Physics Today

Based on a novel by @andyweirauthor, the film Project Hail Mary will release later this month. Here's a look at how science and science fiction intertwine in Weir’s work. Warning: The story contains minor spoilers. physicstoday.aip.org/news/science-i…

Alexandra Loubeau combines her interests in music and physics at @NASA_Langley, where she studies how sound travels through the atmosphere and works to dull sonic booms. #whatcanphysicistsdo #astronomy physicstoday.aip.org/news/alexandra…

A new substrate made in part with covalent organic framework–based nanofilms has allowed researchers to take mass-spectrometry images of an entire plant. #physics #spectroscopy physicstoday.aip.org/backscatter/co…

Atmospheric methane levels mysteriously surged in the early 2020s. New research finds that reductions in anthropogenic emissions during pandemic lockdowns were a major reason why. #physics #climate physicstoday.aip.org/news/reduced-p…

Major cities built on river deltas face a growing threat from sea-level rise. But for some, sinking caused by human activities is an even bigger problem. Researchers used satellite data to analyze drivers of vertical land motion in 40 major delta systems across the globe. #physics #climatescience physicstoday.aip.org/news/cities-bu…

In 1999, researchers found that certain organic molecules preferentially transmit electrons with a particular spin orientation. Many experiments have followed, but the physics underlying the chiral-induced spin selectivity effect remains mysterious. #physics #chirality physicstoday.aip.org/features/how-t…

Metrologists are using fundamental physics to define units of measure. Now, @NIST has developed new quantum sensors to measure and realize the pascal. #physics #metrology physicstoday.aip.org/features/quant…

As an instrument scientist at @NIST, David Hoogerheide splits his time between his own research and helping users do experiments with the world’s highest-flux neutron reflectometer. #whatcanphysicistsdo #physics #nist physicstoday.aip.org/news/david-hoo…

Every pipe organ is unique and must be tailored to the acoustics of its venue. New research aims to help organ builders predict how the instruments will sound before they are built. #acoustics #pipeorgans physicstoday.aip.org/quick-study/ma…

Marie Curie and 71 other women scientists will soon be honored by having their names inscribed on the Eiffel Tower. They will join the 72 men whose names are already there. #womeninscience physicstoday.aip.org/news/eiffel-to…

Restrictions on international researchers at @NIST stand to be the latest blow to the US research community. #physics #quantum physicstoday.aip.org/news/nist-to-i…

In a noisy biological environment, a genetically engineered fluorescent proteins can pinpoint subcellular structures and detect magnetic field changes. #physics #biophysics physicstoday.aip.org/news/genetical…

Fluid gears demonstrate unexpected modes of rotation in a new tabletop experiment. #fluids #physics physicstoday.aip.org/news/fluid-cou…

Tyler Drye’s interest in patents was piqued at a jobs fair. After a spell at the US Patent and Trademark Office, he went to law school. The chemical physicist now has a rewarding career as a patent attorney. #whatcanphysicistsdo physicstoday.aip.org/news/tyler-dry…

Nanoscale whirlpools of spins hold potential for ultradense data storage. As Christina Psaroudaki and Christos Panagopoulos outline in a new feature article, they may soon be of use in quantum computing. #quantumcomputing physicstoday.aip.org/features/magne…

The federal government is considering plans to break up @NCAR_Science. Here's why the research center has played a unique role in the history of the atmospheric sciences. #NSF #climate physicstoday.aip.org/news/what-the-…

A Nobel Prize–winning optics technique has been adapted for x-ray free-electron lasers. The improvement gives the devices new capabilities for the study of ultrafast particles and processes. #optics #physics physicstoday.aip.org/news/coherent-…

In response to the disruptions and uncertainties in federal funding for science, researchers are knocking on the doors of philanthropies. But they can pick up only some of the slack. physicstoday.aip.org/news/philanthr…

Today marks the 10th anniversary of the announcement of the direct detection of gravitational waves by @LIGO. In honor of that milestone, we've put together a collection of our coverage of gravitational-wave research through the years. #LIGO #gravitationalwaves #physics #astronomy physicstoday.aip.org/discover/gravi…

Roughly twice the size of a human skin cell, each of these tiny boats is made using a new 3D-printing technique that can split a femtosecond laser into 120 000 focal spots. #BackScatter physicstoday.aip.org/backscatter/ti…