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Quantum science & technology: Highlights of 2021
Physics World picks the best and most intriguing results from this fast-moving field
How the technology we create changes us
Kate Gardner reviewsThe Alchemy of Us: How Humans and Matter Transformed One Another by Ainissa Ramirez
NASA launches flagship $10bn James Webb Space Telescope
Mission will probe exoplanet atmospheres as well as a peer back some 300 million years after the Big Bang when some of the first galaxies existed
Research updates
Brain stimulation delivers pain relief without adverse side effects
Microelectrode arrays that deliver electrical stimulation to the brain could provide therapy for neurological diseases from chronic pain to Parkinson’s
Proton CT offers low-dose treatment planning with reduced range uncertainties
A prototype proton imaging system shows potential to create proton therapy plans with smaller target margins
Brain tumours spread by exploiting fundamental physics
Elastic cells favour malignant tumour growth
Shining a light on the nanoscale
A high-efficiency probe that can super-focus white light into a 6 nm spot enables colour imaging of nanoscale details
Quantum sensor could help detect dementia
Scientists use new device to track brain waves with unprecedented time resolution
Evidence grows for tetraneutrons as hypothetical clusters are glimpsed in Germany
“Tiny neutron stars” could improve our understanding of nuclear forces
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The latest opinion and reviews
The conundrum at the heart of quantum physics – and how philosophers of science can help
While the technological applications of quantum mechanics are bright, its meaning remains opaque. Thankfully, as Robert P Crease explains, philosophers of science are working on it
Brilliant polymath, troubled person: how John von Neumann shaped our world
Andrew Robinson reviews The Man from the Future: the Visionary Life of John von Neumann by Ananyo Bhattacharya
Medical physics and biophysics
Find the information you need from IOP Publishing’s world-leading medical physics and biophysics journals and books, dedicated to supporting and improving research across the field, from fundamental science through to novel applications and facilities.
Read more of our latest articles
Read article: Winter wonder worlds: an exploration of other planets’ seasons
Winter wonder worlds: an exploration of other planets’ seasons
Astrophysicist and comic artist Eleanor Spring takes a tour through some of the seasonal extremities experienced on exoplanets
Read article: The ten-billion-dollar gamble: Why the JWST’s delays were a boon for exoplanet science
The ten-billion-dollar gamble: Why the JWST’s delays were a boon for exoplanet science
Exoplanets weren’t really a thing when the James Webb Space Telescope was on the drawing boards in the mid-1990s. Now they’re an integral part of its mission, explains Keith...
Read article: Materials and nanotechnology: highlights of 2021
Materials and nanotechnology: highlights of 2021
Piezoelectric wood and quantum dots for fresh fish are on our list
Read article: The ten-billion-dollar gamble: How the JWST will see deep into the universe’s past
The ten-billion-dollar gamble: How the JWST will see deep into the universe’s past
Imaging the earliest galaxies and observing the life cycle of others are high on the James Webb Space Telescope’s to-do list, as Keith Cooper explains
Read article: A quiz on the life of Stephen Hawking – how much do you know about the famous physicist?
A quiz on the life of Stephen Hawking – how much do you know about the famous physicist?
Laura Hiscott brings you a quiz about the human side of this cultural icon and national treasure
Read article: The ten-billion-dollar gamble: The JWST’s micro-scale windows on the universe
The ten-billion-dollar gamble: The JWST’s micro-scale windows on the universe
Keith Cooper explains how an array of tiny-but-tough microshutters will enable the James Webb Space Telescope to perform astronomical surveys
Read article: The ten-billion-dollar gamble: Keeping the JWST cool
The ten-billion-dollar gamble: Keeping the JWST cool
A cryogenic system that can operate unattended for years in deep space is a tall order – and a key ingredient in the James Webb Space Telescope’s mission, writes Keith Coope...
Read article: Medical physics and biotechnology: highlights of 2021
Medical physics and biotechnology: highlights of 2021
Photon-counting CT, dissolvable pacemakers, FLASH radiotherapy and more
Read article: Physics teachers inspire the next generation of scientists
Physics teachers inspire the next generation of scientists
Two early-career teachers explain how helping school students to understand the beauty and complexity of physics offers a stimulating, fun and rewarding career option
Read article: The ten-billion-dollar gamble: How the JWST shields itself from the Sun
The ten-billion-dollar gamble: How the JWST shields itself from the Sun
Unfurling the James Webb Space Telescope’s tennis-court-sized sunshield will be one of the mission’s most nail-biting moments, writes Keith Cooper
Read article: The ten-billion-dollar gamble: The JWST’s magnificent mirrors
The ten-billion-dollar gamble: The JWST’s magnificent mirrors
How do you fit a 6.5-metre mirror into a rocket fairing just 4.57 metres wide? Very carefully, explains Keith Cooper
Read article: The ten-billion-dollar gamble: What the JWST will do (and why it’s taken so long)
The ten-billion-dollar gamble: What the JWST will do (and why it’s taken so long)
With the long-awaited launch of NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) just days away, Keith Cooper explores the mission’s troubled history and exciting future
Read article: Elekta presents the Elekta Unity MR-Linac at ASTRO 2021
Elekta presents the Elekta Unity MR-Linac at ASTRO 2021
The Elekta Unity MR-guided radiotherapy system provides dynamic real-time adaptation during cancer treatments
Read article: Elekta presents QA Solutions at ASTRO 2021
Elekta presents QA Solutions at ASTRO 2021
Elekta’s QA portfolio is designed to automate and simplify QA, improving the clinical workflow
Read article: Siemens Healthineers and Varian present AI ecosystem for cancer care at ASTRO 2021
Siemens Healthineers and Varian present AI ecosystem for cancer care at ASTRO 2021
Artificial intelligence technologies support the entire care pathway for cancer patients
Read article: Elekta presents ProKnow at ASTRO 2021
Elekta presents ProKnow at ASTRO 2021
ProKnow enables data analysis across large patient populations, to evaluate treatment outcomes and improve cancer care
Read article: Siemens Healthineers and Varian present AI solutions on the treatment planning pathway at ASTRO 2021
Siemens Healthineers and Varian present AI solutions on the treatment planning pathway at ASTRO 2021
Deep learning-based organ-at-risk contouring enables automated, efficient and high-quality radiotherapy planning
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