Physics
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Materials Science
Cellulose that stiffens and softens
A material inspired by sea cucumbers morphs from rigid to soft.
- Physics
Too speedy for gravity?
A new analysis suggests that five different spacecraft gained more speed as they flew past Earth than can be accounted for by Einstein's theory of gravitation.
- Physics
Black Hole of Light: Laser pulses create model of event horizon
Physicists have created the optical analog of a black hole's surface of no return, a setup that could help test whether actual black holes glow.
- Physics
Birds network too
Starlings in a flock adjust their trajectories to those of their closest neighbors, which helps the flock stay together when under attack.
- Physics
Extreme Measures
Physicists use atom interferometry to measure gravity and other forces with unrivaled precision, and the technique could potentially guide airplanes and uncover buried caches of oil and diamonds.
- Materials Science
Fishy flash
Fish alter the growth of crystals in their skin, making it supershiny.
- Physics
Scanner Darkly: Tiny venetian blinds enhance radiography
Microscopic gratings that select scattered X rays might improve luggage screening and cancer detection.
- Materials Science
Life in Print
Tissues printed with an ink-jet could provide patches for damaged organs, new cell-based materials for drug testing, new ways to probe cellular communication, living sensors, or even fuel cell–type batteries.
- Physics
Supercool, and Strange
Scientists tracking H2O's highs and lows are finding new clues as to how and why the familiar substance is so odd. Recent research, for example, suggests that water may exist in two distinct liquid phases at ultralow temperatures.
- Physics
Dusty Fireball: Can lab-made blob explain ball lightning?
Artificial cousins of ball lightning contain microscopic particles, just like a model says they should. With video.
- Physics
Bathtub Optics: Bending light also shifts it sideways
When light bends at an interface, it also shifts depending on its polarization. With animation.
- Physics
Tiptoe acrobats get it just right
Physicists have found that a water-skating insect leaps off the water surface by applying just the right amount of force. With video.
