Physics

  1. Physics

    New type of material that heat can’t bloat

    A newfound material exhibits the desirable property of not expanding when heated over a wide temperature range, but from an apparent cause never seen before—electrons changing positions inside the new compound's crystal structure.

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  2. Physics

    Shedding Light on the Infrared

    For students and teachers, this NASA-sponsored Web site offers illuminating insights into infrared light. It explains the fundamentals of infrared astronomy, using animations, images, classroom lessons and activities, games, and more. Take a look at infrared views of familiar objects, from Yellowstone’s “Old Faithful” geyser to a pot-bellied pig. Go to: http://coolcosmos.ipac.caltech.edu/

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  3. Physics

    A Spin through Space-Time

    After 40 years of preparation, satellite Gravity Probe B is scheduled to launch next month and test the prediction that massive bodies, such as Earth, twist space itself as they rotate.

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  4. Physics

    Super Spinner: Seven-atom speck acts like superfluid

    Scientists have for the first time directly observed the onset in liquid helium of superfluidity—a quantum-mechanical state in which liquids flow without friction—as helium atoms accumulated one by one to form a droplet of liquid around a gas molecule.

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  5. Physics

    New Quarktet: Subatomic oddity hints at pentaparticle family

    Evidence for the second particle ever found to include five of the fundamental building blocks known as quarks and antiquarks suggests that a whole family of such so-called pentaquarks exists.

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  6. Physics

    Cassini confirms Einstein’s theory

    En route to a 2004 rendezvous with Saturn, the Cassini spacecraft has verified a key prediction of Einstein’s theory of general relativity to an accuracy 50 times better than that of previous measurements.

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  7. Physics

    Hot Crystal

    In seeming violation of one of the laws of physics, a new type of metal microstructure promises to lead to far more efficient incandescent light bulbs and also to boost the development of light-based microcircuits and heat-to-electricity generators.

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  8. Materials Science

    A Soft Touch: Imaging technique reveals hidden atoms

    Researchers have devised a new imaging technique for visualizing every carbon atom in the basic unit of graphite.

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  9. Materials Science

    Charging cartilage

    A hybrid material made of biodegradable polymers and carbon nanotubes yields an optimal scaffold for growing cartilage.

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  10. Materials Science

    Soft spheres yield photonic structures

    A novel technique for patterning light-guiding channels through photonic crystals made of hydrogel nanoparticles may lead to faster, all-optical telecommunications technologies.

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  11. Materials Science

    Molecular Memory: Carbon-nanotube device stores data in molecules

    Scientists have created a memory device in which data are encoded in switching molecules called catenanes that are attached to a carbon nanotube.

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  12. Physics

    One-Atom Laser: Trapped atom shoots steady light beam

    A single, ultracold cesium atom sandwiched between two mirrors yields the most orderly beam of laser light ever.

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