This Week in Physics — Life at the South Pole Science Station

This Week in Physics Magazine — April 3, 2023 Special Feature Podcast: Life at the South Pole Science Station March 28, 2023 Two physicists and a chef talk about the joys and challenges of spending the entire polar winter at the Amundsen–Scott South Pole Station. Research News New Accuracy Record for Molecular Lattice Clock March 28, 2023 Researchers have attained a 100-fold increase in the accuracy of a molecular clock that could serve as a terahertz-frequency standard and as a platform for investigating new physics. Research News Racial Inequity in Key Publication Metrics March 30, 2023 Non-white scientists—in particular Black scientists—are underrepresented on editorial boards, receive proportionally fewer citations, and experience longer review times for their papers, factors that can all impact their career prospects. synopsis Quantum on a Microgram Scale March 29, 2023 An experiment with an acoustic resonator demonstrates the quantum superposition of $10^{16}$ atoms—nearly matching the ability of matter interferometers to test quantumness on macroscopic scales. synopsis Exploring the Borders of the Nuclear Landscape March 31, 2023 Scientists have precisely measured the masses of 19 neutron-rich nuclei, discovering a new isotope of uranium in the process. Focus How Order Emerges in Bendy Beam Bunches April 3, 2023 The behavior of a collection of squeezed elastic beams is determined by geometry, not by complex forces. synopsis Spinning Heat in Reverse March 30, 2023 When spun fast enough, a cold object can transfer heat to a nearby hot object. 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 — Superconducting Vortices Made Without Magnetic Fields

This Week in Physics Magazine — March 27, 2023 Viewpoint Superconducting Vortices Made Without Magnetic Fields Niladri Banerjee and Jason W. A. Robinson – March 27, 2023 A quantum phase of matter detected in an iron-based superconductor could host Majorana zero modes—quasiparticles that may serve as building blocks for future quantum computers. Research News Publishing Science in a War Zone March 24, 2023 The Ukrainian Journal of Physics has managed to keep publishing during the past year, offering an outlet for physicists in the war-torn country. synopsis Heavy-Flavor Properties Get an Update March 23, 2023 The Heavy Flavor Averaging Group has released new world averages for properties of "heavy-flavor" particle decays—an update aimed at improving our understanding of flavor physics. Focus Beaming in a Spin Texture March 24, 2023 Researchers use an optical vortex beam to create a stable pattern of electron spins in a thin layer of semiconductor material. Research News Eyes Help Shrimp Hide March 23, 2023 Using a photonic glass made of crystalline nanospheres crustaceans can change the color of their eyes for effective camouflaging. synopsis Sensing Fish at a Distance March 22, 2023 The whiskers of some marine mammals are sensitive to the turbulent wakes left by fish. A new experiment investigates how this process works over different distances. synopsis Highest-Order Electromagnetic Transition Observed March 24, 2023 Observations deliver evidence of an exotic "sixth-order" electromagnetic transition in the gamma-ray emission of an iron isotope, a finding that could provide new ways to test nuclear models. Viewpoint Droplets Come to Life David Zwicker – March 20, 2023 Phase separation within cells creates droplets whose chemical activity leads to surprising mobility that serves cellular function and hints at the origin of life. synopsis Deciphering Single-Molecule Fluorescence March 21, 2023 Spatial maps of the light emitted by an excited molecule reveal how the emission depends on the molecule's charge states. 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 — The Cosmos as a Colloid

This Week in Physics Magazine — March 20, 2023 Research News The Cosmos as a Colloid March 14, 2023 A new methodology for analyzing the 3D distribution of galaxies borrows techniques from the study of colloids and other disordered materials. Focus "Off Switch" Makes Explosives Safer March 17, 2023 An explosive material fabricated with a highly porous structure is inactive but is easily "switched on" when filled with water. Viewpoint Droplets Come to Life David Zwicker – March 20, 2023 Phase separation within cells creates droplets whose chemical activity leads to surprising mobility that serves cellular function and hints at the origin of life. Q&A Physics Education for the Incarcerated March 13, 2023 Erin Flowers adapts laboratory courses for incarcerated students, an endeavor that she says is both challenging and rewarding. Viewpoint The Impact of Ions on DNA Jeffery C. Chancellor – March 13, 2023 A study of the electron excitation response of DNA to proton radiation has elucidated mechanisms of damage incurred during proton radiotherapy. synopsis Hitting Rewind on Quantum Processes March 14, 2023 A new technique for reversing the evolution of a quantum system could become a key tool in quantum information technology. synopsis A Better Production Line for Atom Arrays March 15, 2023 A new algorithm can organize hundreds of atoms into pristine patterns—including a honeycomb lattice, a fractal called a Sierpiński triangle, and a lion's head. Research News Universal Quantum Logic through Spin Swapping March 17, 2023 Researchers have demonstrated quantum gate operations in a system where voltage pulses cause neighboring electron spins to swap with one another. synopsis A Watery Probe for Ion–Electron Interactions March 17, 2023 Researchers have developed a method for measuring the strength of certain ion–electron interactions in water, with initial tests throwing up unexpected results. synopsis How Microswimmers Push Through Solid-Like Fluids March 16, 2023 If a helical bacteria's tail propulsion is strong enough to deform the yield-stress fluid ahead of the swimmer, locomotion proceeds. 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.