Physics

Taken from the March 2021 issue of Physics World, where it appeared under the headline “Grounds for optimism”. Members of the Institute of Physics can enjoy the full issue via the Physics World app. James McKenzie examines the potential of pumps that warm our homes and offices by extracting heat from the ground below Green

Paradox of choice: from improving electric cars to developing Facebook algorithms, physicists can apply their skills in a wide variety of roles. (Courtesy: iStock/Delpixart) Before I chose to study physics, I remember hearing more than once that ”you can do anything with a physics degree”. As encouraging as that statement sounds, it is also vague.

By: Hannah Pell I recently relocated from the bustling Washington, D.C. metro area back to my south-central Pennsylvania hometown. My new space is in a quiet, wooded area; outside my back window I see an expanse full of trees (“Pennsylvania” actually means “Penn’s Woods”) — and a small solar farm is nestled in between them.

[embedded content] Spring has arrived here in Bristol and the birds are going bonkers in our garden, especially the amorous wood pigeons. So this edition of the Red Folder is dedicated to our feathered friends. Cornell University is famous for its ornithology lab, but now physicists at the US university have also gone to birds

Groovy tread: a Michelin tyre showing the radial and transverse grooves that form the tread. (Courtesy: Scott Robinson/CC BY 2.0) Detailed images showing how water drains through tyre grooves during hydroplaning have been obtained by Serge Simoëns and colleagues at France’s University of Lyon. Their technique could provide crucial guidance to engineers trying to design

Analogue interaction: Illustration of how an impurity atom may gradually evolve into a quasiparticle by interacting with a surrounding medium. This mechanism is similar to how an electron can distort a crystal lattice when it moves through a solid, as shown in the inset. (Courtesy: CCQ, Aarhus University) Theories of how quasiparticles form have been

Glashow event visualization: each coloured circle shows an IceCube sensor that was triggered by the event; red circles indicate sensors triggered earlier in time, and green-blue circles indicate sensors triggered later. (Credit: IceCube Collaboration) Physicists working on the IceCube Neutrino Observatory in Antarctica say they have made the first observation of the Glashow resonance –

By Allison Kubo Hutchison The same animal was once described by paleontologists as a shrimp, jellyfish, sea cucumber, and a sponge at different times during its study. Anomalocaris, Latin for “abnormal shrimp”, is a creature of exceeding strangeness to modern hominids; it is related to modern-day shrimp with a flat segmented body, faceted eyes on

In experiments conducted at the CERN CLEAR beamline, an electron beam passes through two sets of triplet electromagnetic quadrupoles and is focused inside a water phantom. (Courtesy: the University of Strathclyde) An international research team has developed a pioneering radiotherapy technique that uses very high-energy electron (VHEE) beams to target tumours precisely. Proposed as an

Simulated and simulator An illustration of the structure of the quantum magnet (above) that was simulated by a D-Wave quantum processor (below). (Courtesy: D-Wave Systems) Researchers at the quantum computing firm D-Wave Systems have shown that their quantum processor can simulate the behaviour of an “untwisting” quantum magnet much faster than a classical machine. Led

In vivo handheld bioprinting of the novel Muscle Ink. (Courtesy: Adv. Healthcare Mater. 10.1002/adhm.202002152) What prize do you get for not moving a single muscle all week? A trophy! Alternatively, patients who have undergone volumetric muscle loss injuries may be interested in a novel technology recently reported in Advanced Healthcare Materials. The authors of the

Hot stuff: a polished cross section of one of the particles studied. (Courtesy: Satoshi Utsunomiya) New, large and highly radioactive particles have been identified from among the fallout of the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster in Japan. An international team of researchers has characterized the particles using nuclear forensic techniques and their results shine further

[embedded content] A new electrostatic de-icing technique that exploits the natural charge separations in growing frost crystals has been developed by Jonathan Boreyko and colleagues at Virginia Tech in the US. The team used high-speed cameras to show how ice particles are broken off and propelled away from chilled surfaces when liquid water is suspended

Up or down: the new Floquet maser relies on the relative alignments of nuclear spins and an applied magnetic field (Courtesy: Shutterstock/SIM VA) A new type of maser made from periodically driven xenon atoms can detect low frequency magnetic fields far better than any previous magnetometer, according to scientists in China and Germany. The researchers

Team members Yinqiu Dai and Zhifu Shi with the spectrometer they used in their experiments. Courtesy: X Rong Researchers in China have shown that the spin of a molecular quantum bit (qubit) can remain coherent for more than 1 millisecond – long enough to perform 145 000 basic logic operations. This number, known as the qubit

Taken from the March 2021 issue of Physics World, where it appeared under the headline “Beneath the rotunda”. Members of the Institute of Physics can enjoy the full issue via the Physics World app. Robert P Crease reflects on the US Capitol’s invasion from a unique perspective Clear picture The Apotheosis of Washington in the

By Allison Kubo Hutchison Reproduced Wootz Damascus blade showing both a ladder and rose pattern made by Alfred Pendray. Photo by JD Verhoeven, AH Pendray and WE Dauksh. Material science and nanoengineering are emerging fields promising to revolutionize the industry, medicine, and energy technologies. But our understanding of both is rooted in ancient knowledge. Would

Two hit hypothesis: ionizing radiation delivered after exposure to microsecond pulsed electric fields amplified cell alterations in terms of reactive oxygen species, apoptosis, senescence and proliferation arrest – providing targeted destruction of cancer stem cells. (Courtesy: Int. J. Radiat. Oncol. Biol. Phys. 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2020.11.047) Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are responsible for tumour growth and metastatic spread,

Rainbow capital: a spectacular show over Honolulu. (Courtesy: Minghue Chen) For several years, Physics World headquarters had large windows with a northern exposure, and that coupled with showery weather in Bristol meant that we often saw spectacular rainbows. It turns out, however, that Hawaii not Bristol is the best place in the world to view

Mini moon: two views of the Martian moon Deimos taken by NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. (Courtesy: NASA) A new theory for the mysterious origins of Mars’ two tiny moons Phobos and Deimos has been developed by Amirhossein Bagheri and colleagues at ETH Zurich in Switzerland and the US Naval Observatory. The team used a combination

In this podcast episode we talk to Áine O’Brien of the University of Glasgow who is part of a team of meteorite experts who have gathered up remnants of a 100 kg carbonaceous chondrite meteoroid that exploded over southern England on the last day of February. She explains how a network of cameras and clever

The APS is expecting more than 11,000 scientists and students to explore the latest research breakthroughs and technical innovations at this year’s virtual March Meeting Networking opportunities: the APS virtual March Meeting will connect more than 11,000 scientists. (Courtesy: Shutterstock/Inozemtsev-Konstantin) What a difference a year makes. In 2020 the APS March Meeting was one of

Join the audience for a live webinar at 3 p.m. GMT on 7 April 2021 exploring the feasibility, accuracy and reliability of VMAT-based TBI treatment in patients Want to take part in this webinar? Radiation therapy in the form of total body irradiation (TBI) technique continues to be an important part of conditioning regimens in

By: Hannah Pell “The most important car in 100 years.” Such is how James May, co-host of the British car show Top Gear, described the Honda Clarity during his test drive several years ago. “This is the future of motoring.” What is it about this car that seemed so revolutionary? It’s the fact that it’s

Bose-Einstein condensate: artist’s impression of a quantum state of matter that could soon reveal hints of quantum gravity. Courtesy: iStock/vitacopS Quantum gravity might soon be tested in the lab, thanks to a new analysis from physicists in the UK, France and Hong Kong. Drawing on advances in quantum information science, the researchers have found that

DNA is not just genetic material. It is also an advanced polymer that is inspiring a new field of research that treats DNA as a soft material. As well as developing our fundamental understanding of life processes, this research could also lead to applications such as smart drug carriers or new methods for regenerating tissues.

Brain activity maps from (A, B) a sensory-motor (SM) task with and without a face mask; and (C, D) the air on-to-off effect from supplying fresh air through a nasal cannula with and without a face mask. (Courtesy: NeuroImage 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.117752) As the COVID-19 pandemic continues across the world, the wearing of face masks indoors has

The THALES 3D MR SCANNER from LAP has been developed specifically to support the commissioning and quality assurance of MR-guided radiotherapy machines Automatic assurance: LAP says the THALES 3D MR SCANNER (right) provides a gold-standard dose accuracy check for MR/RT users, supporting their system commissioning and ongoing verification of dose delivery after any major upgrades

If astronauts are to travel further into space on longer missions, it’s essential to understand the harmful effects of space radiation on the cardiovascular system and develop countermeasures to space radiation-induced disease. (Courtesy: ©ESA/NASA) A team of US and Netherlands-based scientists has published a review paper highlighting ways to protect astronauts from the negative cardiovascular

Taken from the March 2021 issue of Physics World. Members of the Institute of Physics can enjoy the full issue via the Physics World app. As children narrow down their career interests from an early age, Carol Davenport says it is important that they are brought up with a positive attitude towards science Early years

Alexander Khajetoorians. Courtesy: Scanning Probe Microscopy, Radboud University A network of interconnected atoms could be used to construct a “quantum brain” that mimics how a real brain learns. The new system consists of an array of cobalt atoms on a substrate of black phosphorous, and its developers at Radboud University in the Netherlands say that

Do the twist: schematic of multiplexed antennas emitting coherent light with orbital angular momenta. (Courtesy: Kanté Group, UC Berkeley) A compact, integrated light source that simultaneously produces multiple laser beams with different, very high orbital angular momenta has been unveiled by US researchers. The technology may mark a significant step towards orbital angular momentum multiplexing

In this episode of the Physics World Weekly podcast the science writer Kit Chapman chats about his latest book Superheavy: Making and Breaking the Periodic Table, which is a lively romp through the history of smashing nuclei together to create ever heavier elements. Some of the most talented physicists and chemists of the past 100

By Allison Kubo Hutchison  Elizabeth Ann, the first cloned black-footed ferret taken on Jan 29,2021. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service via AP. Although all births are special and joyous occasions, on December 10, 2020, researchers celebrated the birth of an extraordinary ferret kit. Elizabeth Ann, born from a domestic ferret surrogate, is not biologically related

[embedded content] Does your PhD thesis make you want to dance? An atmospheric scientist from the University of Helsinki has bagged this year’s top prize of $2750 in the annual Dance Your PhD contest. Organized by the American Association for the Advancement of Science and sponsored by the artificial intelligence company Primer, the competition is

PET/CT of a mouse co-injected with two PET tracers. From left to right, the columns show: 18F-NaF image; 18F-NaF image corrected for 124I-NaI annihilation photons; 124I-NaI image from 603 keV prompt gammas showing small details from the thyroid; the merged dual-isotope image. (Courtesy: Phys. Med. Biol. 10.1088/1361-6560/abe5fc) Preclinical imaging systems such as positron emission tomography

Exciting nuclei of iron atoms with a flash of X-ray light. (Courtesy: MPI for Nuclear Physics) Scientists routinely use laser light to control how an atom’s electrons move from one electronic state to another, but controlling an atom’s nuclear state is far more challenging. Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics in Heidelberg,

Nuclear science first penetrated American consciousness with the building of the atomic bomb. It has become both a beneficial and destructive force that influences many aspects of human life from energy, to the environment, to medicine. Yet this field of study —that peers into the atomic nuclei — is something people generally don’t teach or

Join the audience for a live webinar at 5 p.m. GMT/1 p.m. EDT on 24 March 2021 exploring chemo-mechanics and dendrites in Li metal cells Want to take part in this webinar? The mechanical properties of Li have recently received considerable attention because of their importance in understanding and enabling Li metal batteries. Although there

One thousand microchannels, each the width of a human hair, can be printed for as little as £0.20. (Courtesy: CC BY 4.0/PLoS ONE 10.1371/journal.pone.0245206) Researchers at the University of Bristol have combined low-cost 3D printing with soft lithography to streamline production of complex microfluidic devices. The technique represents an important step towards universally accessible lab-on-a-chip

After more than four decades at the forefront of scientific publishing, Steven Hall retires this week as managing director of IOP Publishing, which publishes Physics World. He talks to Matin Durrani about the challenges that learned-society publishers face Stepping down: Steven Hall is retiring as managing director of IOP Publishing. (Courtesy: IOP Publishing) What have

Using ancient pots to predict the Earth’s magnetic field, plus the strange DNA/soap link, and challenging Einstein’s “biggest blunder” Pots of potential: fired clay objects can shed light on the Earth’s magnetic field The idea that a record of the Earth’s magnetic pastmight be stored in objects made from fired clay dates back to the

By: Hannah Pell On March 7, 1995, Gary Mansfield, a health physicist at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, sent out an email to members of the RadSafe nuclear safety mailing list. The subject line read: “Banana Equivalent Dose.” “Some time ago (when I almost had time to do such things), I calculated the [radiation] dose

Taken from the March 2021 issue of Physics World. Members of the Institute of Physics can enjoy the full issue via the Physics World app. Hamish Johnston reviews Superheavy: Making and Breaking the Periodic Table by Kit Chapman Heavy findings The Separator for Heavy Ion reaction Products (SHIP) at the GSI lab in Darmstadt, Germany,

Illustration of the electron interacting with a nuclear spin wave. Credit: Daniel Jackson Researchers at Cambridge University in the UK have found a new way to detect a single quantum bit (qubit) hidden in a dense cloud of 100 000 qubits made from the nuclear spins of quantum dots. The feat, which involves laser light and

Static cardiac 18F-FDG-PET images from a representative patient showing the effect of applying de-noising (AI1% and AI10%) to dose-reduced images (1% and 10%). A low-dose CT (LDCT) is shown for reference. (Courtesy: Phys. Med. Biol. 10.1088/1361-6560/abe225) Positron emission tomography (PET) with the radiotracer 18F-FDG provides an important tool for assessing the health of the heart

Optical multiplication: a new technique for combining light signals could give optical computers a boost. (Courtesy: iStock/7io) Researchers in Russia and the UK have proposed a new and simple way to produce binary output signals in the logic gates of optical computers. Developed by Nikita Stroev at the Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology in

This article is taken from the February 2021 issue of Physics World. Members of the Institute of Physics can enjoy the full issue via the Physics World app. Logan Chipkin looks at what lessons we can learn from the 1920 “Great Debate” between Harlow Shapley and Heber Curtis about the scale of the universe (CC BY