T he 2023 Nobel Prize in Chemistry has been awarded to Alexei Ekimov of Nanocrystals Technology in New York, Louis Brus of Columbia University, and Moungi Bawendi of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for their work on the development of nanoscale particles known as quantum dots: specks of matter so small that quantum effects make their size rather than their chemical composition the key determinant of their electronic and optical behavior. The award has left somemischievously asking if it is for chemistry or for physics. In fact, it’s a bit of both: quantum physics is needed to understand the properties of quantum dots, while ingenious chemistry is needed to make them.
{"title":"<i>Chemistry Nobel Prize:</i> Quantum Rules Provide Controllable Colors","authors":"Philip Ball","doi":"10.1103/physics.16.174","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1103/physics.16.174","url":null,"abstract":"T he 2023 Nobel Prize in Chemistry has been awarded to Alexei Ekimov of Nanocrystals Technology in New York, Louis Brus of Columbia University, and Moungi Bawendi of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for their work on the development of nanoscale particles known as quantum dots: specks of matter so small that quantum effects make their size rather than their chemical composition the key determinant of their electronic and optical behavior. The award has left somemischievously asking if it is for chemistry or for physics. In fact, it’s a bit of both: quantum physics is needed to understand the properties of quantum dots, while ingenious chemistry is needed to make them.","PeriodicalId":20136,"journal":{"name":"Physics","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"134945401","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
F ive to ten percent of the black holes in galaxies sit at the center of an accretion disk, where blobs of plasma slowly lose angular momentum and spiral inward to feed the black hole. In a simulation, Nicholas Kaaz of Northwestern University, Illinois, and his collaborators now find that for a rapidly spinning black hole surrounded by a thin, tilted disk this “eating” process is quicker andmessier than previously thought [1].
{"title":"New Way for a Black Hole to be a Messy Eater","authors":"Charles Day","doi":"10.1103/physics.16.173","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1103/physics.16.173","url":null,"abstract":"F ive to ten percent of the black holes in galaxies sit at the center of an accretion disk, where blobs of plasma slowly lose angular momentum and spiral inward to feed the black hole. In a simulation, Nicholas Kaaz of Northwestern University, Illinois, and his collaborators now find that for a rapidly spinning black hole surrounded by a thin, tilted disk this “eating” process is quicker andmessier than previously thought [1].","PeriodicalId":20136,"journal":{"name":"Physics","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135547594","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
W ithout verbal communication, a group of 100 longhorn crazy ants can simultaneously grab onto an object 10,000 times their weight and collectively walk it to their nest. Scientists understand the ant-behavioral rules behind this feat but have lacked a coarse-grained description of how the groupmoves. Tabea Heckenthaler of the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel and her colleagues now provide that description, showing that it fits expectations for a self-propelled particle [1]. The finding offers a simplified route to modeling complex systems.
{"title":"Crazy Ants Behave like Active Swimmers","authors":"Katherine Wright","doi":"10.1103/physics.16.s144","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1103/physics.16.s144","url":null,"abstract":"W ithout verbal communication, a group of 100 longhorn crazy ants can simultaneously grab onto an object 10,000 times their weight and collectively walk it to their nest. Scientists understand the ant-behavioral rules behind this feat but have lacked a coarse-grained description of how the groupmoves. Tabea Heckenthaler of the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel and her colleagues now provide that description, showing that it fits expectations for a self-propelled particle [1]. The finding offers a simplified route to modeling complex systems.","PeriodicalId":20136,"journal":{"name":"Physics","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135547596","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Researchers demonstrate a method to reduce the energy spread of electrons used in electron microscopes, opening the door to time- and energy-resolved studies of quasiparticles such as phonons and plasmons.
{"title":"Narrower-Energy Electron Pulses without Electron Loss","authors":"Katherine Wright","doi":"10.1103/physics.16.s147","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1103/physics.16.s147","url":null,"abstract":"Researchers demonstrate a method to reduce the energy spread of electrons used in electron microscopes, opening the door to time- and energy-resolved studies of quasiparticles such as phonons and plasmons.","PeriodicalId":20136,"journal":{"name":"Physics","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135646930","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
N ext-generation gravitational-wave detectors need to be less noisy if they are going to help solve lingering mysteries about black holes and neutron stars. One avenue for reducing noise is to improve the quality of the reflective materials used to determine gravitational-wave-induced length changes in such detectors. Now tests of gallium arsenide, a promising alternative mirror substance, reveal an unexpected amount of noise in the light-reflection properties of thin films made from thematerial [1]. The experiments were performed at cryogenic temperatures, which are being considered for some—but not all—future gravitational-wave detectors. Further testing is needed to assess the potential impact of this new noise on mirror design choices.
{"title":"Unexpected Noise in Next-Generation Mirror Material","authors":"Michael Schirber","doi":"10.1103/physics.16.170","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1103/physics.16.170","url":null,"abstract":"N ext-generation gravitational-wave detectors need to be less noisy if they are going to help solve lingering mysteries about black holes and neutron stars. One avenue for reducing noise is to improve the quality of the reflective materials used to determine gravitational-wave-induced length changes in such detectors. Now tests of gallium arsenide, a promising alternative mirror substance, reveal an unexpected amount of noise in the light-reflection properties of thin films made from thematerial [1]. The experiments were performed at cryogenic temperatures, which are being considered for some—but not all—future gravitational-wave detectors. Further testing is needed to assess the potential impact of this new noise on mirror design choices.","PeriodicalId":20136,"journal":{"name":"Physics","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135789084","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"<i>Nobel Prize</i> <i>:</i> Flashes of Light Catch Electrons in the Act","authors":"Michael Schirber","doi":"10.1103/physics.16.171","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1103/physics.16.171","url":null,"abstract":"short","PeriodicalId":20136,"journal":{"name":"Physics","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135789083","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
P hysicists simplify problems to make calculations easier, but doing so risks neglecting important physical properties, as illustrated by the fabled spherical cow in a vacuum, for example. For decades, oversimplification was thought to explain why thin-walled cones crumple under smaller loads than predicted by theory. Researchers suspected that the descrepancy might result from imperfections in real cones that are absent from theoretically ideal cones. Now Daniel Duffy of the University of Cambridge and his colleagues show that the biggest problem is not that models lack those microscopic details, but that the models assume the wrong boundary conditions [1]. Their result could have implications for the emerging field of soft robotics.
{"title":"Perfect Cones Are as Weak as They Seem","authors":"Marric Stephens","doi":"10.1103/physics.16.s137","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1103/physics.16.s137","url":null,"abstract":"P hysicists simplify problems to make calculations easier, but doing so risks neglecting important physical properties, as illustrated by the fabled spherical cow in a vacuum, for example. For decades, oversimplification was thought to explain why thin-walled cones crumple under smaller loads than predicted by theory. Researchers suspected that the descrepancy might result from imperfections in real cones that are absent from theoretically ideal cones. Now Daniel Duffy of the University of Cambridge and his colleagues show that the biggest problem is not that models lack those microscopic details, but that the models assume the wrong boundary conditions [1]. Their result could have implications for the emerging field of soft robotics.","PeriodicalId":20136,"journal":{"name":"Physics","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135789082","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
F ew would ever admit it, but some scientists dream of getting a call on an early October morning from a Scandinavian area code. Winning a Nobel Prize is never a guarantee even for highly lauded scientists, but certain huge discoveries beg for recognition. The first detection of gravitational waves in 2015 is a perfect example. The Nobel Committee didn’t wait long to honor this breakthrough with its 2017 prize in physics.
{"title":"Golden Ticket to Stockholm","authors":"Michael Schirber","doi":"10.1103/physics.16.168","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1103/physics.16.168","url":null,"abstract":"F ew would ever admit it, but some scientists dream of getting a call on an early October morning from a Scandinavian area code. Winning a Nobel Prize is never a guarantee even for highly lauded scientists, but certain huge discoveries beg for recognition. The first detection of gravitational waves in 2015 is a perfect example. The Nobel Committee didn’t wait long to honor this breakthrough with its 2017 prize in physics.","PeriodicalId":20136,"journal":{"name":"Physics","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135902447","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
T he advent of ChatGPT, Bard, and other large language models (LLM) has naturally excited everybody, including the entire physics community. There are many evolving questions for physicists about LLMs in particular and artificial intelligence (AI) in general. What do these stupendous developments in large-data technology mean for physics? How can they be incorporated in physics? What will be the role of machine learning (ML) itself in the process of physics discovery?
{"title":"How AI and ML Will Affect Physics","authors":"Sankar Das Sarma","doi":"10.1103/physics.16.166","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1103/physics.16.166","url":null,"abstract":"T he advent of ChatGPT, Bard, and other large language models (LLM) has naturally excited everybody, including the entire physics community. There are many evolving questions for physicists about LLMs in particular and artificial intelligence (AI) in general. What do these stupendous developments in large-data technology mean for physics? How can they be incorporated in physics? What will be the role of machine learning (ML) itself in the process of physics discovery?","PeriodicalId":20136,"journal":{"name":"Physics","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135902441","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
C onverting waste heat from renewable-energy technologies into electricity could reduce the need for fossil-fuel power stations—but only if that energy can be stored efficiently, for example, in a thermal battery. Researchers have partially solved this problem by designing batteries with vacuum insulation panels that reduce thermal leakage to the environment. But the useful energy available to the system can diminish even if environmental heat loss is reduced to zero. Now Christian Cierpka of the Technical University of Ilmenau, Germany, and colleagues have explored one such energy drain: mixing of hot and cold regions within a fluid-based energy-storage device [1]. The results could aid in the design of more-efficient thermal-energy-storage systems, potentially making such facilities useful as backups for intermittent renewable-energy sources.
{"title":"Turbulent Jets Doubly Detrimental to Fluid-Based Batteries","authors":"Katherine Wright","doi":"10.1103/physics.16.s141","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1103/physics.16.s141","url":null,"abstract":"C onverting waste heat from renewable-energy technologies into electricity could reduce the need for fossil-fuel power stations—but only if that energy can be stored efficiently, for example, in a thermal battery. Researchers have partially solved this problem by designing batteries with vacuum insulation panels that reduce thermal leakage to the environment. But the useful energy available to the system can diminish even if environmental heat loss is reduced to zero. Now Christian Cierpka of the Technical University of Ilmenau, Germany, and colleagues have explored one such energy drain: mixing of hot and cold regions within a fluid-based energy-storage device [1]. The results could aid in the design of more-efficient thermal-energy-storage systems, potentially making such facilities useful as backups for intermittent renewable-energy sources.","PeriodicalId":20136,"journal":{"name":"Physics","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135902750","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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