This Week in Physics — Why Death Valley Is Full of Polygons

This Week in Physics Magazine — February 27, 2023 Focus Why Death Valley Is Full of Polygons February 24, 2023 The geometric patterns on dry, salty lake beds are generated by convection of high- and low-salinity water underground, according to simulations and observations. Viewpoint Finding Nonlinearities in Black Hole Ringdowns Swetha Bhagwat – February 22, 2023 Simulations show that nonlinear spacetime dynamics manifest in the postmerger gravitational-wave signal of binary black hole coalescence. Viewpoint Water is Behind the Electrification of Sand Marco G. Mazza – February 27, 2023 The results of new experiments indicate that surface-adsorbed water molecules are responsible for contact electrification in granular matter, a finding that challenges established models of this phenomenon. Q&A Turbulent Dance of Cloud Droplets February 24, 2023 Rama Govindarajan models how turbulence influences the growth of droplets in clouds, information relevant to understanding the influence of these billowy masses on climate. synopsis A New Rheometer for Particle Suspensions February 24, 2023 The "capillarytron" lets researchers access mechanical properties of very dense suspensions. synopsis Improved Readout of Spin Qubits February 23, 2023 Two teams demonstrate an innovative way to measure the states of spin-based qubits—a key task in quantum computing. synopsis Freezing Particle Motion with a Matrix February 22, 2023 Researchers predict that the "scattering matrix" of a collection of particles could be used to slow the particles down, potentially allowing for the cooling of significantly more particles than is possible with current techniques. 1 Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740 © 2023 American Physical Society | All rights reserved View Email Online You are receiving this message because you signed up to receive Physics Magazine email alerts or are a member of APS. Manage Email Preferences.

This Week in Physics — Electrons Filming Themselves

This Week in Physics Magazine — February 21, 2023 Viewpoint Electrons Filming Themselves Mette Gaarde – February 21, 2023 Two groups demonstrate innovative ways to capture the ultrafast motion of electrons in atoms and molecules. Focus Secret of Flow-Induced Electric Currents Revealed February 17, 2023 Vibrations are the main drivers of a mysterious process in which a liquid flow generates an electric current in the solid below it. Research News Evidence Found for a Majorana "Cousin" February 15, 2023 Researchers report the measurement of a "poor man's" Majorana—a nontopological version of the Majorana fermion—a finding that they hope will reinvigorate the Majorana field. synopsis A New Route to Room-Temperature Ferromagnets February 21, 2023 A novel crystalline material is readily grown from low-melting-temperature mixtures—a result that points toward a new route to above-room-temperature ferromagnets. Research News Researchers Spot a Ferron February 17, 2023 Experimental measurements of a quasiparticle called a ferron indicate that ferrons could be used to turn ferroelectric materials into thermal switches, devices that can be used to control heat flow in engines. synopsis How To Grow Silicon Carbide February 14, 2023 Adapting a method for making graphene, researchers have created a 2D honeycomb material that is predicted to have desirable mechanical, thermal, and optical properties. Viewpoint Searching for New Physics with the Electron's Magnetic Moment Saïda Guellati-Khelifa – February 13, 2023 Measurements of the magnetic moment of the electron have achieved unprecedented accuracy, showing great potential for the search for physics beyond the standard model. synopsis How Walls Change a Colloid's Diffusivity February 15, 2023 An analytical model paired with precise experimental measurements explains the origin of the complex dynamics of a colloidal particle close to a flat surface. 1 Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740 © 2023 American Physical Society | All rights reserved View Email Online You are receiving this message because you signed up to receive Physics Magazine email alerts or are a member of APS. Manage Email Preferences.

This Week in Physics — Searching for New Physics with the Electron’s Magnetic Moment

This Week in Physics Magazine — February 13, 2023 Viewpoint Searching for New Physics with the Electron's Magnetic Moment Saïda Guellati-Khelifa – February 13, 2023 Measurements of the magnetic moment of the electron have achieved unprecedented accuracy, showing great potential for the search for physics beyond the standard model. Video Juggling Water Drops February 10, 2023 An oscillating surface wave in a liquid can "catch" and "throw" a liquid drop in a stable cycle. Research News A Tiny Laser Device Could Reveal Alien Life February 9, 2023 A team of researchers has reduced the size of a laser-based mass spectrometer to optimize its use for future life-detection missions. synopsis Don't Be Sold on Black Hole Imitators February 7, 2023 The results of new simulations negate the argument that some objects thought to be black holes are instead hypothetical exotic systems called bosonic stars. synopsis Searching for Ghost Particles with a Mechanical Sensor February 8, 2023 Researchers have proposed a new method to search for invisible particles called sterile neutrinos using a glass nanoparticle suspended by laser light. synopsis A Hydrodynamic Version of Superradiance February 9, 2023 Experiments reveal a hydrodynamic analog of an important effect in quantum optics called superradiance. 1 Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740 © 2023 American Physical Society | All rights reserved View Email Online You are receiving this message because you signed up to receive Physics Magazine email alerts or are a member of APS. Manage Email Preferences.