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US orders universities to audit foreign research ties

Move by the US Department of Defense affects 30 research universities

A building at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Researchers propose ‘economic Q’ metric for judging fusion power plant viability

New framework includes 10 parameters that can be used to evaluate the viability of fusion

Critics deride US administration’s ‘golden age of science’ report

The document comes as the administration looks to cut the science budget for 2027

Future of UK physics threatened by ‘ruinous’ funding cuts, says Institute of Physics

The cuts at UK Research and Innovation have resulted in the cancellation of several significant international projects

Astronomers express outrage after regulators approve ‘space mirror’ permit

Proposal involves the launch of a private satellite to test reflecting sunlight onto the Earth’s surface

Private investment in fusion firms jumps by $4.5bn

Some 70% of fusion firms still expect private fusion to deliver commercial electricity by the 2030s

Research updates

Radiation shielding vest could reduce cancer risk for astronauts on deep space missions

A new personal radiation shielding vest tested during the Artemis I flight could significantly reduce the radiation dose that future astronauts might receive

Testing the AstroRad vest inside the Orion spacecraft

Quantum voting system aims to keep ballots secret

Two teams implement entanglement-based protocol

Researchers harness sunlight to generate quantum entanglement

Sunlight may provide an energy-efficient alternative to lasers used in quantum computing

Using sunlight to produce entangled photons

Earthquake sensors reveal vital information about how hurricanes move and grow

Seismic stations in Louisiana have been found to provide insights into Hurricane Isaac

Protons and neutrons are more than just groups of three quarks

Comparison between theoretical models and experimental data favours alternative “baryon junctions” picture

Set of two diagrams. The first shows a particle containing three different-coloured quarks connected by a y-shaped link flying through space and colliding with something. The second diagram shows the three quarks continuing to fly through space while the proton and its y-shaped link is stopped.

No quantum advantage (yet) in the world of tensor networks

Classical computation is more accurate that quantum annealer for some Ising spin glasses

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Features

Big science seeks big wins from sustainability efforts

Joe McEntee examines attempts to make particle accelerators more sustainable

Green energy in particle accelerators concept illustration

The physics of novel computation: beyond bits and chips to spikes and spins

Sidney Perkowitz looks into alternative computing methods inspired by physics to improve computational efficiency and power

How women physicists in India are breaking down barriers and shaping the future

Kaveri Hukku, Asima Pradhan and Urbasi Sinha describe their journeys as physicists in India

Earth from space with India lit up with lights in the night

AI’s black box problem: discovering physics we don’t understand

Claire Malone wonders what happens if AI produces answers we can’t – or don’t – understand

Cartoon illustration of a man trying to understand an AI robot's output

From ideas to industry: a theoretical physicist’s journey into Silicon Valley

From a classroom science demonstration to using quantum optics to improve the energy efficiency of deep learning – Ryan Hamerly on his career path

**‘Amaze, amaze, amaze’: in Project Hail Mary, science and friendship save the day**

Andrew Glester and Tushna Commissariat delve into the science and story of Project Hail Mary

Spaceships from the movie Project Hail Mary

From the blog

Physics-based simulations could improve earthquake-damage predictions, why aren’t they being used?

Discussion and debate at the US National Conference on Earthquake Engineering

The 12 August 2026 partial solar eclipse as seen from the Isle of Wight

Sean G Ryan snaps an astronomical spectacle that captured the public imagination

New image captures glowing shock waves in the Helix Nebula

Data were taken with the MOTHRA telescope, which is still under construction

New material was created in Hiroshima nuclear explosion

Rapid cooling locked in unusual crystal structure in silicon-rich metal alloy

Microscope images of a metal sphere found in hiroshimaite

Astronomers capture highest-resolution image ever of the Sun’s surface

Picture reveals tiny plasma whirlpool-like patterns that have never been seen before

Quantum
Blog

Can a 16-year-old really understand quantum teleportation?

Leron Borsten and Shanti Pise report from a week-long event that sought to teach quantum physics to teenagers

leron borsten teaching quantum physics at a blackboard

Analysis

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Careers at the frontier of space technology

The European Space Agency recruits from all over Europe (and beyond) to further its mission of peacefully exploring and using space for the benefit of everyone

Nanopositioning, customization and control: opening new frontiers in optical computing

SmarAct and Akhetonics have developed a test platform for next-generation optical processors

Redefining radiotherapy QA: meeting the needs of modern treatment workflows

Radiotherapy QA must adapt to a new era of adaptive treatments, AI and automation

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