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Scientists discover new way to measure turbulence of large planets and exoplanets
The swirls, eddies, and wavy bands of Jupiter and Saturn may remind us of a soothing, starry, starry night—but they reveal these two gas giants to be stormy, turbulent places. The turbulence produces energy cascades, a non-linear transfer of energy between different scales of motion. These are as fundamental to understanding planetary dynamics as the cardiovascular system is to understanding the human body.
Researchers develop new electrode structure for all-solid-state secondary battery South Korean researchers have developed a new type of electrode structure for all-solid-state secondary batteries. If this technology is adopted, the energy density of the batteries could increase significantly when compared to existing technologies, contributing tremendously to the development of high-performance secondary batteries.
China spacecraft collects moon samples to take back to Earth A Chinese spacecraft took samples of the moon's surface Wednesday as part of a mission to bring lunar rocks back to Earth for the first time since the 1970s, the government said, adding to a string of successes for Beijing's increasingly ambitious space program.
Lab developing device to help Earth dodge asteroids In a corner of the campus at Riga Technical University, a team of scientists is working on technology that could one day stop asteroids from smashing into Earth.
After 100 years, Cornell University plant pathologists revisit fire blight hypothesis Historically credited as being the first bacterium ever characterized as a plant pathogen, fire blight is a bacterial disease that leads to significant losses of pear and apple. The role of insects in the spread of this disease has been long studied. In a new study, plant pathologists based at Cornell University and Cornell AgriTech take a hypothesis that has been more or less ignored for 100 years and provided support for its validity.
Cancer cells 'remove blindfold' to spread Cancer cells spread by switching on and off abilities to sense their surroundings, move, hide and grow new tumors, a new study has found.
New method sees fibers in 3-D, uses it to estimate conductivity As a vehicle travels through space at hypersonic speeds, the gases surrounding it generate heat at dangerous temperatures for the pilot and instrumentation inside. Designing a vehicle that can drive the heat away requires an understanding of the thermal properties of the materials used to construct it. A recent two-part study at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign developed a method to create 3-D models of the fibers within composite materials then used that information to predict the thermal conductivity of the material.
Synopsis: Shouting in a Political Echo Chamber
Research News: Lockdowns Cause Pollution Dips
Focus: Cosmic-Ray Time Capsules
Research News: Singing, Yeast, and Diesel Fuel Capture Video Prize
Armoured liquid marbles connected together in a chain 1.7 metres long Liquid marbles that can be picked up and handled have now been linked together in a 1.7-metre-long chain – and could be used as chemical microreactors
The universe is expanding too fast, and that could rewrite cosmology Different measurements of the Hubble constant, the rate of space-time expansion, refuse to agree – meaning we may have to look beyond Einstein’s theories to explain the universe
Arts & Culture: Physics Lessons from the World of Music
Research News: Building Community Among Black Physicists
Synopsis: X-Ray Lasers Film Chemical Reaction in Super-Slow Motion
His Dark Materials review: Season 2 is spine-chillingly excellent An exceptional cast continues to make His Dark Materials a brilliant show. The introduction of a character who studies the secrets of the cosmos is the cherry on top, says Emily Wilson
Why the vast emptiness of space isn't really that empty after all Space-time may seem empty, but the expanse between stars is filled with more interesting stuff than you may think, writes Chanda Prescod-Weinstein
UK's spherical nuclear fusion reactor tests new heat-reducing exhaust Researchers have successfully tested a new £55 million nuclear fusion machine in the UK which could help tackle problems caused by the super high temperatures involved in fusion reactions
Carlo Rovelli: Where does the stuff that falls into a black hole go? What happens to matter in a black hole? The question has spawned many paradoxes, and in an extract from his latest book, physics superstar Carlo Rovelli proposes an answer
Carlo Rovelli’s new book: Eclectic essays on physics, history and more Carlo Rovelli’s bestsellers saw him dubbed the poet of physics and showed a mind seeking knowledge for its own sake. His new book, There Are Places in the World Where Rules Are Less Important Than Kindness, reminds us why we need more minds like his
Physicists beat Lorentz reciprocity for microwave transmission New device could boost telecommunications and be adapted for photonics
Japan’s SuperKEKB set for first particle collisions Revamped accelerator will soon be smashing electrons and positrons together
Wood-based 'supermaterial' is stronger and tougher than steel New material is made by compressing treated wood
Three photons bind together to make a ‘molecule’ of light Technique could be used to create quantum-information systems
Nuclear excitation by electron capture seen at long last Breakthrough could lead to new type of energy source
Pistachio trees 'talk' to their neighbours, reveals statistical physics Ising model could account for nut production of pistachio orchards
US National Science Foundation clamps down on misconduct Agency will now require every grantee organization to report cases of sexual harassment
Researchers develop new electrode structure for all-solid-state secondary battery South Korean researchers have developed a new type of electrode structure for all-solid-state secondary batteries. If this technology is adopted, the energy density of the batteries could increase significantly when compared to existing technologies, contributing tremendously to the development of high-performance secondary batteries.
China spacecraft collects moon samples to take back to Earth A Chinese spacecraft took samples of the moon's surface Wednesday as part of a mission to bring lunar rocks back to Earth for the first time since the 1970s, the government said, adding to a string of successes for Beijing's increasingly ambitious space program.
Lab developing device to help Earth dodge asteroids In a corner of the campus at Riga Technical University, a team of scientists is working on technology that could one day stop asteroids from smashing into Earth.
After 100 years, Cornell University plant pathologists revisit fire blight hypothesis Historically credited as being the first bacterium ever characterized as a plant pathogen, fire blight is a bacterial disease that leads to significant losses of pear and apple. The role of insects in the spread of this disease has been long studied. In a new study, plant pathologists based at Cornell University and Cornell AgriTech take a hypothesis that has been more or less ignored for 100 years and provided support for its validity.
Cancer cells 'remove blindfold' to spread Cancer cells spread by switching on and off abilities to sense their surroundings, move, hide and grow new tumors, a new study has found.
New method sees fibers in 3-D, uses it to estimate conductivity As a vehicle travels through space at hypersonic speeds, the gases surrounding it generate heat at dangerous temperatures for the pilot and instrumentation inside. Designing a vehicle that can drive the heat away requires an understanding of the thermal properties of the materials used to construct it. A recent two-part study at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign developed a method to create 3-D models of the fibers within composite materials then used that information to predict the thermal conductivity of the material.
Synopsis: Shouting in a Political Echo Chamber
Author(s): Katherine Wright
Social media interactions with friends and political campaigns can lead to the emergence of polarized echo chambers of thought.
[Physics 13, s150] Published Tue Dec 01, 2020
Research News: Lockdowns Cause Pollution Dips
Author(s): Katherine Wright
Data indicates that the 2020 spring lockdowns in Europe induced measurable drops in gaseous pollutants.
[Physics 13, 188] Published Tue Dec 01, 2020
Focus: Cosmic-Ray Time Capsules
Author(s): Philip Ball
A proposed technique to study our Galaxy’s cosmic-ray history involves observing the damage created by neutrinos within deeply buried rocks.
[Physics 13, 186] Published Mon Nov 30, 2020
Research News: Singing, Yeast, and Diesel Fuel Capture Video Prize
The top video prize from the APS Division of Fluid Dynamics showcased research inspired by the pandemic, moving yeast, and the need for better fuel efficiency.
[Physics 13, 189] Published Mon Nov 30, 2020
Armoured liquid marbles connected together in a chain 1.7 metres long Liquid marbles that can be picked up and handled have now been linked together in a 1.7-metre-long chain – and could be used as chemical microreactors
The universe is expanding too fast, and that could rewrite cosmology Different measurements of the Hubble constant, the rate of space-time expansion, refuse to agree – meaning we may have to look beyond Einstein’s theories to explain the universe
Arts & Culture: Physics Lessons from the World of Music
Author(s): Katherine Wright
Stephon Alexander draws on his background in music and his interactions with jazz performers to help him “compose” physics models in string theory.
[Physics 13, 184] Published Tue Nov 24, 2020
Research News: Building Community Among Black Physicists
Author(s): Erika K. Carlson
At the National Society of Black Physicists conference, attendees emphasize the importance of a supportive research community.
[Physics 13, 185] Published Tue Nov 24, 2020
Synopsis: X-Ray Lasers Film Chemical Reaction in Super-Slow Motion
Author(s): Sophia Chen
Extremely brilliant, extremely short x-ray pulses let researchers film a femtosecond-resolution movie of a chemical reaction, revealing unexpected dynamics.
[Physics 13, s151] Published Tue Nov 24, 2020
His Dark Materials review: Season 2 is spine-chillingly excellent An exceptional cast continues to make His Dark Materials a brilliant show. The introduction of a character who studies the secrets of the cosmos is the cherry on top, says Emily Wilson
Why the vast emptiness of space isn't really that empty after all Space-time may seem empty, but the expanse between stars is filled with more interesting stuff than you may think, writes Chanda Prescod-Weinstein
UK's spherical nuclear fusion reactor tests new heat-reducing exhaust Researchers have successfully tested a new £55 million nuclear fusion machine in the UK which could help tackle problems caused by the super high temperatures involved in fusion reactions
Carlo Rovelli: Where does the stuff that falls into a black hole go? What happens to matter in a black hole? The question has spawned many paradoxes, and in an extract from his latest book, physics superstar Carlo Rovelli proposes an answer
Carlo Rovelli’s new book: Eclectic essays on physics, history and more Carlo Rovelli’s bestsellers saw him dubbed the poet of physics and showed a mind seeking knowledge for its own sake. His new book, There Are Places in the World Where Rules Are Less Important Than Kindness, reminds us why we need more minds like his
Physicists beat Lorentz reciprocity for microwave transmission New device could boost telecommunications and be adapted for photonics
Japan’s SuperKEKB set for first particle collisions Revamped accelerator will soon be smashing electrons and positrons together
Wood-based 'supermaterial' is stronger and tougher than steel New material is made by compressing treated wood
Three photons bind together to make a ‘molecule’ of light Technique could be used to create quantum-information systems
Nuclear excitation by electron capture seen at long last Breakthrough could lead to new type of energy source
Pistachio trees 'talk' to their neighbours, reveals statistical physics Ising model could account for nut production of pistachio orchards
US National Science Foundation clamps down on misconduct Agency will now require every grantee organization to report cases of sexual harassment