PhysicsCentral: Pictures in Physics

Mysteries of the Glass Transition

2013-05-21 14:29:45

Why do certain liquids transition into glass? There's no easy answer.

Cracked Windshield Physics

2013-05-06 13:48:35

The number of cracks in glass reveal the strength of projectile impacts

Physics of the Bed of Nails

2013-04-29 14:50:52

How do people lie on a bed of nails without leaving a mark?

Paris Through a Water Drop

2013-04-25 14:12:48

A water drop magnifies a view of Paris, shedding new light on the city

Fluorescent Mice

2013-04-22 12:00:52

Fluorescent proteins can help scientists detect cancer behavior in mice.

Martian Wind

2013-04-04 14:39:54

See the Curiosity rover's parachute flapping in the wind on Mars

Battle for Star Birth

2013-04-01 13:36:37

Nascent stars and gigantic dust pillars collide

Palladium Films Up Close

2013-03-26 14:51:20

A colorful mosaic of nano-scale grains on a super thin film

New York City Language Map

2013-03-25 14:26:42

A Twitter analysis reveals New York's ethnic neighborhoods

Pluto's Moons

2013-03-14 14:21:32

Pluto's known family of moons may have just increased

Radioactive Uranium Marbles

2013-03-08 14:55:34

These marbles glow neon under blacklight, but they're safe

Dark Energy Camera Galaxy Close-up

2013-03-04 13:51:40

One of the Dark Energy Camera's first images

Dragon Launch 2

2013-03-01 14:14:36

A glimpse at the SpaceX spacecraft before a mission

Backlit Saturn

2013-02-25 14:31:45

The Cassini spacecraft captured this beautiful image of Saturn

Inside a Plasma Physics Lab

2013-02-21 15:02:24

A glimpse into plasma physics and fusion research at MIT

Chocolate Physics

2013-02-14 14:42:22

Take a closer look at chocolatey treats

Jupiter's Little Red Spot

2013-02-07 11:00:49

On its way to Pluto, New Horizons caught a glimpse of Jupiter's smaller blemish

Hornet X-Ray

2013-02-01 14:17:00

Special x-rays give detailed images of small biological samples

Mars at Night

2013-01-28 13:42:29

Curiosity snaps some nighttime pictures from the red planet

Niobium Caterpillar

2013-01-17 14:32:10

A tiny crystal structure mimics a neon caterpillar

Ocean Current Cyclones

2013-01-14 14:31:58

Simulation of ocean currents reveals cyclone dynamics

Underground Neutrino Detector

2013-01-07 12:24:24

A detector once searched for exotic physics 6,800 feet underground

Perihelion and Eccentricity

2013-01-03 11:56:34

Learn about the Earth's farthest point from the sun with a lesson in eccentricity

New Year's Eve Ball Drop

2012-12-28 01:00:00

The physics behind the iconic celebration

Solstice Lunar Eclipse

2012-12-24 01:00:00

In 2010, a lunar eclipse coincided with the winter solstice

Ultrasound Gas Bubbles

2012-12-20 01:00:00

Ultrasound energizes gas bubbles, causing intense pressure and heat

Mayan Ruins Seen From Space

2012-12-13 09:09:00

Satellites uncovered ancient Mayan ruins with remote sensing

STAR Collision

2012-12-06 15:52:34

What happens when two gold ions collide

Star Gravity Waves

2012-12-03 16:10:18

Vibrating water reveals beautiful shapes

Etched Nano Canyons

2012-11-27 14:18:58

Canyon-like structures form lenses used for a high-intensity light source.

Cathedral Stars

2012-11-21 01:00:00

Massive dust pillars surround a cathedral of bright stars

Ignition Target Chamber

2012-11-08 01:00:00

Inside the National Ignition Center � home to extremely energetic lasers

Watery Blue Sunset

2012-11-06 14:30:00

An artistically adapted image from NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory reveals the sun in a new light

Symmetry Wake

2012-11-01 15:30:18

This image reveals the intricate wake structure left behind two cylinders rotating in a fluid.

Spooky Nebula

2012-10-26 12:30:00

The National Optical Astronomy Observatory snapped this photo of the haunting SH2 136 Nebula.

Cassini's View of Alpha Centauri

2012-10-25 12:13:00

An image of our nearest star system neighbor, Alpha Centauri, taken by the Cassini spacecraft orbiting Saturn.

Particle Quilt

2012-10-18 14:13:00

One artist has captured the beauty of the LHC's particle detectors in a new form: quilts.

Fluid Turbulence

2012-10-12 16:30:00

Simulations reveal a striking battle between two forces when lighter fluids flow above heavier ones.

Slime Mold Evolution

2012-10-01 16:30:00

A time lapse image of a developing slime mold network. By watching this growth, physicists hope to better understand the analogous development of transportation networks.

Droplet Time Lapse

2012-09-27 15:30:02

A time lapse image of a dyed water droplet falling into electrically-charged oil and water.

Virus Microscopy

2012-09-25 16:50:00

An atomic force microscopy (AFM) scan reveals several hundred tobacco mosaic virus particles.

Endeavour's Flight Home

2012-09-20 16:00:00

The retired Space Shuttle Endeavour stopped in Houston, Texas before heading to Los Angeles for permanent display.

Dream Chaser

2012-09-17 01:00:00

The Dream Chaser spacecraft performs a test flight over Boulder, Colorado's flatiron rock formations.

Dark Energy Camera

2012-09-11 10:07:35

A 570-megapixel camera attached to a telescope will help scientists uncover the mysteries of dark energy.

Rover Debris

2012-09-10 14:06:20

Before landing on Mars' surface, the Curiosity Rover images its parachute's crash site.

Flowing Beads

2012-07-30 00:00:00

Mixing different beads delineates coherent structures, providing insight into how grains mix.

Quantum Simulation Bonding

2012-07-23 00:00:00

Simulations indicate that hydrogen bond density is higher on the surface of titanium dioxide than on tin dioxide, but the hydrogen bonds are found to be stronger on tin dioxide than titanium dioxide.

Order Through Chaos

2012-07-16 00:00:00

When researchers tried packing billiard-ball-like spheres in a number of ways, the most chaotic ones were consistently the most symmetrical.

Optical Resonators

2012-07-09 00:00:00

Researchers hope to combine high quality optics and mechanical systems integrated into an extremely compact package.

More Efficient LEDs

2012-07-02 00:00:00

Nitride alloys expand the applications of energy-saving LEDs.

Chemical Avalanches

2012-06-25 00:00:00

Molecular diffusion and chemical reactions can result in a chemical wave front.

Nitrogen Tracers in Graphene

2012-06-18 00:00:00

Altering graphene's electronic properties with Nitrogen tracers.

Fractal Globule

2012-05-24 00:00:00

Experimental evidence suggests that the human genome may bundle into these unknotted fractal globules.

Fluid Fracture

2012-05-18 00:00:00

Pressing liquids as flat as possible yields unique designs.

Superconducting Nanowires

2012-05-04 00:00:00

A scanning electron microscope image of superconducting nanowires.

Protecting Privacy with Quantum Computing

2012-04-27 00:00:00

A schematic of a blind quantum computer that could protect user's privacy.

New Phase of Matter in Superconductor

2012-04-20 00:00:00

High temperature superconductor spills secrets: a new phase of matter.

Devil�s Nano Postpile

2012-04-13 00:00:00

Nanotubes mimic the Devil�s Postpile National Monument in eastern California.

Stream Network Branching

2012-04-06 00:00:00

Ever wonder how streams form? Physicists are using models to better understand the branching of streams.

Nanowire Hay Bales

2012-03-30 00:00:00

Scanning electron micrograph of iron-titanium nanowires

Magnetic Christmas Tree

2012-03-23 00:00:00

A snapshot of magnetic flux at super cold temperatures.

Soap Memory

2012-03-16 00:00:00

A soap bubble trapped in a colorful configuration.

Glassy Energy Landscapes

2012-03-09 00:00:00

Glass artwork demonstrates a rugged energy landscape.

Bouncing Ball

2012-02-24 00:00:00

The simple act of bouncing a ball may not conjure up feelings of physics, but there is more physics going on than meets the eye. Tags: Force and Motion

X-treme Solar Flare

2012-02-16 00:00:00

X-class flare erupting from the sun

Patterns in the Sand

2012-02-09 00:00:00

When a Chladni plate vibrates patterns emerge in the sand. It�s not magic, or the hand of an invisible artist, but the vibrations themselves that cause the lines and patterns to emerge

Haleakala Observatory

2012-01-26 00:00:00

High on a mountaintop in Hawaii, scientists search the sky.

Liquid Art

2012-01-19 00:00:00

These images captured the moment streams of liquid collide, bending the streams and forming beautiful images.

Aerogel: Fighting Fires

2012-01-12 00:00:00

This photo illustrates the insulating properties of aerogel. The crayons on top of the aerogel are not melting, protected from the flame by a layer of aerogel.

Rayleigh Scattering Sunsets

2012-01-05 00:00:00

What causes the orange hue in a sunset? Why is the sky blue? Rayleigh scattering can explains these natural wonders, leaving onlookers amazed.

Crystal Ball

2011-12-29 00:00:00

This ball is cannot tell you your future and it doesn�t drop to signal the beginning of a new year. No, this ball illustrates the physics concept of refraction.

Quantum Reality

2011-12-22 00:00:00

A thirty foot model of a buckyball is suspended in the tree tops, taking physics and making art.

Topographic Moon Map

2011-12-15 00:00:00

This is the highest resolution topographic map of the moon to date taken from information gathered by the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO).

The Aurora Borealis

2011-12-08 00:00:00

The Aurora Borealis, or Northern Lights, shines above Bear Lake, Eielson Air Force Base. Find out about the physics behind this phenomenon.

Nano-Tagging Plants

2011-12-01 00:00:00

Nanoparticles are being used as biological markers

Lighting Up Wall Street

2011-11-17 00:00:00

High frequency trading computers can help make investors millions, but where in the world would be the best place for these computers to be located? Physics could help explain how to make your millions.

Striped Superconductors

2011-11-03 00:00:00

This psychedelic image is a graphical summary of a theory describing striped superconductors.

Solar Color Conversion

2011-10-27 00:00:00

Molecules that convert light from one color to another could improve the efficiency of solar cells, provided researchers can find better ways to handle them.

Tiny Antennas

2011-10-20 00:00:00

These antennas could be used in devices that use light in place of the electrical signals.

Molecular Transistor

2011-10-13 00:00:00

Physicists have made what they believe to be the first true single molecule transistor.

Crystal Ions in Space

2011-10-06 00:00:00

An ion trap allows physicists to capture atoms and hold them in crystal�like configurations in free space.

Moon Tracks

2011-09-22 00:00:00

This isn�t a new flavor of ice cream. No, this photo taken from NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter shows the marks left behind by Apollo 17.

AB Effect

2011-09-15 00:00:00

In 1959 the Aharonov-Bohm effect took its place as a legitimate demonstration of unexpected physics in the quantum world.

Attractive Tangles

2011-08-30 13:25:49

Scientists model the scenario in which Earth's magnetic field switches poles.

Bundle of Tiny Carbon Nanotubes

2011-08-04 00:00:00

Crystal-like carbon nanotubes could serve as wiring for future computers.

Spin Ice Monopoles

2011-07-28 00:00:00

Spin ice is like magnetic ice and physicists have made analogies of magnetic monopoles in spin ice.

Hollow Atoms

2011-07-21 00:00:00

Physicists have removed the inner electrons from neon with a high energy X-ray laser, leaving behind a hollow atom shell.

Graphene Quilt

2011-07-14 00:00:00

This quilt won't just keep you warm; it can teach you about the four electronic states central to understanding the properties of graphene.

Human Genome Folded

2011-07-07 00:00:00

Inside cells there is a long code that holds all of an organism�s hereditary information, but how does that long code fit in that tiny space?

Physics of Goo

2011-06-23 00:00:00

Next time you put syrup on your pancakes remember that there is physics behind how the syrup flows.

Stalactite Meets Stalagmite

2011-06-16 00:00:00

What might look like the top and bottom of a limestone cave, may actually revolutionize the world of tiny electronics.

Surface Folds

2011-06-09 00:00:00

What do brains and bread have in common? Physicists looking for patterns explain.

Entangling Qubits

2011-05-26 00:00:00

This small grey crystal of silicon inside a glass test tube contains 10 billion pairs of entangled spin qubits

Sea Urchin Teeth

2011-05-19 00:00:00

This scanning electron microscope image shows the recently discovered calcite mineral bridges that connect the developing tooth plates in the sea urchin Eucidaris tribuloides, fascinating physicists with their strength.

Mussel Mucus

2011-05-12 00:00:00

Mussels generate their own self healing sticky material and now scientists are able to make a synthetic version in the lab.

A Coil for Colliders

2011-05-05 00:00:00

Superconducting coil for future energy colliders

The First Superconducting Magnet

2011-04-28 00:00:00

The world�s first superconducting magnet, consisting of a wire coil made of lead, was manufactured in the Leiden Physics Laboratory in 1912.

Four Qubits, One Chip

2011-04-21 00:00:00

This computer chip includes four superconducting qubits that make up a version of a computer microprocessor.

Less is More for E. Coli

2011-04-14 00:00:00

New simulations show that reducing the number of spare DNA genes in the microbe E. coli can actually increase the bacteria�s chances of survival.

Spin Kaleidoscope

2011-04-07 00:00:00

This image shows a map of the electrical characteristics of a topological insulator, providing information that is helping physicists to better understand how these new materials work.

Atomic Transistors

2011-03-31 00:00:00

If you could look deep inside an infrared LED and had microscopic vision, you might see the image above, showing the microscopic image of the surface of gallium arsenide (GaAs) and how the arrangement of atoms on the GaAs surface affect its electric field.

MESSENGER Measures Up

2011-03-24 00:00:00

The Sun�s closest neighbor, Mercury, now has a spacecraft zooming around its orbit. NASA�s Messenger spacecraft successfully achieved orbit around Mercury on Thursday , March 17th, 2011 around 9 p.m. EDT. This is the first spacecraft to begin orbiting Mercury, a milestone for US space exploration.

Nano Sized Light Switch

2011-03-17 00:00:00

Imagine having a switch the size of a molecule. It could control a tiny electric circuit built from single atoms and molecules.

Cloud Waves

2011-03-10 00:00:00

When people think of waves they often look to the oceans, but waves can also be found high in the sky. In this picture Amsterdam Island in the Indian Ocean made waves in the clouds.

Berliner Helicopter

2011-03-03 00:00:00

What looks like a unique airplane was actually the first helicopter to make a controlled flight.

Rocky Planet: Kepler 10b

2011-02-24 00:00:00

The Kepler Spacecraft, after nearly 8 months of collecting data (May 2009 � January 2010), discovered an exoplanet, Kepler 10b, that orbits a star other than our sun.

It�s Raining Antimatter� Upward?

2011-02-17 00:00:00

The electrons produce so many gamma rays that they shoot electrons and positrons out of the atmosphere and NASA�s Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope intercepts these particles, showing evidence that thunderstorms may be producing antimatter.

Light Magic

2011-02-10 00:00:00

While running a series of Monochromatic UV germicidal range finding experiments, Barry Ressler created a series of images that Pink Floyd would be proud of.

Happy Groundhog's Day

2011-02-02 00:00:00

Will the groundhog see his shadow and promise 6 more weeks of winter? More importantly, what is a shadow and where in this folklore is the science?

Snowflake Science

2011-01-27 00:00:00

The sky is falling! No, those are just snowflakes falling from the clouds. In this Physics in Pictures explore what conditions make snowflakes and what all snowflakes have in common.

Happy New Year! Laserfest Takes Over Times Square

2011-01-13 00:00:00

When the ball dropped on New Year�s Eve, 2010, it stood for more than the closing of a decade. It marked the end of Laserfest(www.laserfest.org), celebrating the 50th anniversary of the invention of the laser. In this picture, Laserfest says thank you and goodbye in Times Square

Smoke Rings in Water

2011-01-06 00:00:00

A smoke-ring flow pattern - or vortex ring--can develop, pinch-off, and be regenerated, all without forces, when the flow is driven by chemical reactions.

LED Hula Hoopers and Fire Hoopers Show Physics in a Whole New Light

2010-12-09 00:00:00

What does dancing have to do with physics? One photographer uses his understanding of light and technology to capture fire dancing and hula hooping, which inadvertently reveal different forces in physics and the nature of light.

Shoot the Moon!

2010-11-18 00:00:00

Lasers are used to track satellites. At the Goddard Space Flight Center lasers are used to track the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO), which is collecting data as it orbits the Moon.

The 2010 Nobel Prize in Physics is�

2010-11-18 00:00:00

In 2004, Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov were looking for a metallic substance that could be used as a semiconductor. With the use of adhesive tape, their method of making graphene led to receiving the 2010 Nobel prize.

USA Science and Engineering Festival

2010-11-11 00:00:00

James Roche explains how LiDar and the squealing wall work at the Laser Haunted House at the 2010 USA Science and Engineering Festival.

Sputnik and Satellites

2010-10-26 15:36:36

Sputnik I was the world's first artificial satellite. It marked a new era in political, military, technological and scientific developments, beginning the space age and the U.S.-U.S.S.R space race. Satellites use gravity to stay in orbit. Learn about the differences between Newton's and Einstein's explanations of gravity as it relates to satellites.

It�s Raining Gamma Rays

2010-09-27 11:41:26

If you happen to step outside into a thunderstorm, I bet the last thing you are concerned about is getting hit by gamma rays. A team of scientists has been using satellite data to find out where gamma ray pulses are coming from with a great deal of accuracy in order to clarify if these pulses are related to lightening.

Gamma Ray All-Sky Map

2010-07-05 11:33:00

The Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope is our high energy eye in orbit keeping a look out for big events in the universe and creating an extensive detailed map in the process. A high energy map of our universe reveals many interesting objects such as pulsars, super-massive black holes and possibly clues to its beginning.

Perfect Spheres to Test Einstein

2010-03-11 10:53:24

Einstein is looking at you through a near perfect glass sphere. In fact this is the most precise sphere that humans have ever created. The surface of this little marble is so smooth that any bumps or scratches are no higher than 40 atoms. Cool! But why?

Free Floating Plasma Orb or Squid Ghost

2010-01-20 11:44:41

Ghost of discharged capacitor found haunting a glass of water! What could be more scary than that? Try a hot ball of electric plasma.

Laser-Plasma Creates Electro-Optic Shocks

2009-11-19 09:10:53

High power laser pulses create shock-waves and bubbles in plasma.

Dust devils on Mars!

2009-10-21 07:44:42

What does this image look like to you? Could it be a close up of a tattoo or a lizard's back or even silly putty that was rubbed on a newspaper?

Red Dye Crowned in Milk

2009-09-18 08:38:07

This crown is formed by the splash and droplets of a 2 mm drop of red dye impacting on a thin layer of milk.

Centrifugal Instability of an Oscillating Boundary Layer

2009-08-06 09:45:41

A cylinder twisting back and forth in water, produces a "centrifugal instability," as shown by fluorescent dye. This fluid pattern will not only help scientists better understand ocean dynamics, but it is also aesthetically beautiful.

Magnetic Properties of Thin Films

2009-07-02 08:50:25

This spectroscopic image shows what are called microwave-frequency magnetic resonances of an array of parallel, metallic thin film nanowire "stripes". The peak in the center reflects resonances occurring at the stripe edges. The strong horizontal bar of violet, black, and white, is due to resonances in the body of the stripes.

LaserFest Photons

2009-06-16 14:42:35

Photons are the particles that make up light. Who knew that they were also soft and cuddly? Welcome to LaserFest 2010!

Micro-origami

2009-05-26 13:06:19

When you dry your hands after washing them they don�t typically warp and wrinkle. That�s not the same with paper.

Exploding White Dwarf Star

2009-05-07 13:55:46

Astrophysicists are able to "explode a star" in a virtual computational laboratory by applying physics to calculate the mechanism and progression of the explosion.

MHDPD-Magneto Hydro Dynamic Propulsion Device: The Experiment/ The Attenuation

2009-01-22 14:34:26

Red and green dye reveals the turbulent fluid flows from the magneto hydro dynamic propulsion device.

Relativity Train

2009-01-22 14:34:26

This train has endured space and time to teach physics to those wandering through the Bolivian desert.

Cornstarch Dimples

2008-10-08 14:33:25

A vibrating cornstarch solution appears to come alive and grow fingers. A dimple in the fluid created by a burst of air expands into a deep hole.

Bouncing Jets

2008-05-05 14:50:16

Oil is slick but did you know it can also bounce?

Cracking Up

2008-05-05 14:50:16

If you dropped a wineglass, you'd expect it to shatter, not skitter across the floor like a silver goblet.

My Cup Runneth Down

2008-05-05 14:41:13

It might seem intuitively obvious that a layer of dense liquid resting on a less dense liquid is an unstable situation. What isn't as obvious is the complex way that liquids arranged in this manner and tend to move.

Supernovae Surprise

2008-05-05 14:41:13

There's no avoiding the tragic end of a large star's life; it dies in a catastrophic explosion called a supernova.

Steady Drip of Progress

2008-05-05 14:38:20

It flows in rivulets, puddles in depressions, falls from the sky; you can even buy it at Costco--three-dimensional, "bulk" water is everywhere.

Speed Trap

2008-05-05 14:35:17

Like traffic cops with radar guns, physicists can now gauge the speed of electrons in a current.

A 'Soapy' Solution

2008-05-05 14:32:51

Researchers have been frustrated in their attempts to confirm the long-standing theory that describes how dyes mix in turbulent liquids.

Turbulence

2008-05-05 14:29:30

The erratic, swirling fluid motion known as turbulence increases wind resistance, and airplane manufacturers go to great lengths to eliminate rough surfaces that promote it.

Smashing Ions

2008-05-05 14:26:18

Brookhaven National Laboratory's new Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) smashes two high-energy beams of gold nuclei together head-on, in an attempt to create a state of matter, called quark-gluon plasma, that last existed only ten millionths of a second after the Big Bang.

Simply Shocking

2008-05-05 14:22:37

Sparks branch for the same reason that coral reefs and snowflakes do, according to new computer simulations.

Crystal Clear

2008-05-05 12:14:30

When an all-electron Wigner crystal (top) is squeezed too tightly, the electron wave functions begin to overlap (middle), and then create a quantum liquid (bottom).

The Sharpest Focus

2008-05-05 12:10:50

A team of researchers has announced a new technique that allows light to be focused to a smaller spot than ever before.

Red Rover, Red Rover

2008-05-05 12:06:18

With dwindling hope, scientists at the European Space Agency have awaited a nine-note musical message, much like the sound I hear on my daughter's cellphone when it receives a call.

Random Acts of Light

2008-05-05 12:00:42

Somewhere between a light bulb and a laser is an unusual and sometimes puzzling type of light source called a random laser.

Radioactive Hotdog?

2008-05-05 11:56:45

A spark flying between a metal doorknob and your hand is an intricate chain of electrical events.

Thanks for the Memories

2008-05-05 11:52:05

On September 21, 2003 the spacecraft Galileo ended a 14-year mission exploring Jupiter and its four largest moons.

Tiny Tubes

2008-05-05 11:48:54

Entangled pairs of particles, in which measuring the state of one simultaneously determines the state of the other, are a central part of proposed schemes for quantum cryptography and teleportation.

Tracking Traveling Excitons

2008-05-05 11:37:33

Researchers have tracked their first exciton. A team of researchers recently reported that they imaged the wave-like motion of the particle, which is essential to the operation of lasers in CD players and grocery scanners.

Structures of the Early Universe

2008-05-05 11:29:05

Enormous structures in the early universe which are invisible to the unaided eye become apparent when observed using a telescope sensitive to mm-wave light.

Polymers to Polyhedrons

2008-05-05 11:25:30

Nanoparticles covered in stringy polymers might someday form the building blocks for drug delivery systems or disease assays.

A New Twist

2008-05-05 11:04:03

The frictionless flow of atoms within solid helium may be confined to the axis of a screw dislocation, a spiral defect like the one in this crystal of silicon carbide.

Nanotube Nests

2008-05-05 11:00:53

Researchers have assembled carbon nanotubes into arrays of loops, lassos, and hooks.

Molecular Motion

2008-05-05 10:49:52

The scanning tunneling microscope (STM) can make impressive images of single atoms and molecules on surfaces; now it has been used to measure a molecule's internal motion.

Mini-BooNE

2008-05-05 10:46:16

MiniBooNE (mini booster neutrino experiment), a new experiment at Fermilab, has just begun its search for neutrino oscillations.

Mesoscopic Mystery

2008-05-05 10:42:18

Researchers continue to push rival interpretations of a vexing problem in mesoscopic physics, the size scale where quantum and classical worlds co-exist.

The Little Chill

2008-05-05 10:39:14

Some lasers can burn through solids, but others, shined on the right materials, have a chilling effect.

The World's Largest Cyclotron

2008-05-05 10:35:45

If you are asked how a watch works, one of the first things you might do is open one up and look at the parts inside.

In Synch

2008-05-05 10:31:17

Electrons don't normally know one direction from another, so researchers were perplexed a few years ago when they found a cold plane of electrons suddenly choosing to conduct many times better in one direction than in the perpendicular one.

T-ray Vision

2008-05-05 10:09:49

X-rays may be as familiar as your local dentist's office or airport security checkpoint, but it's unlikely that you've ever encountered a powerful T-ray, a beam of terahertz radiation.

Trilobite Molecules

2008-05-05 10:07:07

Researchers predicted the existence of a giant two-atom rubidium molecule with an electron cloud resembling a trilobite, the ancient, hard-shelled creature which lived in the Earth's seas over 300 million years ago.

Turning Circles

2008-05-05 10:04:21

Quantum communication schemes using light normally rely on the two types of photon polarization to encode information a bit at a time.

Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Tadpole

2008-05-05 09:43:13

Against a stunning backdrop of thousands of galaxies, this odd-looking galaxy with the long streamer of stars appears to be racing through space, like a runaway pinwheel firework.

Optical Corral

2008-05-05 09:30:00

If you want to keep a horse confined, put it in a corral. Now, it appears the same thing can be done with light.

Underwater Desert

2008-05-05 09:25:40

Windblown dunes can engulf houses, roads, and airfields, but researchers have had a hard time studying them under controlled conditions.

Veins of Gold

2008-05-05 09:15:56

Researchers dream of building crystals from the ground up to achieve tight control of their periodic structure.

The Incredible Shrinking Nucleus

2008-05-05 09:10:05

Objects in nucleus may be smaller than they appear. At least, that's what current research suggests.

High-Speed Chase

2008-05-05 09:06:17

Relativity theory insists that no matter what speed you choose for your spaceship--snail-like or close to light speed--the laws of physics always look the same.

Galaxies Galore

2008-05-05 09:02:55

Astronomers at the Space Telescope Science Institute today unveiled the deepest portrait of the visible universe ever achieved by humankind.

Flapping Flags

2008-05-05 08:59:54

The symbolic beauty of a flag flying high in the wind is simple to understand.

Fire!

2008-05-05 08:56:16

From bonfires to match sticks, flames usually have simple, predictable shapes.

Plasma Jets

2008-04-24 14:36:09

From the surface of the sun to the violent cores of quasars, many astrophysical objects shoot plasma in sharply defined streams, guided by magnetic fields.

Photonic Phocus

2008-04-24 13:56:46

Astronomers at the Space Telescope Science Institute today unveiled the deepest portrait of the visible universe ever achieved by humankind.

Whole Lotta Shakin' Going On

2008-04-24 13:46:40

Puny tremors may be the real movers and shakers of the seismic world.

Ingenious Algae

2008-04-24 11:45:47

Many of the oceans' algae have evolved natural "sunscreens" as protection from the sun's ultraviolet rays.

The Whole Picture

2008-04-15 16:06:30

Biologists dream of a point-and-shoot camera that can reveal details smaller than a wavelength of light in living cells.

Wholly Ozone

2008-04-15 16:06:30

According to recent research, cosmic rays may be enlarging the hole in the ozone layer.

Good Vibrations

2008-04-15 16:01:40

Born of the marriage of two cutting edge techniques, a new method can image bundles of DNA strands by sensing vibrations within the molecules.

Dripping Faucets

2008-04-10 16:59:09

When the faucet drips, most people call the plumber or get out their tools, but some physicists are content to study the phenomenon instead.

Crystal Cannibals

2008-04-10 16:51:53

The crystallization process that turns a liquid to a solid is brutally competitive, according to an analysis of experiments performed on the Space Shuttle.

Cold Molecules

2008-04-10 16:41:20

Physicists have cooled single atoms and molecules with two or three atoms to just a few thousandths of a degree above absolute zero, but it has proved hard to push larger molecules below about 10 degrees Kelvin.

Doo-Wop Deuteron

2008-04-10 16:41:20

The simplest nucleus in nature is that of the hydrogen isotope, deuterium.

Cold Atoms

2008-04-10 15:46:31

This year's physics Nobel Prize went to three researchers who were the first to observe and study the Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC), a new phase of matter.

The Circle Game

2008-03-28 08:12:06

Like a planet orbiting the sun, some ideas keep coming around. In the 1920s, the inventors of quantum mechanics scuttled the notion that an atom behaves like a tiny solar system.

Crystal Clean

2008-03-16 17:47:40

The chemical reactions that keep sulfur and other pollutants from leaving automobile tailpipes rely on catalysts in the form of microscopic particles dispersed within the large surface area of a porous material.

Corona... Gasp!

2008-03-16 17:37:49

In late October 2002, the time that some parts of the world were observing autumn�s explosion of color, the Sun gave a colorful show of its own to solar physicists.

'Hole' Fiber Fights Cancer

2008-03-16 17:13:49

A holey fiber may be able to plug the "holes" in the list of laser colors is affordable to most scientists.

Catching Neutrinos

2008-03-16 17:06:42

The Sudbury Neutrino Observatory (SNO) in Ontario, Canada has been designed to "catch" neutrinos from the sun.

Catch a Quasiperiodic Wave

2008-02-29 14:26:57

Quasicrystals are unusual metallic alloys whose atoms are arranged in orderly patterns that are not quite crystalline.

Blinding Light

2008-02-29 14:19:40

Light slows down when it enters a medium such as glass or water, and its new speed depends on the material.

All Mixed Up

2008-02-25 13:23:49

If you fill a barrel part-way with red beads, add some green beads, and then roll it around the room a bit, will your beads blend?

Transparent Nuclei

2008-02-25 13:23:49

A two-quark particle shot into a large nucleus is ordinarily absorbed, as its quarks interact with the nuclear quarks. But in some cases it can sail right through. Now a research team has reported that they have observed this so-called color transparency in the lower energy realm, where such quark-scale effects aren't normally seen. The results�which are somewhat controversial�could help theorists who hope to bring the clean calculations of high energy, particle physics down into the messy world of lower energy nuclear physics.

Goldilocks Proteins

2008-02-05 17:17:34

Milky-white cataracts, the world's leading cause of blindness, can occur when proteins in the lens of the eye aggregate, or collect, forming clumps.