Physics
press releases.

Physics4 Jan 2024

World's largest physics conference to be held in Minneapolis and online this March

More than 13,000 physicists from around the world will convene to present groundbreaking research at the American Physical Society’s (APS) March Meeting. The conference will be held in person in Minneapolis and online everywhere March 3-8. Scientific Program The scientific program includes nearly 900 sessions and 11,000 individual presentations on new research in climate science, medicine, biological physics, quantum information, superconductivity, condensed matter, and more. For more information, search the scientific program. All times are in Central time. Hybrid Format The March Meeting will have both in-person and online experiences. ...

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Physics4 Jan 2024

Chung-Ang University study reveals a higher market valuation of cash holdings of firms adopting electronic voting

Firms worldwide are increasingly adopting electronic voting, enabling shareholders to cast their votes online, instead of attending shareholder meetings in-person. Shareholders can enjoy superior accessibility to the meetings with electronic voting, compared to those with traditional and in-person setups. Despite the emerging popularity of electronic voting in recent years, however, there is limited evidence of its impact on governance. To address this gap in research, Associate Professor Wonsuk Ha from the School of Business Administration, Chung-Ang University, along ...

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Physics4 Jan 2024

JAMA names seven academic physicians and nurses to new Editorial Fellowship Program

Chicago, January 4, 2024 — The JAMA Network today announces a new class of seven academic physicians and nurses selected for a new program to provide junior faculty and current research fellows opportunities to learn about biomedical journals and scientific publication. This inaugural group of fellows will spend six months immersed as part of the JAMA editorial team to obtain direct exposure to the editorial review process and enhance their skills in scientific communication. Fellows will be assigned to a current JAMA editor for mentorship, attend manuscript meetings, participate in discussions about research design, data validity, potential clinical importance, and conduct ...

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Physics4 Jan 2024

Hunting for the elusive tetraneutrons with thermal fission

Tetraneutron is an elusive atomic nucleus consisting of four neutrons, whose existence has been highly debated by scientists. This stems primarily from our lack of knowledge about systems consisting of only neutrons, since most atomic nuclei are usually made of a combination of protons and neutrons. Scientists believe that the experimental observation of a tetraneutron could be the key to exploring new properties of atomic nuclei and answering the age-old question: Can a charge-neutral multineutron system ever exist? Two recent experimental studies reported the presence of tetraneutrons in bound state and resonant state (a state that decays ...

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Physics4 Jan 2024

Understanding the role of a new enzyme in the development of autism spectrum disorder

Over the past decades, scientists have made substantial progress unveiling the underlying mechanisms behind many psychiatric disorders. Every year, new genetic mutations or protein dysregulations are identified as potential culprits for the symptoms, and sometimes even the root causes of complex neurological diseases, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD), schizophrenia, and Alzheimer’s. Despite these efforts, the precise roles of several proteins involved in brain function remain obscure. Such is the case for indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 2 (IDO2), an enzyme expressed in the brain and metabolized by the ...

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Physics3 Jan 2024

Jack D. Buckley, MD, MPH, FCCP, becomes the 86th President of the American College of Chest Physicians

Glenview, IL– Effective January 1, Jack D. Buckley, MD, MPH, FCCP, is the new President of the American College of Chest Physicians® (CHEST). John Howington, MD, MBA, FCCP, steps into the role of President-Elect, Neil S. Freedman, MD, FCCP, is the new President-Designate and Doreen Addrizzo-Harris, MD, FCCP, completes her term as President to become Immediate Past President of CHEST. Jack D. Buckley, MD, MPH, FCCP, is a pulmonologist and critical care physician with an extensive background in education. Dr. Buckley is a Professor of Medical Education at Western Michigan University Homer Stryker MD School of Medicine. ...

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Physics3 Jan 2024

How does corrosion happen? New research examines process on atomic level

BINGHAMTON, N.Y. -- When water vapor meets metal, the resulting corrosion can lead to mechanical problems that harm a machine’s performance. Through a process called passivation, it also can form a thin inert layer that acts as a barrier against further deterioration. Either way, the exact chemical reaction is not well understood on an atomic level, but that is changing thanks to a technique called environmental transmission electron microscopy (TEM), which allows researchers to directly view molecules interacting ...

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Physics2 Jan 2024

Perceived time has an actual effect on physical healing

Perceived time has a significant impact on the actual time it takes to heal physical wounds, according to new research by Harvard psychologists Peter Aungle and Ellen Langer. Their study, published late last month in Nature Scientific Reports, challenges conventional beliefs about psychological influences on physical health. The findings suggest a broader range of psychological influences than is currently appreciated. To complete their study, the authors used a standardized procedure to mildly wound volunteer subjects. Perceived time was then manipulated in the lab, with each study participant completing three ...

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Physics28 Dec 2023

A team from the UPV and CSIC discovers a new method for generating metal nanoparticles for use as catalysts

This new method is based on the exsolution process activated by microwave radiation. Exsolution is a method of generating metallic nanoparticles on the surface of ceramic materials. "At elevated temperatures and in a reducing atmosphere (usually hydrogen), metal atoms migrate from the structure of the material to its surface, forming metal nanoparticles anchored to the surface. This anchoring significantly increases the strength and stability of these nanoparticles, which positively impacts the efficiency of these catalysts," explains Beatriz García Baños, a researcher in the Microwave Area of the ITACA Institute at the UPV. In the work now ...

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Physics25 Dec 2023

Electronic “soil” enhances crop growth

Barley seedlings grow on average 50% more when their root system is stimulated electrically through a new cultivation substrate. In a study published in the journal PNAS, researchers from Linköping University have developed an electrically conductive “soil” for soilless cultivation, known as hydroponics. “The world population is increasing, and we also have climate change. So it’s clear that we won’t be able to cover the food demands of the planet with only the already existing agricultural methods. But with hydroponics we can grow food also in ...

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Physics22 Dec 2023

Laser-driving a 2D material

Writing in Nature Communications on November 24, engineers at Columbia and theoretical collaborators at the Max Planck for the Structure and Dynamics of Matter find that pairing laser light to crystal lattice vibrations can enhance the nonlinear optical properties of a layered 2D material. Cecilia Chen, a Columbia Engineering PhD student and co-author of the recent paper, and her colleagues from Alexander Gaeta’s Quantum and Nonlinear Photonics group used hexagonal boron nitride (hBN). hBN is a 2D material similar to graphene: its atoms are arranged in a ...

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Physics20 Dec 2023

3D atomic details of next-generation alloys revealed for first time

Alloys, which are materials such as steel that are made by combining two or more metallic elements, are among the underpinnings of contemporary life. They are essential for buildings, transportation, appliances and tools — including, very likely, the device you are using to read this story. In applying alloys, engineers have faced an age-old trade-off common in most materials: Alloys that are hard tend to be brittle and break under strain, while those that are flexible under strain tend to dent easily. Possibilities for sidestepping that trade-off arose about 20 years ago, when researchers first developed medium- and high-entropy alloys, stable materials that combine ...

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Physics19 Dec 2023

Innovative optical technique for simultaneously producing and shaping gigahertz burst pulses

The generation and manipulation of high-repetition pulses hold great promise across various applications, including high-speed photography, laser processing, and acoustic wave generation. Gigahertz (GHz) burst pulses, with intervals ranging from ~0.01 to ~10 nanoseconds, are particularly valued for visualizing ultrafast phenomena and improving laser processing efficiency. While methods for producing GHz burst pulses exist, challenges persist, such as low throughput of pulse energy, poor tunability of pulse intervals, and the complexity ...

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Physics19 Dec 2023

FlexTech: A new era in flexible electronics research

On December 9, 2023, the 5th International Conference on Flexible Electronics (ICFE 2023) was held in Hangzhou, China. The international academic journal, FlexTech, was officially inaugurated at this conference. FlexTech is an initiative led by Tsinghua University, with academic support from the Laboratory of Flexible Electronics Technology Laboratory, Tsinghua University. This journal is co-published by Tsinghua University Press and John Wiley & Sons, Inc. The editorial board of FlexTech is under the distinguished leadership of Professor Xue ...

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Physics18 Dec 2023

Mesopotamian bricks unveil the strength of Earth’s ancient magnetic field

Ancient bricks inscribed with the names of Mesopotamian kings have yielded important insights into a mysterious anomaly in Earth’s magnetic field 3,000 years ago, according to a new study involving UCL researchers. The research, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), describes how changes in the Earth’s magnetic field imprinted on iron oxide grains within ancient clay bricks, and how scientists were able to reconstruct these changes from the names of the kings inscribed on the bricks. The team hopes that using this “archaeomagnetism,” which looks for signatures ...

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Physics15 Dec 2023

Electronic pathways may enhance collective atomic vibrations’ magnetism

HOUSTON – (Dec. 15, 2023) – Materials with enhanced thermal conductivity are critical for the development of advanced devices to support applications in communications, clean energy and aerospace. But in order to engineer materials with this property, scientists need to understand how phonons, or quantum units of the vibration of atoms, behave in a particular substance. “Phonons are quite important for studying new materials because they govern several material properties such as thermal conductivity and carrier properties,” said Fuyang Tay, a graduate student in applied physics working with the Rice ...

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Physics15 Dec 2023

Ultrafast lasers map electrons 'going ballistic' in graphene, with implications for next-gen electronic devices

LAWRENCE — Research appearing in ACS Nano, a premier journal on nanoscience and nanotechnology, reveals the ballistic movement of electrons in graphene in real time. The observations, made at the University of Kansas’ Ultrafast Laser Lab, could lead to breakthroughs in governing electrons in semiconductors, fundamental components in most information and energy technology. “Generally, electron movement is interrupted by collisions with other particles in solids,” said lead author Ryan Scott, ...

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Physics15 Dec 2023

Well-being parameters and intention to leave current institution among academic physicians

About The Study: In this study of 18,000 academic physicians, approximately one-third reported moderate or greater intention to leave within two years. Burnout, lack of professional fulfillment, and other well-being factors were associated with intention to leave, suggesting the need for a comprehensive approach to reduce physician turnover. Authors: Mickey T. Trockel, M.D., Ph.D., of the Stanford University School of Medicine in Stanford, California, is the corresponding author. To access the embargoed study: Visit ...

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Physics15 Dec 2023

Childhood sedentariness causes elevated cholesterol but light physical activity may neutralize it

Increased sedentary time from childhood through young adulthood significantly increased cholesterol levels in a new follow-up study. However, the results also showed that light physical activity (LPA) may completely reverse the adverse process. Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) may also reduce cholesterol levels, but its effect is diminished by body fat. The study was conducted in collaboration between the University of Bristol in the UK, the University of Exeter in the UK, and the University of Eastern ...

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Physics15 Dec 2023

The breakthrough is a step towards the development of next-generation magnetic devices that control light

In a significant advancement in optical technology, researchers from Tohoku University and Toyohashi University of Technology have developed a new method for creating transparent magnetic materials using laser heating. This breakthrough, recently published in the journal Optical Materials, presents a novel approach to integrating magneto-optical materials with optical devices, a long-standing challenge in the field. "The key to this achievement lies in creating 'Cerium-substituted Yttrium Iron Garnet (Ce:YIG)', ...

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Physics14 Dec 2023

Closing the design-to-manufacturing gap for optical devices

Photolithography involves manipulating light to precisely etch features onto a surface, and is commonly used to fabricate computer chips and optical devices like lenses. But tiny deviations during the manufacturing process often cause these devices to fall short of their designers’ intentions. To help close this design-to-manufacturing gap, researchers from MIT and the Chinese University of Hong Kong used machine learning to build a digital simulator that mimics a specific photolithography manufacturing process. Their technique utilizes real data gathered from the photolithography system, so it can more ...

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Physics14 Dec 2023

High cholesterol caused by childhood sedentariness could be reversed with light physical activity

Strictly embargoed until 0900 ET Thursday 14 December 2023 Increased sedentary time in childhood can raise cholesterol levels by two thirds as an adult, leading to heart problems and even premature death - but a new study has found light physical activity may completely reverse the risks and is far more effective than moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. The study was conducted in collaboration between the University of Exeter, University of Eastern Finland, and University of Bristol and published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. Researchers used data from the University of Bristol study Children of the 90s (also known as the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents ...

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Physics13 Dec 2023

Researchers create stable hybrid laser by 3D printing micro-optics onto fibers

WASHINGTON — For the first time, researchers have shown that 3D-printed polymer-based micro-optics can withstand the heat and power levels that occur inside a laser. The advance enables inexpensive compact and stable laser sources that would be useful in a variety of applications, including the lidar systems used for autonomous vehicles. “We significantly reduced the size of a laser by using 3D printing to fabricate high-quality micro-optics directly on glass fibers used inside of lasers,” said research team leader Simon Angstenberger from the 4th Physics Institute at University of Stuttgart ...

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Physics13 Dec 2023

Discovery of magnetic liquid crystal

Liquid crystal is a state of matter that exhibits properties of both liquid and solid. It can flow like a liquid, while its constituent molecules are aligned as in a solid. The liquid crystal is widely used nowadays, for example, as a core element of LCD devices. The magnetic analog of this kind of material is dubbed the “spin-nematic phase”, where spin moments play the role of the molecules. However, it has not yet been directly observed despite its prediction a half-century ago. The main challenge stems ...

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Physics13 Dec 2023

Towards next-generation nanocatalysts to revolutionize active electron transfer

Ishikawa, Japan -- Various molecular systems have been developed by researchers for photoinduced (i.e., light-driven) electron transfer, including supramolecules, hybrid materials, and organic polymeric systems. While these systems fulfill the distance criterion required by the electron donor and acceptor for efficient electron transfer, they frequently fall short in accommodating molecular motion, especially in fluid environments. Is there a viable approach to design a system that facilitates electron transfer without succumbing to these limitations? This issue has been specifically addressed in a recent study. ...

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