New Scientist - Physics New Scientist - Physics https://www.newscientist.com/ New Scientist - Physics https://www.newscientist.com/build/images/ns-logo-scaled.ed2dc11a.png https://www.newscientist.com daily 1 Physicists created an imaginary magnetic field in real life https://www.newscientist.com/article/2425525-physicists-created-an-imaginary-magnetic-field-in-real-life/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Tue, 09 Apr 2024 13:00:49 +0100 Researchers have used quantum light to create a magnetic field with a strength that is measured in imaginary numbers 2425525-physicists-created-an-imaginary-magnetic-field-in-real-life|2425525 Bizarre crystal made only of electrons revealed in astonishing detail https://www.newscientist.com/article/2426223-bizarre-crystal-made-only-of-electrons-revealed-in-astonishing-detail/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 10 Apr 2024 17:00:10 +0100 To capture the clearest and most direct images of a “Wigner crystal”, a structure made entirely of electrons, researchers used a special kind of microscope and two pieces of graphene unusually free of imperfections 2426223-bizarre-crystal-made-only-of-electrons-revealed-in-astonishing-detail|2426223 Quantum 'supersolid' matter stirred using magnets https://www.newscientist.com/article/2426035-quantum-supersolid-matter-stirred-using-magnets/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Thu, 11 Apr 2024 19:00:43 +0100 We can’t stir ordinary solids, but one research team now claims to have stirred an extraordinary quantum “supersolid”, generating tiny vortices 2426035-quantum-supersolid-matter-stirred-using-magnets|2426035 How Peter Higgs revealed the forces that hold the universe together https://www.newscientist.com/article/2426501-how-peter-higgs-revealed-the-forces-that-hold-the-universe-together/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Thu, 11 Apr 2024 16:40:29 +0100 The physicist Peter Higgs quietly revolutionised quantum field theory, then lived long enough to see the discovery of the Higgs boson he theorised. Despite receiving a Nobel prize, he remained in some ways as elusive as the particle that shares his name 2426501-how-peter-higgs-revealed-the-forces-that-hold-the-universe-together|2426501 Peter Higgs, physicist who theorised the Higgs boson, has died aged 94 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2426199-peter-higgs-physicist-who-theorised-the-higgs-boson-has-died-aged-94/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Tue, 09 Apr 2024 22:32:55 +0100 Nobel prizewinning theoretical physicist Peter Higgs has died aged 94. He proposed the particle that gives other particles mass – now named the Higgs boson and discovered by the Large Hadron Collider at CERN in 2012 2426199-peter-higgs-physicist-who-theorised-the-higgs-boson-has-died-aged-94|2426199 The physicist searching for quantum gravity in gravitational rainbows https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26134843-500-the-physicist-searching-for-quantum-gravity-in-gravitational-rainbows/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Tue, 26 Mar 2024 16:00:00 +0000 Claudia de Rham thinks that gravitons, hypothetical particles thought to carry gravity, have mass. If she’s right, we can expect to see “rainbows” in ripples in space-time mg26134843-500-the-physicist-searching-for-quantum-gravity-in-gravitational-rainbows|2424008 Physicists have worked out how to melt any material https://www.newscientist.com/article/2424878-physicists-have-worked-out-how-to-melt-any-material/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Fri, 29 Mar 2024 20:00:21 +0000 A new equation shows a surprisingly simple relationship between pressure and the temperature needed to melt any solid substance into a liquid 2424878-physicists-have-worked-out-how-to-melt-any-material|2424878 Hyperelastic gel is one of the stretchiest materials known to science https://www.newscientist.com/article/2424774-hyperelastic-gel-is-one-of-the-stretchiest-materials-known-to-science/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Thu, 28 Mar 2024 18:00:09 +0000 A super-stretchy hydrogel can stretch to 15 times its original length and return to its initial shape, and could be used to make soft inflatable robots 2424774-hyperelastic-gel-is-one-of-the-stretchiest-materials-known-to-science|2424774 Claudia de Rham: In search of the true nature of gravity https://www.newscientist.com/video/2423943-claudia-de-rham-in-search-of-the-true-nature-of-gravity/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Thu, 28 Mar 2024 08:00:14 +0000 Claudia de Rham has spent much of her life dedicated to unravelling the true nature of gravity, thinking deeply about gravitons, the hypothetical carrier of this enigmatic force 2423943-claudia-de-rham-in-search-of-the-true-nature-of-gravity|2423943 We've glimpsed something that behaves like a particle of gravity https://www.newscientist.com/article/2424426-weve-glimpsed-something-that-behaves-like-a-particle-of-gravity/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 27 Mar 2024 16:00:30 +0000 Gravitons, the particles thought to carry gravity, have never been seen in space – but something very similar has been detected in a semiconductor 2424426-weve-glimpsed-something-that-behaves-like-a-particle-of-gravity|2424426 Most accurate clock ever can tick for 40 billion years without error https://www.newscientist.com/article/2423804-most-accurate-clock-ever-can-tick-for-40-billion-years-without-error/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 27 Mar 2024 12:00:36 +0000 The record for the most accurate clock has been broken in an experiment with strontium atoms almost as cold as absolute zero, and it is twice as accurate as any predecessor 2423804-most-accurate-clock-ever-can-tick-for-40-billion-years-without-error|2423804 Why we need to invoke philosophy to judge bizarre concepts in science https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26134833-300-why-we-need-to-invoke-philosophy-to-judge-bizarre-concepts-in-science/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 20 Mar 2024 18:00:00 +0000 Theories of mind and cosmos are inevitably preposterous - knowing how to weigh competing implausibilities can help us decide which we should back mg26134833-300-why-we-need-to-invoke-philosophy-to-judge-bizarre-concepts-in-science|2423193 How to wrap your head around the most mind-bending theories of reality https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26134833-100-how-to-wrap-your-head-around-the-most-mind-bending-theories-of-reality/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 20 Mar 2024 16:00:00 +0000 From the many worlds interpretation to panpsychism, theories of reality often sound absurd. Here’s how you can figure out which ones to take seriously mg26134833-100-how-to-wrap-your-head-around-the-most-mind-bending-theories-of-reality|2422946 ‘Running of the bulls’ festival crowds move like charged particles https://www.newscientist.com/article/2422417-running-of-the-bulls-festival-crowds-move-like-charged-particles/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Tue, 19 Mar 2024 10:00:18 +0000 Researchers have studied the movements of thousands of people waiting for the opening of the San Fermín festival and found they behave like electrons circling in a magnetic field 2422417-running-of-the-bulls-festival-crowds-move-like-charged-particles|2422417 ‘Sound laser’ is the most powerful ever made https://www.newscientist.com/article/2421719-sound-laser-is-the-most-powerful-ever-made/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Fri, 15 Mar 2024 11:00:47 +0000 A new device uses a reflective cavity, a tiny bead and an electrode to create a laser beam of sound particles ten times more powerful and much narrower than other “phonon lasers” 2421719-sound-laser-is-the-most-powerful-ever-made|2421719 Is the universe conscious? It seems impossible until you do the maths https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg24632800-900-is-the-universe-conscious-it-seems-impossible-until-you-do-the-maths/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 29 Apr 2020 07:00:00 +0100 The question of how the brain gives rise to subjective experience is the hardest of all. Mathematicians think they can help, but their first attempts have thrown up some eye-popping conclusions mg24632800-900-is-the-universe-conscious-it-seems-impossible-until-you-do-the-maths|2241831 We may have spotted a parallel universe going backwards in time https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg24532770-400-we-may-have-spotted-a-parallel-universe-going-backwards-in-time/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 08 Apr 2020 07:00:00 +0100 Strange particles observed by an experiment in Antarctica could be evidence of an alternative reality where everything is upside down mg24532770-400-we-may-have-spotted-a-parallel-universe-going-backwards-in-time|2239874 Rethinking space and time could let us do away with dark matter https://www.newscientist.com/article/2422011-rethinking-space-and-time-could-let-us-do-away-with-dark-matter/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 13 Mar 2024 11:19:48 +0000 Most physicists believe that only a quantum theory of gravity can fully explain mysteries of the universe like dark matter, but now an idea called "post-quantum gravity" is demonstrating an alternative approach 2422011-rethinking-space-and-time-could-let-us-do-away-with-dark-matter|2422011 How one theory ties together everything we know about the universe https://www.newscientist.com/article/2420992-how-one-theory-ties-together-everything-we-know-about-the-universe/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Fri, 08 Mar 2024 10:00:56 +0000 All known natural phenomena fit into just a few categories and unifying them all is quantum field theory, says physicist Matt Strassler 2420992-how-one-theory-ties-together-everything-we-know-about-the-universe|2420992 Jupiter’s stormy surface replicated in lab https://www.newscientist.com/article/2420751-jupiters-stormy-surface-replicated-in-lab/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Thu, 07 Mar 2024 14:30:21 +0000 By rotating a tank of water at 75 revolutions per minute, it’s possible to replicate some of the stunning, swirling patterns on Jupiter’s surface 2420751-jupiters-stormy-surface-replicated-in-lab|2420751 A tale of two mysteries: ghostly neutrinos and the proton decay puzzle https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26134810-200-a-tale-of-two-mysteries-ghostly-neutrinos-and-the-proton-decay-puzzle/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 06 Mar 2024 18:00:00 +0000 Searching for the true nature of neutrino particles also provides the perfect experimental conditions to seek evidence of another slippery customer – proton decay, says Chanda Prescod-Weinstein mg26134810-200-a-tale-of-two-mysteries-ghostly-neutrinos-and-the-proton-decay-puzzle|2420266 Future of fusion: How the UK's JET reactor paved the way for ITER https://www.newscientist.com/video/2396239-future-of-fusion-how-the-uks-jet-reactor-paved-the-way-for-iter/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Fri, 01 Mar 2024 17:00:48 +0000 We visited the UK's fusion tokamak, JET, to see how four decades of experimentation is paving the way for ITER, the next-generation reactor in France 2396239-future-of-fusion-how-the-uks-jet-reactor-paved-the-way-for-iter|2396239 UK spurns European invitation to join ITER nuclear fusion project https://www.newscientist.com/article/2419671-uk-spurns-european-invitation-to-join-iter-nuclear-fusion-project/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Fri, 01 Mar 2024 12:25:18 +0000 Since Brexit, the UK no longer has access to ITER, the world's largest nuclear fusion experiment, through the European Union. After an invitation to rejoin this week, the UK government has confirmed it prefers to go it alone 2419671-uk-spurns-european-invitation-to-join-iter-nuclear-fusion-project|2419671 How do you recycle a nuclear fusion reactor? We're about to find out https://www.newscientist.com/article/2419634-how-do-you-recycle-a-nuclear-fusion-reactor-were-about-to-find-out/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Thu, 29 Feb 2024 14:00:34 +0000 The UK's JET nuclear fusion reactor has been shut down after 40 years, and now researchers hope to repurpose many of its components in a world-first attempt at recycling a tokamak reactor 2419634-how-do-you-recycle-a-nuclear-fusion-reactor-were-about-to-find-out|2419634 Tiny magnet could help measure gravity on the quantum scale https://www.newscientist.com/article/2418653-tiny-magnet-could-help-measure-gravity-on-the-quantum-scale/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Fri, 23 Feb 2024 19:00:05 +0000 A device that measures minuscule gravitational forces could help us understand how gravity works on the quantum scale 2418653-tiny-magnet-could-help-measure-gravity-on-the-quantum-scale|2418653 Odd quantum property may let us chill things closer to absolute zero https://www.newscientist.com/article/2418477-odd-quantum-property-may-let-us-chill-things-closer-to-absolute-zero/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Thu, 22 Feb 2024 21:00:09 +0000 We can already cool objects with fridges and with lasers. Now there is a third cooling technique involving special quantum states – and it could, in theory, allow us to reach the lowest temperatures yet 2418477-odd-quantum-property-may-let-us-chill-things-closer-to-absolute-zero|2418477 A single atom could drive a piston in a quantum engine https://www.newscientist.com/article/2417644-a-single-atom-could-drive-a-piston-in-a-quantum-engine/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Thu, 22 Feb 2024 15:00:01 +0000 In a quantum engine, a single atom can emit radiation that bounces around a reflective cavity and creates enough pressure to push down a piston 2417644-a-single-atom-could-drive-a-piston-in-a-quantum-engine|2417644 Why string theory has been unfairly maligned - and how to test it https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26134780-200-why-string-theory-has-been-unfairly-maligned-and-how-to-test-it/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Mon, 12 Feb 2024 16:00:00 +0000 String theory is widely considered beyond empirical investigation. But we could conceivably test it thanks to ancient particles called moduli, which might appear in astronomical observations, says theorist Joseph Conlon mg26134780-200-why-string-theory-has-been-unfairly-maligned-and-how-to-test-it|2416585 The existence of a new kind of magnetism has been confirmed https://www.newscientist.com/article/2417255-the-existence-of-a-new-kind-of-magnetism-has-been-confirmed/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 14 Feb 2024 16:00:02 +0000 Altermagnets, theorised to exist but never before seen, have been measured for the first time and they could help us make new types of magnetic computers 2417255-the-existence-of-a-new-kind-of-magnetism-has-been-confirmed|2417255 Quantum quirk explains why carbon dioxide causes global warming https://www.newscientist.com/article/2416418-quantum-quirk-explains-why-carbon-dioxide-causes-global-warming/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Tue, 13 Feb 2024 08:00:55 +0000 A phenomenon called the Fermi resonance, which affects how molecules vibrate, is responsible for a large part of carbon dioxide’s planet-warming effect 2416418-quantum-quirk-explains-why-carbon-dioxide-causes-global-warming|2416418 Quantum Cheshire Cat effect may separate a particle from its momentum https://www.newscientist.com/article/2416409-quantum-cheshire-cat-effect-may-separate-a-particle-from-its-momentum/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Mon, 12 Feb 2024 08:00:45 +0000 A quantum experiment that could separate a particle’s properties from its mass has physicists arguing over how reality works in the quantum world 2416409-quantum-cheshire-cat-effect-may-separate-a-particle-from-its-momentum|2416409 Einstein may be wrong about how mirrors travelling at light speed work https://www.newscientist.com/article/2416211-einstein-may-be-wrong-about-how-mirrors-travelling-at-light-speed-work/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Fri, 09 Feb 2024 09:00:57 +0000 In 1905, Einstein discovered a paradox in the predicted behaviour of mirrors travelling at impossible speeds, but it may now have been resolved 2416211-einstein-may-be-wrong-about-how-mirrors-travelling-at-light-speed-work|2416211 UK nuclear fusion reactor sets new world record for energy output https://www.newscientist.com/article/2415909-uk-nuclear-fusion-reactor-sets-new-world-record-for-energy-output/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Thu, 08 Feb 2024 13:00:05 +0000 In its final experiments before being shut down for good last year, the UK's JET reactor set a world record for the energy output of a fusion reaction 2415909-uk-nuclear-fusion-reactor-sets-new-world-record-for-energy-output|2415909 Why physicists are rethinking the route to a theory of everything https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26134773-000-why-physicists-are-rethinking-the-route-to-a-theory-of-everything/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 07 Feb 2024 16:00:00 +0000 Physicists’ search for a theory that explains all reality in one framework appeared to have stalled. But now they are reinvigorating the hunt by exploring a wild landscape of abstract geometry mg26134773-000-why-physicists-are-rethinking-the-route-to-a-theory-of-everything|2415857 Nuclear fusion reaction releases almost twice the energy put in https://www.newscientist.com/article/2414681-nuclear-fusion-reaction-releases-almost-twice-the-energy-put-in/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Mon, 05 Feb 2024 16:00:09 +0000 The US National Ignition Facility has achieved even higher energy yields since breaking even for the first time in 2022, but a practical fusion reactor is still a long way off 2414681-nuclear-fusion-reaction-releases-almost-twice-the-energy-put-in|2414681 A bold new take on quantum theory could reveal how reality emerges https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26134762-400-a-bold-new-take-on-quantum-theory-could-reveal-how-reality-emerges/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Tue, 30 Jan 2024 16:02:00 +0000 At the smallest scales, everything is made out of a cloud of quantum possibilities. A new idea attempts to explain how our everyday world comes from this, using the laws of thermodynamics mg26134762-400-a-bold-new-take-on-quantum-theory-could-reveal-how-reality-emerges|2414790 Record broken for the coldest temperature reached by large molecules https://www.newscientist.com/article/2414896-record-broken-for-the-coldest-temperature-reached-by-large-molecules/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 31 Jan 2024 16:00:32 +0000 Four-atom molecules glued together by microwaves have broken the record for being the most complicated molecule to reach temperatures just billionths of a degree away from absolute zero 2414896-record-broken-for-the-coldest-temperature-reached-by-large-molecules|2414896 Heating and cooling seem to be fundamentally different, not opposites https://www.newscientist.com/article/2414361-heating-and-cooling-seem-to-be-fundamentally-different-not-opposites/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Mon, 29 Jan 2024 08:00:23 +0000 Conventional thermodynamics says that heating and cooling are essentially mirror images of each other, but an experiment with a tiny silica sphere suggests otherwise 2414361-heating-and-cooling-seem-to-be-fundamentally-different-not-opposites|2414361 Snowflakes fall to the ground according to a universal pattern https://www.newscientist.com/article/2409457-snowflakes-fall-to-the-ground-according-to-a-universal-pattern/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Tue, 19 Dec 2023 16:00:25 +0000 After analysing the way half a million snowflakes fell during mountain storms in Utah, researchers found surprising similarities 2409457-snowflakes-fall-to-the-ground-according-to-a-universal-pattern|2409457 Scientists created a ‘giant quantum vortex’ that mimics a black hole https://www.newscientist.com/article/2412676-scientists-created-a-giant-quantum-vortex-that-mimics-a-black-hole/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 17 Jan 2024 13:00:17 +0000 Black holes can be difficult to study, so researchers have made a powerful quantum vortex in a tank of superfluid helium that acts as a simulation of a black hole 2412676-scientists-created-a-giant-quantum-vortex-that-mimics-a-black-hole|2412676 Why we should all be concerned about the shortage of science teachers https://www.newscientist.com/article/2411269-why-we-should-all-be-concerned-about-the-shortage-of-science-teachers/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 10 Jan 2024 18:00:00 +0000 From Australia to the UK, the global shortage of science teachers will have a damaging effect on diversity and equity in science, says physics teacher Alom Shaha 2411269-why-we-should-all-be-concerned-about-the-shortage-of-science-teachers|2411269 First working graphene semiconductor could lead to faster computers https://www.newscientist.com/article/2410612-first-working-graphene-semiconductor-could-lead-to-faster-computers/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Thu, 04 Jan 2024 12:02:37 +0000 Researchers have created a functional semiconductor from graphene for the first time, creating the possibility of computer chips with greater performance and efficiency 2410612-first-working-graphene-semiconductor-could-lead-to-faster-computers|2410612 Supernova neutrinos could break physics – if we can make sense of them https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26134722-200-supernova-neutrinos-could-break-physics-if-we-can-make-sense-of-them/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 03 Jan 2024 16:00:00 +0000 Neutrinos produced inside an exploding star could betray exotic particles that would lead to a deeper theory of physics. Will our detectors be ready in time for the next nearby supernova? mg26134722-200-supernova-neutrinos-could-break-physics-if-we-can-make-sense-of-them|2410317 5 must-see time travel movies reviewed by a metaphysicist https://www.newscientist.com/video/5-5-must-see-time-travel-movies-reviewed-by-a-metaphysicist/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Mon, 01 Jan 2024 10:02:39 +0000 From Back to the Future to Tenet and Interstellar, cinema can explore time travel in many imaginative ways. Metaphysicist, Kristie Miller reviews five of her favourites 5-5-must-see-time-travel-movies-reviewed-by-a-metaphysicist|2410386 Cocktail science: Mix these drinks and learn about fluid dynamics https://www.newscientist.com/video/2409877-cocktail-science-mix-these-drinks-and-learn-about-fluid-dynamics/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Sat, 30 Dec 2023 16:00:24 +0000 Josh Howgego explores four cocktails that demonstrate the weird physics of fluids, and how you can try them at home 2409877-cocktail-science-mix-these-drinks-and-learn-about-fluid-dynamics|2409877 Quantum state of matter made with 'dipolar' molecules for first time https://www.newscientist.com/article/2409964-quantum-state-of-matter-made-with-dipolar-molecules-for-first-time/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Fri, 29 Dec 2023 13:00:10 +0000 A quantum state of matter comprising molecules with opposite charges at each end has been made for the first time. It could help probe our understanding of the quantum properties of exotic materials 2409964-quantum-state-of-matter-made-with-dipolar-molecules-for-first-time|2409964 Human cells have a resonant frequency – and it’s just barely audible https://www.newscientist.com/article/2409699-human-cells-have-a-resonant-frequency-and-its-just-barely-audible/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Thu, 28 Dec 2023 07:00:31 +0000 Like a tuning fork, living human cells have frequencies at which they naturally vibrate – and now we have estimates for what some of them are 2409699-human-cells-have-a-resonant-frequency-and-its-just-barely-audible|2409699 Springs made from rusty metallic glass could power nanorobots https://www.newscientist.com/article/2409232-springs-made-from-rusty-metallic-glass-could-power-nanorobots/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Thu, 28 Dec 2023 12:00:50 +0000 Most metals oxidise, or rust, when exposed to air, which normally weakens them, but a kind of metallic glass instead gets more springy 2409232-springs-made-from-rusty-metallic-glass-could-power-nanorobots|2409232 Dark stars may be waiting in a mirror universe for us to discover them https://www.newscientist.com/article/2408830-dark-stars-may-be-waiting-in-a-mirror-universe-for-us-to-discover-them/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Mon, 25 Dec 2023 12:00:10 +0000 Physicists have proposed that a mirror universe alongside our own might explain dark matter ­– and we might be able to see traces of its stars 2408830-dark-stars-may-be-waiting-in-a-mirror-universe-for-us-to-discover-them|2408830 Quantum physicists just got more certain about quantum uncertainty https://www.newscientist.com/article/2409067-quantum-physicists-just-got-more-certain-about-quantum-uncertainty/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Thu, 21 Dec 2023 08:00:44 +0000 An extension of Heisenberg's uncertainty principle, which places limits on how precisely you can measure the properties of quantum objects, has found that it really isn't possible to cheat the laws of quantum physics 2409067-quantum-physicists-just-got-more-certain-about-quantum-uncertainty|2409067 The laws of physics were broken in 2023 - by sperm https://www.newscientist.com/article/2408702-the-laws-of-physics-were-broken-in-2023-by-sperm/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 20 Dec 2023 12:00:53 +0000 New Scientist's most popular story of the year was about the discovery that sperm break Isaac Newton's third law of motion 2408702-the-laws-of-physics-were-broken-in-2023-by-sperm|2408702 Famous quantum experiment could be shrunk to the size of a single atom https://www.newscientist.com/article/2409196-famous-quantum-experiment-could-be-shrunk-to-the-size-of-a-single-atom/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 20 Dec 2023 13:00:28 +0000 A single, extremely cold atom could play the role of two slits in the classic double-slit experiment from quantum physics, something that was previously thought to be impossible 2409196-famous-quantum-experiment-could-be-shrunk-to-the-size-of-a-single-atom|2409196 Make these four classic cocktails and become a fluid dynamics expert https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26034691-900-make-these-four-classic-cocktails-and-become-a-fluid-dynamics-expert/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Tue, 12 Dec 2023 16:00:00 +0000 Delicious drinks can be the perfect miniature laboratory for demonstrating the weird physics of fluids. Here are four of the best examples and how you can try them at home mg26034691-900-make-these-four-classic-cocktails-and-become-a-fluid-dynamics-expert|2407674 LK-99 superconductor mania swept the internet for a few weeks in 2023 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26034690-200-lk-99-superconductor-mania-swept-the-internet-for-a-few-weeks-in-2023/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 13 Dec 2023 18:00:00 +0000 The promise of a material that could revolutionise the way we use electricity captured imaginations on social media, which also helped researchers quickly determine that LK-99 wasn't what it seemed mg26034690-200-lk-99-superconductor-mania-swept-the-internet-for-a-few-weeks-in-2023|2407648 Video inside centrifuge shows we don’t fully understand fluid physics https://www.newscientist.com/article/2407923-video-inside-centrifuge-shows-we-dont-fully-understand-fluid-physics/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Fri, 15 Dec 2023 16:00:06 +0000 The first footage from inside a centrifuge has uncovered unexpected swirls and vortices inside shower gel and other fluids 2407923-video-inside-centrifuge-shows-we-dont-fully-understand-fluid-physics|2407923 Mystery of the quantum lentils: Are legumes exchanging secret signals? https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26034691-200-mystery-of-the-quantum-lentils-are-legumes-exchanging-secret-signals/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Tue, 12 Dec 2023 16:00:00 +0000 For 100 years, we have puzzled over the purpose of biophotons, low-level radiation emitted by all plants. Precision studies of lentils now hint that it could be a form of quantum communication mg26034691-200-mystery-of-the-quantum-lentils-are-legumes-exchanging-secret-signals|2407667 Seams on a baseball shift its trajectory by unexpectedly large amount https://www.newscientist.com/article/2406130-seams-on-a-baseball-shift-its-trajectory-by-unexpectedly-large-amount/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Thu, 07 Dec 2023 15:00:32 +0000 When a baseball is tilted and spinning just right, its raised, hand-stitched seams skew the process by which its wake is created and radically shift its trajectory in the air 2406130-seams-on-a-baseball-shift-its-trajectory-by-unexpectedly-large-amount|2406130 Why I've been somewhat obsessed with space-time this year https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26034680-200-why-ive-been-somewhat-obsessed-with-space-time-this-year/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 06 Dec 2023 18:00:00 +0000 I have been revisiting the Unruh effect, a beautiful, strange concept that describes quantum field theory in curved-space time, says Chanda Prescod-Weinstein mg26034680-200-why-ive-been-somewhat-obsessed-with-space-time-this-year|2406758 Why adding water when you grind coffee beans makes for a better brew https://www.newscientist.com/article/2406880-why-adding-water-when-you-grind-coffee-beans-makes-for-a-better-brew/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 06 Dec 2023 16:00:21 +0000 Coffee aficionados often add a drop of water to their beans before grinding – now scientists have shown that this leads to less mess and a more flavourful espresso 2406880-why-adding-water-when-you-grind-coffee-beans-makes-for-a-better-brew|2406880 The wonder particle: How axions could solve more than just dark matter https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26034670-700-the-wonder-particle-how-axions-could-solve-more-than-just-dark-matter/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 29 Nov 2023 16:00:00 +0000 Physicists are coming to realise that hypothetical particles called axions could explain not only dark matter, but dark energy too, and more besides. Now there is fresh impetus to detect them mg26034670-700-the-wonder-particle-how-axions-could-solve-more-than-just-dark-matter|2404889 Physicists have worked out how to pour water as quietly as possible https://www.newscientist.com/article/2404565-physicists-have-worked-out-how-to-pour-water-as-quietly-as-possible/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Thu, 30 Nov 2023 11:00:08 +0000 The sound of pouring water into a cup can be tamped down by changing the height of the pour or the diameter of the spout, but physicists have found that changing just one of these never makes it fully silent 2404565-physicists-have-worked-out-how-to-pour-water-as-quietly-as-possible|2404565 Physicists find ultimate limit for how accurate clocks can be https://www.newscientist.com/article/2405140-physicists-find-ultimate-limit-for-how-accurate-clocks-can-be/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Tue, 28 Nov 2023 10:48:30 +0000 A fundamental trade-off between the resolution of a clock and its accuracy could have important implications for quantum computers, which must measure short timescales accurately 2405140-physicists-find-ultimate-limit-for-how-accurate-clocks-can-be|2405140 A mysterious, incredibly energetic cosmic ray has smashed into Earth https://www.newscientist.com/article/2404603-a-mysterious-incredibly-energetic-cosmic-ray-has-smashed-into-earth/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Thu, 23 Nov 2023 19:00:26 +0000 A cosmic ray dubbed Amaterasu is the second most powerful one we have ever seen, beaten only by the "Oh-My-God particle". Both have baffled astronomers and defy explanation 2404603-a-mysterious-incredibly-energetic-cosmic-ray-has-smashed-into-earth|2404603 Lasers fired at crystals could uncover quantum nature of the vacuum https://www.newscientist.com/article/2403363-lasers-fired-at-crystals-could-uncover-quantum-nature-of-the-vacuum/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Fri, 17 Nov 2023 19:00:45 +0000 Ultra-short laser pulses may allow us to measure entanglement in a way that answers questions about the quantum nature of the vacuum 2403363-lasers-fired-at-crystals-could-uncover-quantum-nature-of-the-vacuum|2403363 Tiny lasers can be made from soap bubbles https://www.newscientist.com/article/2402943-tiny-lasers-can-be-made-from-soap-bubbles/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Thu, 16 Nov 2023 12:00:48 +0000 Shining light on bubbles made from soapy water mixed with a fluorescent dye turns them into tiny lasers that can work as pressure sensors 2402943-tiny-lasers-can-be-made-from-soap-bubbles|2402943 Ultracold atoms in space will let us stress test Einstein's relativity https://www.newscientist.com/article/2402740-ultracold-atoms-in-space-will-let-us-stress-test-einsteins-relativity/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 15 Nov 2023 16:00:47 +0000 Potassium and rubidium atoms aboard the International Space Station have been cooled almost to absolute zero to put a fundamental principle of Einstein’s general theory of relativity to the ultimate test 2402740-ultracold-atoms-in-space-will-let-us-stress-test-einsteins-relativity|2402740 Our sketchy understanding of the big bang is ripe for reimagining https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26034643-200-our-sketchy-understanding-of-the-big-bang-is-ripe-for-reimagining/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 08 Nov 2023 18:00:00 +0000 Cosmologists have come to see the early universe as a whole series of transformations, or phase transitions, opening the door to intriguing possibilities for what really happened during the big bang mg26034643-200-our-sketchy-understanding-of-the-big-bang-is-ripe-for-reimagining|2401743 A second big bang? The radical idea rewriting dark matter’s origins https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26034640-300-a-second-big-bang-the-radical-idea-rewriting-dark-matters-origins/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 08 Nov 2023 15:00:00 +0000 The enduring mystery of dark matter has led some physicists to propose that it was forged in a distinct moment of cosmic creation, potentially transforming our view of the early universe mg26034640-300-a-second-big-bang-the-radical-idea-rewriting-dark-matters-origins|2401121 First practical use for nuclear fusion could help cancer treatment https://www.newscientist.com/article/2399777-first-practical-use-for-nuclear-fusion-could-help-cancer-treatment/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Fri, 10 Nov 2023 14:00:11 +0000 Fusion reactors could be used to produce radioactive isotopes for hospitals way before they become useful power generators 2399777-first-practical-use-for-nuclear-fusion-could-help-cancer-treatment|2399777 Why the quantum universe is weirder than you think https://www.newscientist.com/article/2400473-why-the-quantum-universe-is-weirder-than-you-think/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Fri, 10 Nov 2023 07:00:21 +0000 The quantum realm is full of strange effects, but there’s a reason why everything looks normal from our point of view, writes physicist Sebastian Deffner 2400473-why-the-quantum-universe-is-weirder-than-you-think|2400473 Physicists have invented a new way to shake a martini https://www.newscientist.com/article/2401492-physicists-have-invented-a-new-way-to-shake-a-martini/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Thu, 09 Nov 2023 19:00:29 +0000 Shaking a martini glass back and forth creates an intricate vortex pattern in the cocktail that takes on a different shape depending on the physical properties of the drink 2401492-physicists-have-invented-a-new-way-to-shake-a-martini|2401492 Bubble collisions underwater may create tiny droplets in sea spray https://www.newscientist.com/article/2401950-bubble-collisions-underwater-may-create-tiny-droplets-in-sea-spray/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Thu, 09 Nov 2023 08:00:30 +0000 We have long struggled to explain why sea spray contains so many tiny water droplets – now, experiments suggest the droplets may be created underwater when bubbles collide and merge 2401950-bubble-collisions-underwater-may-create-tiny-droplets-in-sea-spray|2401950 Superconductor hopes dashed after journal retracts ‘red matter’ study https://www.newscientist.com/article/2401794-superconductor-hopes-dashed-after-journal-retracts-red-matter-study/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 08 Nov 2023 13:19:22 +0000 Nature has retracted the scientific paper that claimed earlier this year that the wonder material known as “red matter” was the world’s first room-temperature superconductor 2401794-superconductor-hopes-dashed-after-journal-retracts-red-matter-study|2401794 Quantum batteries could charge better by breaking rules of causality https://www.newscientist.com/article/2401198-quantum-batteries-could-charge-better-by-breaking-rules-of-causality/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Fri, 03 Nov 2023 21:13:05 +0000 Taking advantage of a quantum phenomenon called indefinite causal order could make quantum batteries charge more efficiently 2401198-quantum-batteries-could-charge-better-by-breaking-rules-of-causality|2401198 World's most sensitive force sensor measures in ‘quectonewtons’ https://www.newscientist.com/article/2400075-worlds-most-sensitive-force-sensor-measures-in-quectonewtons/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 01 Nov 2023 09:00:59 +0000 The quantum behaviours of extremely cold rubidium atoms can be used to detect forces smaller than a tenth of what is needed to lift a single electron 2400075-worlds-most-sensitive-force-sensor-measures-in-quectonewtons|2400075 Is space-time quantum? Six ways to unpick the fabric of the universe https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26034621-500-is-space-time-quantum-six-ways-to-unpick-the-fabric-of-the-universe/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 25 Oct 2023 15:00:00 +0100 One of the biggest questions in physics asks whether space-time is classical or quantum in nature. From slow neutrinos to quantum foam, these experiments are hoping to finally answer it mg26034621-500-is-space-time-quantum-six-ways-to-unpick-the-fabric-of-the-universe|2399123 The Great Sphinx of Giza may have been blown into shape by the wind https://www.newscientist.com/article/2399750-the-great-sphinx-of-giza-may-have-been-blown-into-shape-by-the-wind/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Fri, 27 Oct 2023 15:00:58 +0100 As rock is carved by the wind, it can take on a sphinx-like shape, meaning the Great Sphinx in Egypt may have been partly formed through natural processes 2399750-the-great-sphinx-of-giza-may-have-been-blown-into-shape-by-the-wind|2399750 Quantum flywheel could be fashioned from super-sized charged atoms https://www.newscientist.com/article/2399060-quantum-flywheel-could-be-fashioned-from-super-sized-charged-atoms/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Fri, 27 Oct 2023 09:00:20 +0100 A flywheel helps smooth the output of mechanical energy from an engine, and now there is a blueprint for making a quantum version 2399060-quantum-flywheel-could-be-fashioned-from-super-sized-charged-atoms|2399060 The physicist trying to create space-time from scratch https://www.newscientist.com/article/2399292-the-physicist-trying-to-create-space-time-from-scratch/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 25 Oct 2023 17:00:00 +0100 Monika Schleier-Smith is testing the idea that space-time emerges, like a hologram, from quantum interactions by attempting to make it in the lab 2399292-the-physicist-trying-to-create-space-time-from-scratch|2399292 Sperm caught breaking Newton's third law of motion https://www.newscientist.com/article/2397442-sperm-caught-breaking-newtons-third-law-of-motion/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Fri, 20 Oct 2023 15:00:31 +0100 Some biological cells swim freely in a way that apparently breaks one of Newton’s laws of motion – but only if they have strange elastic properties 2397442-sperm-caught-breaking-newtons-third-law-of-motion|2397442 Strange upward lightning shoots out X-rays as it rises to the clouds https://www.newscientist.com/article/2397616-strange-upward-lightning-shoots-out-x-rays-as-it-rises-to-the-clouds/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 18 Oct 2023 20:00:35 +0100 Tall buildings made from electrically conductive materials can send lightning bolts up into the heavens during a thunderstorm, and they generate X-rays at the same time 2397616-strange-upward-lightning-shoots-out-x-rays-as-it-rises-to-the-clouds|2397616 Could nuclear weapons testing resume as global tensions rise? https://www.newscientist.com/article/2397254-could-nuclear-weapons-testing-resume-as-global-tensions-rise/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Tue, 17 Oct 2023 10:49:47 +0100 Only North Korea has detonated nuclear weapons during the 21st century, but recent indications suggest Russia, the US and China are preparing to resume tests 2397254-could-nuclear-weapons-testing-resume-as-global-tensions-rise|2397254 Hiroshi Sugimoto: 'I'm borrowing important scientists' experiences' https://www.newscientist.com/video/2397246-hiroshi-sugimoto-im-borrowing-important-scientists-experiences/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Thu, 12 Oct 2023 13:00:35 +0100 Hiroshi Sugimoto's retrospective puts the influential photographer's scientific inspiration on show 2397246-hiroshi-sugimoto-im-borrowing-important-scientists-experiences|2397246 Nobel prize for physics goes to trio who sliced up time with light https://www.newscientist.com/article/2395567-nobel-prize-for-physics-goes-to-trio-who-sliced-up-time-with-light/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Tue, 03 Oct 2023 12:05:09 +0100 Pierre Agostini, Ferenc Krausz and Anne L’Huillier figured out how to generate attosecond pulses of light, which last a billionth of a billionth of a second and can be used to make movies of electrons - a find that has won them the 2023 Nobel prize in physics 2395567-nobel-prize-for-physics-goes-to-trio-who-sliced-up-time-with-light|2395567 Large Hadron Collider turned into world's biggest quantum experiment https://www.newscientist.com/article/2395452-large-hadron-collider-turned-into-worlds-biggest-quantum-experiment/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Tue, 03 Oct 2023 10:00:36 +0100 Physicists have used the famous particle smasher to investigate the strange phenomena of quantum entanglement at far higher energies than ever before 2395452-large-hadron-collider-turned-into-worlds-biggest-quantum-experiment|2395452 Force that holds atoms together measured more precisely than ever https://www.newscientist.com/article/2395023-force-that-holds-atoms-together-measured-more-precisely-than-ever/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Mon, 02 Oct 2023 19:00:56 +0100 We know less about the strength of the strong force than of any of the other fundamental forces of nature, but researchers at CERN have now made the most precise measurement of it ever 2395023-force-that-holds-atoms-together-measured-more-precisely-than-ever|2395023 Raisins and nuts dance in fizzy drinks and now we know why https://www.newscientist.com/article/2393578-raisins-and-nuts-dance-in-fizzy-drinks-and-now-we-know-why/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Thu, 28 Sep 2023 15:00:56 +0100 Dropping raisins, nuts or other small objects in a fizzy liquid makes them dance up and down for hours because they keep gaining and losing bubbles 2393578-raisins-and-nuts-dance-in-fizzy-drinks-and-now-we-know-why|2393578 Inside ALPHA-g: The detector measuring gravity's effect on antimatter https://www.newscientist.com/video/2394556-inside-alpha-g-the-detector-measuring-gravitys-effect-on-antimatter/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 27 Sep 2023 18:26:05 +0100 New research has shown that if you drop a piece of antimatter, it will fall down to the ground just like regular matter.  We visited CERN's antimatter factory to find out more 2394556-inside-alpha-g-the-detector-measuring-gravitys-effect-on-antimatter|2394556 Antimatter definitely doesn't fall up, physicists confirm https://www.newscientist.com/article/2394304-antimatter-definitely-doesnt-fall-up-physicists-confirm/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 27 Sep 2023 17:00:43 +0100 In a blow for the hopes of antigravity machines, the first ever test of how antimatter responds to gravity confirms it falls down, not up 2394304-antimatter-definitely-doesnt-fall-up-physicists-confirm|2394304 Quantum engine could power devices with an ultracold atom cloud https://www.newscientist.com/article/2394278-quantum-engine-could-power-devices-with-an-ultracold-atom-cloud/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 27 Sep 2023 17:00:02 +0100 A quantum engine that works by toggling the properties of an ultracold atom cloud could one day be used to charge quantum batteries 2394278-quantum-engine-could-power-devices-with-an-ultracold-atom-cloud|2394278 Twisted lasers could let us send messages with gravitational waves https://www.newscientist.com/article/2393613-twisted-lasers-could-let-us-send-messages-with-gravitational-waves/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Mon, 25 Sep 2023 10:00:47 +0100 Ripples in space-time called gravitational waves are normally associated with massive objects like black holes, but we could make our own using lasers – and perhaps even use them to communicate 2393613-twisted-lasers-could-let-us-send-messages-with-gravitational-waves|2393613 Squeezing loofah sponges creates enough electricity to power LEDs https://www.newscientist.com/article/2393438-squeezing-loofah-sponges-creates-enough-electricity-to-power-leds/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Mon, 25 Sep 2023 21:00:06 +0100 Sponges derived from luffa plants could act as tiny power sources for small devices, say researchers - but they may not supply enough energy to be practical 2393438-squeezing-loofah-sponges-creates-enough-electricity-to-power-leds|2393438 The world’s brightest X-ray machine has been turned on https://www.newscientist.com/article/2392138-the-worlds-brightest-x-ray-machine-has-been-turned-on/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Mon, 18 Sep 2023 15:00:37 +0100 The LCLS-II X-ray laser is unprecedentedly bright, and will make it possible to record exactly what atoms and molecules do during photosynthesis and other chemical reactions 2392138-the-worlds-brightest-x-ray-machine-has-been-turned-on|2392138 City-wide quantum communication network in China is most advanced yet https://www.newscientist.com/article/2391405-city-wide-quantum-communication-network-in-china-is-most-advanced-yet/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Thu, 14 Sep 2023 11:00:45 +0100 A network that connects quantum devices and a central server that spans Hefei, China, can allow multiple secure quantum chats at once 2391405-city-wide-quantum-communication-network-in-china-is-most-advanced-yet|2391405 The quantum world: A concise guide to the particles that make reality https://www.newscientist.com/article/2367423-the-quantum-world-a-concise-guide-to-the-particles-that-make-reality/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 05 Apr 2023 17:30:00 +0100 Get to grips with the deepest layer of reality we know of with our inventory of the subatomic realm, from known particles like quarks and the Higgs boson to hypotheticals including the fifth force and strings in 11 dimensions 2367423-the-quantum-world-a-concise-guide-to-the-particles-that-make-reality|2367423 Roger Penrose: "Consciousness must be beyond computable physics" https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25634130-100-roger-penrose-consciousness-must-be-beyond-computable-physics/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Mon, 14 Nov 2022 18:41:00 +0000 The mathematician shares his latest theories on quantum consciousness, the structure of the universe and how to communicate with civilisations from other cosmological aeons mg25634130-100-roger-penrose-consciousness-must-be-beyond-computable-physics|2346668 How soap operas can help us understand special relativity https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25934561-000-how-soap-operas-can-help-us-understand-special-relativity/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 13 Sep 2023 19:00:00 +0100 Time scales in my favourite soap opera Emmerdale make no sense, but maybe this helps avid fans to normalise the concept of time dilation, says Chanda Prescod-Weinstein mg25934561-000-how-soap-operas-can-help-us-understand-special-relativity|2391511 Physicists can complete our amazing, imperfect picture of reality https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25934553-800-physicists-can-complete-our-amazing-imperfect-picture-of-reality/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 06 Sep 2023 19:00:00 +0100 On its 50th anniversary, the standard model of particle physics remains an unfinished masterpiece. The quest to finally fill in the blanks should be treated not with frustration but joyful anticipation mg25934553-800-physicists-can-complete-our-amazing-imperfect-picture-of-reality|2390833 Why nature is the ultimate quantum engineer https://www.newscientist.com/article/2390076-why-nature-is-the-ultimate-quantum-engineer/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Fri, 08 Sep 2023 08:00:06 +0100 Historically, researchers believed that quantum properties disappear at the scale of biology, but there is increasing evidence that this isn't the full story, says physicist Clarice Aiello 2390076-why-nature-is-the-ultimate-quantum-engineer|2390076 Six ways we could finally find new physics beyond the standard model https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25934553-700-six-ways-we-could-finally-find-new-physics-beyond-the-standard-model/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 06 Sep 2023 15:00:00 +0100 Leading physicists explain how they think we will discover the new particles or forces that would complete one of science's greatest unfinished masterpieces mg25934553-700-six-ways-we-could-finally-find-new-physics-beyond-the-standard-model|2390618