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Superconductivity theorist Leon Cooper dies aged 94

Cooper carried out research into superconductivity and neuroscience

US Department of Energy announces new Fermilab contractor

Yet some see little change in the selection of Fermi Forward Discovery Group

People
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Semiconductor pioneer Richard Friend bags 2024 Isaac Newton Medal and Prize

Friend won for his work on the fundamental electronic properties of molecular semiconductors and in their engineering development

People
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Pioneers of AI-based protein-structure prediction share 2024 chemistry Nobel prize

Protein designer is also honoured in this year’s award

People
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John Hopfield and Geoffrey Hinton share the 2024 Nobel Prize for Physics

Duo win for their work on machine learning

European Space Agency launches Hera mission to investigate asteroid ‘crash-scene’

Hera will perform a close-up examination of a 2022 impact on Dimorphos by NASA's DART mission

Research updates

Diagram showing a blue neutron star at the centre of magnetic field lines and a yellow-green cloud representing a haze of axions. While some axions escape, and are represented by a red squiggly arrow pointing outwards, others become bound and interact with the magnetic field, producing photons (represented by blue squiggly arrows pointing outwards).

Axion clouds around neutron stars could reveal dark matter origins

Interactions between these as-yet hypothetical particles and neutron stars' strong magnetic field would produce photons that radio telescopes can detect

A nanoplatelet, shown as a yellow block of material, with hundreds of blue, worm-like ligand structures attached to its surface

Nanocrystal shape affects molecular binding

Flatter nanocrystals are unexpectedly good at getting ligands to attach to them, which could have applications in electronics and biomedical science

Mysterious brown dwarf is two objects, not one

Binary nature of Gliese 229 B explains its lacklustre brightness

Photo of a small bonfire at night in a forest clearing with flames rising skywards. A camera on a tripod and other equipment are silhouetted against the flames, and aluminium baking trays can be seen scattered around the forest floor near the fire.

Bursts of embers play outsized role in wildfire spread, say physicists

Experiments on tracking firebrands could improve predictions of spot-fire risks

Chip-based optical tweezers manipulate microparticles and cells from a distance

Integrated optical phased array uses a tightly focused beam of light to trap and manipulate biological particles

Two distinct descriptions of nuclei unified for the first time

Hybrid approach focuses on short-range-correlated nucleon pairs

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Features

From buckyballs to biological membranes: ISIS celebrates 40 years of neutron science

As ISIS – the UK’s muon and neutron source – turns 40, Rosie de Laune and colleagues from ISIS explore the past, present and future of neutron scattering

Fractal art created from particle paths in the Large Hadron Collider

How a next-generation particle collider could unravel the mysteries of the Higgs boson

Tulika Bose, Philip Burrows and Tara Shears discuss proposals for the next big particle collider

Pele’s hair-raising physics: glassy gifts from a volcano goddess

Volcanic hairs and tears reveal a wealth of information about what lies within lava

‘Sometimes nature will surprise us.’ Juan Pedro Ochoa-Ricoux on eureka moments and the future of neutrino physics

Particle physicist Juan Pedro Ochoa-Ricoux talks about how the next generation of neutrino experiments will test the boundaries of the Standard Model

Field work – the physics of sheep, from phase transitions to collective motion

Physics sheds a new insight on the behaviour of sheep flocks, helping with new tips on shepherding

illustration of silhouettes in a physics or engineering abstract background

Taking the leap – how to prepare for your future in the quantum workforce

Katherine Skipper and Tushna Commissariat interview three experts in the quantum arena, to get their advice on careers in the quantum market

From the blog

Universe’s lifespan too short for monkeys to type out Shakespeare’s works, finds study

About 200,000 monkeys could type out “I chimp, therefore I am” before the universe ends, however

AI enters the fold with the 2024 Nobel Prize for Physics:

Matin Durrani is pleased that the 2024 Nobel Prize for Physics brings AI under physicists' wing

First look at prototype telescope for the LISA gravitational-wave mission

The telescopes will be used to send and receive infrared laser beams between the three satellites in space

**Gems from the Physics World archive: Isaac Asimov**

Science-fiction fans in the Physics World team have a clear favourite from 36 years of articles

Image of a quantum technology laboratory at the University of Cambridge

Quantum
Blog

Passing the torch: The “QuanTour” light source marks the International Year of Quantum

Katherine Skipper visits the Cavendish laboratory in Cambridge to catch a quantum light source that’s touring Europe for the International Year of Quantum

Top-cited authors from China discuss the importance of citation metrics

More than 90 papers from China have been recognized with a top-cited paper award for 2024 from IOP Publishing

Analysis

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IHEP-SDU in search of ‘quantum advantage’ to open new frontiers in high-energy physics

Opportunities in quantum science and technology a high priority for China’s high-energy physicists

The winners of the 2024 UK Quantum Hackathon

Quantum hackathon makes new connections

The 2024 UK Quantum Hackathon set new standards for engagement and collaboration

User working with the RadCalc QA platform

RadCalc QA: ensuring safe and efficient radiotherapy throughout Australia

Cancer care provider GenesisCare is using LAP’s RadCalc platform to perform software-based quality assurance of all its radiotherapy treatment plans

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