Researchers solve mystery of how gas bubbles form in liquid The formation of air bubbles in a liquid appears very similar to its inverse process, the formation of liquid droplets from, say, a dripping water faucet. But the physics involved is actually quite di …
Building a better electron gun The successful test of the LCLS-II electron gun (see related article) marks the culmination of an R&D effort spanning more than a decade at the Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley Nation …
100-year-old physics model replicates modern Arctic ice melt The Arctic is melting faster than we thought it would. In fact, Arctic ice extent is at a record low. When that happens—when a natural system behaves differently than scientists expect—it's time …
Using waves to move droplets Controlling individual droplets leads to more efficient self-cleaning surfaces and lab-on-a-chip implementations. University of Groningen professor Patrick Onck and colleagues from Eindhoven Universit …
Quantum simulation could help flights run on time A powerful new form of computing could help scientists design new types of materials for nanoelectronics, allow airlines to solve complex logistical problems to ensure flights run on time, and tackle …
Oscillating quasiparticles: the cycle of decay and rebirth Decay is relentless in the macroscopic world: Broken objects do not fit themselves back together again. However, other laws are valid in the quantum world: New research shows that so-called quasiparti …
Gaining a better understanding of what happens when two atoms meet An international team of researchers has demonstrated a new way to gain a detailed understanding of what happens when two atoms meet. In their paper published in the journal Physical Review Letters, t …
Laser trick produces high-energy terahertz pulses A team of scientists from DESY and the University of Hamburg has achieved an important milestone in the quest for a new type of compact particle accelerator. Using ultra-powerful pulses of laser light …
Discovery of light-induced ferroelectricity in strontium titanate Light can be used not only to measure materials' properties, but also to change them. Especially interesting are those cases in which the function of a material can be modified, such as its abili …
Small currents for big gains in spintronics University of Tokyo researchers have created an electronic component that demonstrates functions and abilities important to future generations of computational logic and memory devices. It is between …
Diffusing wave paradox may be used to design micro-robotics Amoeba are unusual creatures that form when a dispersed population of cells spontaneously comes together and reorganizes itself into a multicellular macroscopic organism. To do this, a few leader cell …
Hybrid nanostructure steps up light-harvesting efficiency To absorb incoming sunlight, plants and certain kinds of bacteria rely on a light-harvesting protein complex containing molecules called chromophores. This complex funnels solar energy to the photosyn …
An interaction of slipping beams Accelerators generate beams of subatomic particles for cutting-edge science. The greater a beam's intensity, the more opportunities there are to study particle interactions. One way to increase t …
New result in hunt for mysterious magnetic monopoles Cutting a magnet in half yields two magnets, each with its own north and south pole. This apparent absence of an isolated magnetic pole, or "magnetic monopole," has puzzled physicists for mo …
Tracking major sources of energy loss in compact fusion facilities A key obstacle to controlling on Earth the fusion that powers the sun and stars is leakage of energy and particles from plasma, the hot, charged state of matter composed of free electrons and atomic n …