

Author(s): Ryan Wilkinson

A proposed experiment involving an x-ray beam and two optical beams could determine the values of fundamental constants in quantum electrodynamics.

[Physics 17, s109] Published Wed Sep 18, 2024

Author(s): Charles Day

An asteroid-mass primordial black hole flying near a planet could perturb the planet’s orbit by a detectable amount.

[Physics 17, s98] Published Tue Sep 17, 2024

Author(s): Liz Boatman

A recent study sheds light on why undergrads pursue physics and why majors persist or leave.

[Physics 17, 135] Published Mon Sep 16, 2024

Author(s): Caio F. B. Macedo

Gravitational-wave signals from black hole mergers could reveal the presence of “gravitational atoms”—black holes surrounded by clouds of axions or other light bosons.

[Physics 17, 133] Published Mon Sep 16, 2024

Author(s): David Ehrenstein

Using an old film as input, researchers demonstrate an algorithm that rapidly determines the positions of thousands of particles whose light-scattering produces an image or other desired output.

[Physics 17, 134] Published Fri Sep 13, 2024

Author(s): Katherine Wright

A new survey shows that affinity groups provide crucial support to women and LGBTQ+ physics PhD students—groups that continue to experience harassment and hostility.

[Physics 17, 121] Published Thu Sep 12, 2024

Author(s): Charles Day

A simple light microscopy setup can map the micrometer-scale domains of a potentially useful class of magnetic materials.

[Physics 17, s106] Published Thu Sep 12, 2024

Author(s): David Ehrenstein

A 25-qubit quantum processor architecture reduces the stray signals that can cause errors and is suitable for scaling up.

[Physics 17, s113] Published Thu Sep 12, 2024

Author(s): Michael Schirber

Orbital currents can efficiently flow through a variety of materials—a promising result for future orbitronics devices.

[Physics 17, s108] Published Wed Sep 11, 2024

Author(s): Charles Day

Ultraviolet photons induce potassium niobate to behave like a potent solid-state refrigerant, according to new calculations.

[Physics 17, s103] Published Tue Sep 10, 2024

Author(s): Julien Roche

A new technique allows researchers to study how a bacterium’s entire set of proteins changes its shape under high pressures—shedding light on adaptation mechanisms of deep-sea organisms.

[Physics 17, 132] Published Mon Sep 09, 2024

Author(s): Mark Buchanan

Researchers use ultrashort laser pulses to trigger a spin-aligned electron flow on the few-femtosecond timescale—opening up a possible path toward faster spintronic devices.

[Physics 17, 131] Published Fri Sep 06, 2024

Author(s): Marric Stephens

Researchers have isolated a high-order term in the behavior of a Josephson junction, which could lead to longer-lived superconducting qubits.

[Physics 17, s107] Published Thu Sep 05, 2024

Author(s): Andrea Parlangeli

A new model of epidemics describes infections as part of a feedback loop—an approach that might one day help optimize interventions such as social distancing and lockdowns.

[Physics 17, 129] Published Wed Sep 04, 2024

Author(s): Michael Schirber

An analysis of gravitational data from the LIGO detector sets new limits on a wave-like form of dark matter called scalar-field dark matter.

[Physics 17, s101] Published Wed Sep 04, 2024

Author(s): Marric Stephens

A new method for preparing certain states on a quantum computer is predicted to take the same time regardless of the system size.

[Physics 17, s110] Published Wed Sep 04, 2024

Author(s): Michael Schirber

The observation of quantum modifications to a well-known chemical law could lead to performance improvements for quantum information storage.

[Physics 17, 128] Published Tue Sep 03, 2024

Author(s): Sam Dillavou

A clever use of machine learning guides researchers to a missing term that’s needed to accurately describe the dynamics of a complex fluid system.

[Physics 17, 130] Published Tue Sep 03, 2024

Author(s): Rachel Berkowitz

Local curvature could drive directionality of periodic pigmentation patterns on animals.

[Physics 17, s104] Published Tue Sep 03, 2024

Author(s): Rachel Berkowitz

Theoretical work explains why terahertz radiation is emitted when a laser pulse demagnetizes a magnetic thin film.

[Physics 17, s97] Published Fri Aug 23, 2024

Author(s): Ryan Wilkinson

A mathematical model suggests that social groups can behave in unexpected ways when subjected to competing mass media.

[Physics 17, s96] Published Thu Aug 22, 2024

Author(s): David Ehrenstein

A device that sorts photon states could lead to a basic component of an all-optical quantum computer.

[Physics 17, s105] Published Wed Aug 21, 2024

Author(s): Marric Stephens

Experiments on soft granular materials have allowed researchers to derive a rheological description for these materials by extending an established framework valid for hard granular materials.

[Physics 17, s100] Published Tue Aug 20, 2024

Author(s): Mark Buchanan

A new device converts a stream of microwave photons into an electric current with high efficiency, which will benefit quantum information technologies.

[Physics 17, 127] Published Fri Aug 16, 2024

Author(s): Rachel Berkowitz

A magnet-and-coil system reveals how acoustic waves reflect and refract when the host medium suddenly changes elasticity.

[Physics 17, 126] Published Thu Aug 15, 2024

Author(s): Rachel Berkowitz

A soft x-ray magnetic imaging technique makes possible the study of a wide range of magnetic materials.

[Physics 17, s89] Published Thu Aug 15, 2024

Author(s): Marric Stephens

An analysis of the brightest gamma-ray burst ever observed reveals no difference in the propagation speed of different frequencies of light—placing some of the tightest constraints on certain violations of general relativity.

[Physics 17, s99] Published Thu Aug 15, 2024

Author(s): Rachel Berkowitz

Electrically patterning the walls of a nanochannel could provide a route to creating “valves” that abruptly alter the speed at which a charged fluid flows through a nanofluidic device.

[Physics 17, s95] Published Wed Aug 14, 2024

Author(s): Charles Day

A new mathematical measure of knottiness could help improve the transport efficiencies of subway and road systems, as well as other physical networks.

[Physics 17, s94] Published Tue Aug 13, 2024

Author(s): Tobias Galla

A model based on statistical physics suggests that the combination of species migration and interspecies interactions may allow a complex ecological system to maintain its diversity.

[Physics 17, 123] Published Mon Aug 12, 2024

Author(s): Charles Day

A new scheme sends large numbers of entangled photons reliably through commercial fiber-optic cables, demonstrating a capability required for secure quantum networks.

[Physics 17, 125] Published Fri Aug 09, 2024

Author(s): Susan Curtis

High-resolution imaging arrays could be realized by using the same superconducting technology for both the signal-processing electronics and the single-photon detectors.

[Physics 17, 124] Published Thu Aug 08, 2024

Author(s): Charles Day

Self-organized spherical shells made up of a few hundred cells spontaneously rotate when embedded in a gel. New research explains why.

[Physics 17, s102] Published Thu Aug 08, 2024

Author(s): Charles Day

A resonance between energy levels in argon atoms and nitrogen molecules could be used to remotely sense contaminants in air.

[Physics 17, s88] Published Wed Aug 07, 2024

Author(s): Ryan Wilkinson

Researchers have used a specially crafted electric potential to manipulate the electronic band structure of graphene, laying the groundwork for on-demand electronic band design.

[Physics 17, s92] Published Tue Aug 06, 2024

Author(s): Annabelle Bohrdt

A new manipulation technique could enable the realization of more versatile quantum simulators.

[Physics 17, 120] Published Mon Aug 05, 2024

Author(s): Mark Buchanan

New data on the rotation around both long and short axes of plastic strands may help researchers track and remove microplastics that pollute the ocean.

[Physics 17, 122] Published Fri Aug 02, 2024

Author(s): Charles Day

A correlation between two astronomical observables reveals the influence of visible matter on a universe dominated by dark matter.

[Physics 17, s86] Published Thu Aug 01, 2024

Author(s): Ryan Wilkinson

A way to determine the flavors of ultrahigh-energy cosmic neutrinos observed by future detectors could help scientists understand the origin of these elusive particles.

[Physics 17, s87] Published Wed Jul 31, 2024

Author(s): Michael Schirber

Nelly Ng studies “quantum catalysts”—extra qubits or other elements that can help perform a quantum information process, in the same way that an extra tower helps solve a classic logic game.

[Physics 17, 109] Published Tue Jul 30, 2024

Author(s): Charles Day

Experiments at the Joint European Torus make the case for using gamma rays to determine the fusion reaction rate in a magnetically confined plasma.

[Physics 17, s59] Published Tue Jul 30, 2024

Author(s): Ryan Wilkinson

An answer to a decades-old question in the theory of quantum entanglement raises more questions about this quirky phenomenon.

[Physics 17, s83] Published Tue Jul 30, 2024

Author(s): Han-Ning Dai and Yu-Ao Chen

By reducing the effect of systematic errors, researchers have created an atomic clock that sets a new record for precision.

[Physics 17, 118] Published Mon Jul 29, 2024

Author(s): Philip Ball

The formation of a black hole from light alone is permitted by general relativity, but a new study says quantum physics rules it out.

[Physics 17, 119] Published Fri Jul 26, 2024

Author(s): Marric Stephens

Researchers show that atoms that escape from an atom array can be replaced on the fly—an important step toward operating a large-scale neutral-atom quantum computer.

[Physics 17, s93] Published Thu Jul 25, 2024

Author(s): Charles Day

How an alga synchronizes its two flapping cilia to propel itself is revealed in a tabletop experiment with chains of mobile robots.

[Physics 17, s81] Published Wed Jul 24, 2024

Author(s): David Ehrenstein

An ordered pattern of atomic spins with possible uses in computing can become more ordered if shaken at the right frequency.

[Physics 17, s90] Published Tue Jul 23, 2024

Author(s): Sarah Marzen

Both the predictive power and the memory storage capability of an artificial neural network called a reservoir computer increase when time delays are added into how the network processes signals, according to a new model.

[Physics 17, 111] Published Mon Jul 22, 2024

Author(s): Rachel Berkowitz

A new technique reveals high-speed trajectories of oscillating vortices and shows that they are 10,000 times lighter than expected.

[Physics 17, 117] Published Fri Jul 19, 2024

Author(s): Martin Rodriguez-Vega

Researchers predict that a twisted graphene bilayer excited with light could host a slow-moving acoustic plasmon.

[Physics 17, s91] Published Fri Jul 19, 2024

Author(s): Katherine Wright

Researchers have developed a cancer-detection method that uses painless sound waves, rather than a torturing needle, to obtain genetic information about a patient’s cancer.

[Physics 17, 116] Published Thu Jul 18, 2024

Author(s): Ryan Wilkinson

A new theory that accounts for disorder in a protein’s structure sheds light on the development inside a cell of tiny droplets that are vital to a cell’s function.

[Physics 17, s82] Published Thu Jul 18, 2024

Author(s): Charles Day

The pressures at which some elements start superconducting are so high that making detailed measurements of the transition has been impossible—until now.

[Physics 17, s84] Published Wed Jul 17, 2024

Author(s): Charles Day

Using a detailed simulation, researchers reveal how climate change will affect the regional dynamics of the conveyor-belt-like circulation of water through the Atlantic Ocean.

[Physics 17, 115] Published Tue Jul 16, 2024

Author(s): Agnese Curatolo

Pebbles that are slightly curved—rather than completely flat—exert the highest impact forces when dropped onto a watery surface.

[Physics 17, s85] Published Tue Jul 16, 2024

Author(s): Naoki Masuda

A machine-learning framework predicts when a complex system, such as an ecosystem or a power grid, will undergo a critical transition.

[Physics 17, 110] Published Mon Jul 15, 2024

Author(s): Julie Gould

Sonification and other multisensorial approaches offer powerful tools to analyze data, help visually impaired researchers, communicate science, and create science-inspired art.

[Physics 17, 113] Published Fri Jul 12, 2024

Author(s): Michael Schirber

Experiments on a bed of plastic beads reveal a temperature-dependent stiffening over time, which appears to be related to molecular-scale deformations.

[Physics 17, 112] Published Fri Jul 12, 2024

Author(s): Katherine Wright

Observations of seven fast-moving stars at the center of a dense star cluster in the Milky Way reveal the presence of an intermediate-mass black hole, perhaps the most puzzling class of these dark objects.

[Physics 17, 114] Published Thu Jul 11, 2024

Author(s): Nikhil Karthik

Electron neutrinos produced by proton–proton collisions at the LHC have been experimentally observed.

[Physics 17, s80] Published Thu Jul 11, 2024

Author(s): Rachel Berkowitz

A statistical tool tests the long-held assumption that small-scale turbulence is isotropic.

[Physics 17, s77] Published Wed Jul 10, 2024

Author(s): Marric Stephens

Dark matter that interacts with itself could extract significant momentum from a binary supermassive black hole system, causing the black holes to merge.

[Physics 17, s79] Published Tue Jul 09, 2024

Author(s): Tracy Northup

A levitating microparticle is observed to recoil when a nucleus embedded in the particle decays—opening the door to future searches of invisible decay products.

[Physics 17, 107] Published Mon Jul 08, 2024

Scientists have detected the decay of radioactive nuclei by tracking the recoil of dust-sized spheres on which the nuclei were embedded.

[Physics 17, 108] Published Mon Jul 08, 2024

Author(s): Séverine Atis

An experiment uncovers the role played by gravity in Ostwald ripening, a spontaneous thermodynamic process responsible for many effects such as the recrystallization of ice cream.

[Physics 17, 104] Published Wed Jul 03, 2024

Author(s): Rachel Berkowitz

Researchers have made the most precise measurement to date of the excited nuclear state of thorium-229, a candidate isotope for an ultraprecise nuclear clock.

[Physics 17, s75] Published Tue Jul 02, 2024

Author(s): Ulrich Warring

In the Mpemba effect, a warm liquid freezes faster than a cold one. Three studies investigate quantum versions of this effect, challenging our understanding of quantum thermodynamics.

[Physics 17, 105] Published Mon Jul 01, 2024

Author(s): Mark Buchanan

A theoretical model for the illumination of photosynthesizing algae in giant clams suggests principles for high efficiency collection of sunlight.

[Physics 17, 106] Published Fri Jun 28, 2024

Author(s): Nikhil Karthik

Researchers at CERN have significantly increased the precision of the measured value of the top-quark mass, a key input for making standard-model calculations.

[Physics 17, s57] Published Thu Jun 27, 2024

Author(s): Michael Schirber

Quantum sensing can benefit from entanglement protocols that can be interpreted as allowing qubits to go backward in time to choose an optimal initial state.

[Physics 17, s76] Published Thu Jun 27, 2024

Author(s): Michael Schirber

A vibrating nanobeam could be used to share information between distant solid-state spin qubits, potentially allowing use of these qubits in complex computations.

[Physics 17, s71] Published Wed Jun 26, 2024

Author(s): Rachel Berkowitz

Bright light triggers the chloroplast of a bioluminescent algae to fold into a pattern that minimizes the chloroplast’s exposed area.

[Physics 17, 103] Published Tue Jun 25, 2024

Author(s): Charles Day

A long-running experiment aboard the International Space Station has found an unexpected population of cosmic rays made of heavy hydrogen ions.

[Physics 17, s74] Published Tue Jun 25, 2024

Author(s): Gary Zabow

A new technique combining magnetic resonance imaging and x-ray fluorescence can characterize, with single-neuron resolution, the presence of toxic forms of iron that might be associated with neurodegenerative diseases.

[Physics 17, 101] Published Mon Jun 24, 2024

Author(s): Michael Schirber

A liquid-like spreading of metal atoms on a topological material can generate a superconductor—one that might benefit quantum computing.

[Physics 17, 100] Published Fri Jun 21, 2024

Author(s): Ryan Wilkinson

A simple model based on network theory can reproduce the complex structures seen in urban transportation networks.

[Physics 17, s70] Published Fri Jun 21, 2024

Author(s): Robert Garisto

Theorists explain why cosmic inflation might appear to be driven by a single inflaton field, even if it had actually been driven by two or more such fields.

[Physics 17, s78] Published Fri Jun 21, 2024

Author(s): Marric Stephens

Researchers have measured a hard-to-observe electronic transition in strontium that was predicted six decades ago.

[Physics 17, s72] Published Thu Jun 20, 2024

Author(s): Rachel Berkowitz

Samantha Lawler would like to see more done to reduce the detrimental impact of satellites on dark skies, telescope data, and publicly funded research.

[Physics 17, 97] Published Tue Jun 18, 2024

Author(s): Ryan Wilkinson

Spin currents carried by magnetic waves called magnons can be sent across a device without using insulating magnets—a result that could lead to spintronic devices compatible with silicon electronics.

[Physics 17, s67] Published Tue Jun 18, 2024

Author(s): Ivan Bonamassa

A connection between time-varying networks and transport theory opens prospects for developing predictive equations of motion for networks.

[Physics 17, 96] Published Mon Jun 17, 2024

Author(s): Philip Ball

The extraordinary range of motions achieved by elephants’ trunks can be mimicked by a physical model that uses just three “muscles,” which could inspire robotic designs.

[Physics 17, 98] Published Fri Jun 14, 2024

Author(s): Elizabeth Fernandez

Observing gravitational-wave memory may help physicists test general relativity predictions about large-scale symmetries in the fabric of spacetime.

[Physics 17, 95] Published Thu Jun 13, 2024

Author(s): Rachel Berkowitz

A first-of-its-kind measurement reveals the energy spectrum of the neutrons produced during the fission of plutonium, a common nuclear fuel component.

[Physics 17, s68] Published Thu Jun 13, 2024

Author(s): David Ehrenstein

Researchers created an ultracold gas of molecules with strong magnetic dipoles, which may lead to new types of Bose-Einstein condensates.

[Physics 17, s73] Published Wed Jun 12, 2024

Author(s): Charles Day

A theory first applied to phase transitions in the early Universe and then to defects in superfluid helium can now account for a wider variety of systems.

[Physics 17, s61] Published Tue Jun 11, 2024

Author(s): Valentina Zhelyazkova

A detailed study of a reaction between a molecular ion and a neutral atom has implications for both atmospheric and interstellar chemistry.

[Physics 17, 93] Published Mon Jun 10, 2024

Author(s): Mark Buchanan

Collections of interacting self-propelled objects held rigidly together show patterns of organized behavior that can be predicted.

[Physics 17, 94] Published Fri Jun 07, 2024

Author(s): Matteo Rini

Some ultralight black holes that formed soon after the big bang might have been exotic objects with a net “color charge” that left potentially observable signatures.

[Physics 17, s69] Published Thu Jun 06, 2024

Author(s): Charles Day

Using a single set of measurements of an electronic circuit, researchers have characterized the properties of the topologically protected edge states of a quantum Hall system.

[Physics 17, s63] Published Wed Jun 05, 2024

Author(s): Andrea Parlangeli

Using an atomic array originally designed for quantum memory, researchers have demonstrated a magnetometer with unprecedented spatial resolution.

[Physics 17, 92] Published Tue Jun 04, 2024

Author(s): Marric Stephens

Statistical properties of fluctuations of certain parameters describing a complex system can reveal when that system is approaching a tipping point.

[Physics 17, s64] Published Tue Jun 04, 2024

Author(s): Kirill Korolev

A new model, vetted by experiments on lung cancer cells, may help to explain how cancer and other diseases accumulate drug-resistance mutations that can compromise the effectiveness of treatments.

[Physics 17, 90] Published Mon Jun 03, 2024

Author(s): Elizabeth Fernandez

Experiments and theory explain how charge builds up in a moving water drop and why the effect requires a water-repelling surface.

[Physics 17, 91] Published Fri May 31, 2024

Author(s): Rachel Berkowitz

A small device senses sounds using a spiderweb-like design—a strategy that could lead to chip-size microphones that are less affected by thermal noise.

[Physics 17, 89] Published Thu May 30, 2024

Author(s): Martin Rodriguez-Vega

Experiments and numerical simulations indicate that randomly replacing a few nonmagnetic components with magnetic ones in a photonic alloy induces backscattering-free light propagation along its edge.

[Physics 17, s60] Published Thu May 30, 2024

Author(s): David Ehrenstein

Experiments comparing neutron-rich cadmium with previous data on a neutron-poor version prove that a key parameter in nuclear calculations depends on the neutron-to-proton ratio.

[Physics 17, s65] Published Wed May 29, 2024

Author(s): Marric Stevens

A thin film of a topological magnet displays a large thermoelectric effect that doesn’t require an applied magnetic field—a behavior that could lead to new energy-harvesting devices.

[Physics 17, s66] Published Tue May 28, 2024

Author(s): Sai Mu

Group theory and first-principles calculations combine to predict which antiferromagnets have potentially useful net surface magnetization.

[Physics 17, 88] Published Tue May 28, 2024

Author(s): Philip Ball

Researchers discovered a trick for dragging an object in a fluid with minimal effort, suggesting an optimal strategy for nanorobots.

[Physics 17, 87] Published Fri May 24, 2024

Author(s): Sarah Wells

Using atomic layer deposition, scientists have created a new light-absorbing thin film that could help telescopes see a starrier night.

[Physics 17, 86] Published Thu May 23, 2024

Author(s): Matteo Rini

Spacetime wrinkles known as cosmic strings, which might have formed in the early Universe, could be a dominant source of gravitational waves at ultrahigh frequencies, according to new calculations.

[Physics 17, s62] Published Thu May 23, 2024

Author(s): Michael Hahn

New solar observations indicate that plasma waves are responsible for the Sun’s outer atmosphere having different abundances of chemical elements than the Sun’s other layers.

[Physics 17, 83] Published Wed May 22, 2024

Author(s): Rachel Berkowitz

Coupling the charger and battery to a common reservoir induces a direct flow of energy into the battery.

[Physics 17, s58] Published Wed May 22, 2024

Author(s): Michael Schirber

A secure method for cloud-based quantum computing harnesses the power of quantum physics to keep data confidential.

[Physics 17, 85] Published Tue May 21, 2024

Author(s): Marric Stephens

An experiment at CERN seeks signs of dark matter by looking for missing energy and momentum in the debris of particle collisions.

[Physics 17, s54] Published Tue May 21, 2024

Author(s): Max Hays, Kyle Serniak, and William D. Oliver

Measurements of the temperature distribution of quasiparticles in superconducting circuits reveal behavior that could inform strategies for mitigating quasiparticle-induced errors in superconducting qubits.

[Physics 17, 82] Published Mon May 20, 2024

Author(s): Katherine Wright

Measurements related to the production of lanthanum in stars where elements are thought to form via the “i process” indicate that less of the element is produced than models predict.

[Physics 17, 78] Published Fri May 17, 2024

Author(s): Mark Buchanan

A new liquid-jet technology enabled researchers to test the theory for liquid freezing more stringently than was possible in previous experiments, but uncertainties remain.

[Physics 17, 84] Published Fri May 17, 2024

Author(s): Charles Day

A deep-sea sponge’s intricate skeleton converts the horizontal flow of ocean currents into a vertical flow through the sponge’s body—a mechanism that helps with the sponge’s filter feeding.

[Physics 17, 81] Published Thu May 16, 2024

Author(s): Ryan Wilkinson

A method for analyzing uncertainties in so-called analog quantum simulations could help scientists make precise predictions using these models.

[Physics 17, s51] Published Wed May 15, 2024

Author(s): Jung Hoon Han

In its superconducting state, an exotic metal harbors charge carriers that appear to have 4 and 6 times the charge of a single electron, suggesting the formation of Cooper-pair “molecules.”

[Physics 17, 80] Published Mon May 13, 2024

Author(s): Charles Day

The ability to store molecules in reconfigurable optical traps could allow researchers to harness the rich physics of molecules in quantum applications.

[Physics 17, s50] Published Mon May 13, 2024

Author(s): Michael Schirber

Experiments show the effects on combustion of adding hydrogen to natural gas—a fuel mixture that could reduce carbon emissions from power plants.

[Physics 17, 79] Published Fri May 10, 2024

Author(s): Charles Day

X-ray experiments reveal that a semimetal exhibits “orbital texture”—an exotic electronic structure resulting in spin-dependent electron transport.

[Physics 17, s53] Published Fri May 10, 2024

Author(s): Charles Day

Adding neutrinos to an existing nucleosynthesis recipe can account for the puzzling existence of neutron-deficient heavy nuclei.

[Physics 17, s56] Published Thu May 09, 2024

Author(s): Ryan Wilkinson

Researchers predict that several exotic states of matter can exist in semiconductor structures hosting electrons in one layer and holes in another.

[Physics 17, s49] Published Wed May 08, 2024

Author(s): Katherine Wright

At many US universities, no formal procedure exists to help physics students pick a PhD project and a supervisor. Researchers argue it’s time for that to change.

[Physics 17, 76] Published Tue May 07, 2024

Author(s): Rachel Berkowitz

A particle-beam-generating method—called wakefield acceleration—uses proton bunches, which can fragment into high-density filaments as a result of their interactions with plasma, new experiments show.

[Physics 17, s48] Published Tue May 07, 2024

Author(s): David Ehrenstein

A new model provides an improved description of the flow of the ocean’s kinetic energy by including friction with the coasts.

[Physics 17, 77] Published Fri May 03, 2024

Author(s): Michael Schirber

Researchers record the longest Rydberg-atom lifetime by placing strontium atoms in “circular” states, where the outer electrons move in planet-like orbits.

[Physics 17, s52] Published Fri May 03, 2024

Author(s): Marric Stephens

By coupling two fluxonium qubits through an inductive circuit rather than through a capacitor, researchers have realized a high-fidelity two-qubit gate.

[Physics 17, s55] Published Thu May 02, 2024

Author(s): Ryan Wilkinson

A proposed experiment could bring scientists closer to answering the long-standing question of whether gravity is a classical or a quantum phenomenon.

[Physics 17, 65] Published Wed May 01, 2024

Author(s): Ryan Wilkinson

A method for freely adjusting the parameters of a loop of optical fiber enables the exploration of exotic topological phases of matter.

[Physics 17, s46] Published Wed May 01, 2024

Author(s): Peter Thirolf

Researchers use a laser to excite and precisely measure a long-sought exotic nuclear state, paving the way for precise timekeeping and ultrasensitive quantum sensing.

[Physics 17, 71] Published Mon Apr 29, 2024

Author(s): Charles Day

The commercialization of magnesium-ion batteries could be closer thanks to the development of a cathode material inspired by multispecies metal alloys.

[Physics 17, 75] Published Fri Apr 26, 2024

Author(s): Charles Day

Most models for the overall shape and geometry of the Universe—including some exotic ones—are compatible with the latest cosmic observations.

[Physics 17, 74] Published Fri Apr 26, 2024

Author(s): Michael Schirber

Interest in developing batteries based on sodium has recently spiked because of concerns over the sustainability of lithium, which is found in most laptop and electric vehicle batteries.

[Physics 17, 73] Published Thu Apr 25, 2024

Author(s): Katherine Wright

For Shirley Meng, the biggest barrier to achieving sustainable batteries is sociological not technological, requiring a change in mindset about how we consume and dispose of batteries.

[Physics 17, 72] Published Wed Apr 24, 2024

Author(s): Rachel Berkowitz

Real-time in situ x-ray observations of new nickel-rich lithium-ion batteries reveal that reduced performance comes from lithium ions getting trapped in the cathode.

[Physics 17, 70] Published Tue Apr 23, 2024

Author(s): Katherine Wright

Paul Kempler runs a master’s program at the University of Oregon that provides hands-on electrochemistry training for those wanting to enter the field without them having to take a five-year-long PhD.

[Physics 17, 62] Published Mon Apr 22, 2024

Author(s): Hee Seong Yun and Dong Ki Yoon

Using thin layers of chiral nematic liquid crystals, researchers have observed the formation dynamics of skyrmions.

[Physics 17, 69] Published Mon Apr 22, 2024

Author(s): Philip Ball

The spatial arrangement of plants in a rainforest corresponds to a special “critical” state that could be vital for ecosystem robustness.  

[Physics 17, 68] Published Fri Apr 19, 2024

Author(s): Elizabeth Fernandez

A process that reheats some white dwarfs might mean they are much older than previously thought, indicating a potential need to recalculate the age of stellar populations such as the Milky Way.

[Physics 17, 67] Published Thu Apr 18, 2024

Author(s): Matteo Rini

Dense ensembles of laser-cooled molecules allow the observation of molecular collisions—a result that could lead to applications of cold molecular gases in quantum simulation and fundamental physics tests.

[Physics 17, s47] Published Thu Apr 18, 2024

Author(s): Wei Qin and Franco Nori

A quantum squeezing method can enhance interactions between quantum systems, even in the absence of precise knowledge of the system parameters.

[Physics 17, 64] Published Wed Apr 17, 2024

Author(s): Charles Day

The verification of a 63-year-old hypothesis indicates that nonequilibrium statistical mechanics could act as a theoretical framework for describing turbulence.

[Physics 17, s45] Published Wed Apr 17, 2024

Author(s): Michael Schirber

A quantum light source is touring European labs in preparation for the 2025 International Year of Quantum Science and Technology.

[Physics 17, 66] Published Tue Apr 16, 2024

Author(s): Rachel Berkowitz

Measuring a photon’s angular momentum after it passes through optical devices teaches an algorithm to reconstruct the properties of the photon’s initial quantum state.

[Physics 17, s41] Published Tue Apr 16, 2024