Editor's choice
Hawking, warts and all: a new biography of a scientific icon
Graham Farmelo's biography examines the brilliance and the imperfections of one of the world’s most famous scientists
Bound states in the continuum observed in a solid material
Phenomenon could be used to create new quantum devices
Research updates
Rigid hybrid perovskites achieve ultralow thermal conductivity
Exceptional mechanical and thermal properties come from specially engineered organic cations in a layered halide structure
Levitated nanoparticle detects single-atom collisions
Pressure sensors and particle detectors could benefit from research
Earth’s gravity and magnetism have unexpected effects on the human genome and mitochondria
Findings could have implications for space travel and for treating neurodegenerative diseases
To detect deepfake videos, researchers turn to the physics of light
New technique claims 97.8% accuracy and uses less energy than digital neural networks with similar performance
Astronomers propose solution for ‘little red dot’ mystery
Recently observed objects could be black holes that grew extremely quickly during an early stage of their lives
Chiral bristlebot toys shed light on transport dynamics in active matter systems
Leaning in to the natural “handedness” of vibrating bots revealed “qualitatively new phenomena”, say physicists
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Cosmic chronicles: the impact of celestial instabilities on human history
Emma Chapman reviews Ripples on the Cosmic Ocean: How the Solar System Shaped Human History – And May Help Save Our Planet by Dagomar Degroot
Industry should invest in developing and practising storytelling
Scientists must be rewarded for clearly explaining difficult concepts, says Mark Procter
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Explore our two regular podcast series! Physics World Weekly looks at the latest events and headlines in physics, as well as featuring short interviews with scientists and our team of journalists. Physics World Stories takes a more in-depth look at a topic.
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Quiz of the week: what happens to the structure and dynamics of the human genome under microgravity conditions?
Have you been keeping up to date with physics news? Try our short quiz to find out
Read article: Quiz of the week: what happens to the structure and dynamics of the human genome under microgravity conditions?
Why it’s hard to know if students understand a piece of physics
Joshua Biro wonders how we know if a student has really understood a piece of physics
Read article: Why it’s hard to know if students understand a piece of physics
From space to folk music: quantum hackathon explores diverse use cases
The three-day event created a fun, vibrant and collaborative environment for teams of hackers to explore real-world problems that support business growth while benefitting the wide...
Read article: From space to folk music: quantum hackathon explores diverse use cases
One-positron quantum cyclotron could put the Standard Model to the test
Magnetic moment could be measured at unprecedented precision
Read article: One-positron quantum cyclotron could put the Standard Model to the test
The roadmap for runaway electron-induced plasma facing component damage in tokamaks
Join the audience for a live webinar on 10 November 2026 sponsored by IOP Publishing's journal, Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
Read article: The roadmap for runaway electron-induced plasma facing component damage in tokamaks
New 3D form of carbon made in the lab
Like diamond, diamondiyne allotrope forms covalent bonds in three dimensions
Read article: New 3D form of carbon made in the lab
Open-access journal AI Horizons looks to expand the outlook of artificial intelligence
Shiyi Chen, the journal’s editor-in-chief, shares his views
Read article: Open-access journal AI Horizons looks to expand the outlook of artificial intelligence
Custom spectrometers rise to the analytical challenge
By combining in-house manufacturing with engineering expertise, Torrent Photonics works with systems developers to create spectrometry solutions that meet the needs of demanding ap...
Read article: Custom spectrometers rise to the analytical challenge
Reference electrode measurements in electrolysis cells: an EIS view
Join the audience for a live webinar at 6 p.m. GMT/1 p.m. EST on 18 November 2026
Combining two great tools to study your electrolysis cell results in great challenge
Read article: Reference electrode measurements in electrolysis cells: an EIS view
Quiz of the week: how many telescopes will eventually form the Cherenkov Telescope Array Observatory
Have you been keeping up to date with physics news? Try our short quiz to find out
Read article: Quiz of the week: how many telescopes will eventually form the Cherenkov Telescope Array Observatory
When Doi met Peliti: physicists celebrate 50 years of the Doi-Peliti theory
A week-long meeting in Cambridge celebrated Masao Doi’s and Luca Peliti’s pioneering framework to study random processes
Read article: When Doi met Peliti: physicists celebrate 50 years of the Doi-Peliti theory
New type of superionic water ice observed for the first time
Hexagonal close-packed phase could exist deep within the planets Uranus and Neptune, contributing to their peculiar magnetic fields
Read article: New type of superionic water ice observed for the first time
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Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
For more than 60 years, the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) has applied science and technology to make the world a safer place. Its defining responsibility is ensuring the safety, security and reliability of the nation’s nuclear deterrent
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Changes in structure and ionic resistance of lithium-ion battery graphite electrodes
Join the audience for a live webinar at 3 p.m. BST/10 a.m. EDT on 5 August 2026
For modellers and experimentalists: discover how SEI formation and graphite expansion define Li‑ion transport in electrodes
Sponsored by The Electrochemical Society, BioLogic, Hiden Analytical
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Innovations in Applied Mechanics 2026
23—26 September 2026 | London, UK
Innovations in Applied Mechanics brings together two previous, highly successful conferences MPSVA – Modern Practice in Stress and Vibration Analysis and DAMAS – International Conference on Damage Assessment in Structures to present research findings in stress analysis, vibration dynamics and structural damage assessment with the intention of providing directed focus on the state-of-the-art in theoretical and experimental methodology.
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