Today's headlines
Artificial spider web gets an ionic boost
Self-cleaning synthetic structures work using static electricity
First ‘open flavour’ tetraquark is spotted by LHCb at CERN
Exotic hadron does not have charm or beauty quark-antiquark pairs
Sidestepping the side effects of neurostimulation
Identifying the mechanism behind treatment-limiting side effects should improve the effectiveness of vagus nerve stimulation
Research updates
‘Quantum secret sharing’ scheme allows 10 parties to communicate securely
Protocol overcomes some shortcomings of quantum key distribution
Ferroelectric nematic appears in a liquid crystal
First observation of an elusive phase of matter made after a century of searching
Thin-film solar cells make champion harvesters of ambient light
Cadmium telluride photovoltaics could power Internet of Things devices
Magnetic topological insulators change phase under pressure
Scientists develop a simple way of tuning the crystal structure and electronic properties of these layered materials
‘Cartwheeling’ light reveals new type of polarized light-matter interaction
Unusual properties of so-called "trochoidal" light waves could lead to new spectroscopic tools
Bending hairs and compliant microstructures make razor blades dull
Electron microscope study reveals how soft materials damage hardened steel
Physics World podcasts
Explore in depth
Putting new physics on the syllabus
Niki Bell calls on physicists to insist that exam boards integrate modern discoveries into the education system
In it for the long run
Corey Gray on building and working at LIGO, inspiring the next generation of Indigenous physicists, and having a healthy work–life balance
Charging ahead
With electric cars set to enter the mainstream, Susan Curtis investigates the new charging solutions that will be needed
Artificial stupidity
Margaret Harris reviews You Look Like a Thing and I Love You by Janelle Shane
NASCAR: the science of racing safely
Diandra Leslie-Pelecky explores the science behind some of the features in NASCAR that are designed to keep the drivers safe
Physics in China attempts to rise from the pandemic
Physicists in China are beginning to return to the lab following the COVID-19 pandemic, but many of their projects face delays, as Ling Xin reports
Affordable medical physics technologies tackle global health disparities
A dedicated symposium at the Joint AAPM|COMP Virtual Meeting examined a range of novel low-cost healthcare systems
Physics in the pandemic: reports on how physicists are coping with the effects of the coronavirus
Read article: Physics in the pandemic: ‘There are some great experiments that can be done safely and simply at home’
Physics in the pandemic: ‘There are some great experiments that can be done safely and simply at home’
Stefan Hutzler and Denis Weaire describe some of the fun but thought-provoking experiments you can do at home using simple equipment
Read article: Physics in the pandemic: ‘Surviving the virus really aligns your perspective’
Physics in the pandemic: ‘Surviving the virus really aligns your perspective’
For astronomer Karina Voggel, COVID-19 meant lost observing time, cancelled conferences and squeezing round a kitchen table to work. Then she got sick
Read article: Physics in the pandemic: mailing lab kits to students enhances learning at home
Physics in the pandemic: mailing lab kits to students enhances learning at home
The “At-Home Lab Kit” allows undergraduate students to do physics experiments while sheltering in place
Read article: Physics in the pandemic: ‘Our habit of combining theory and experiments was an advantage for the lockdown’
Physics in the pandemic: ‘Our habit of combining theory and experiments was an advantage for the lockdown’
With restrictions easing in France, experimental physicist Tiphaine Kouadou and theorist Mattia Walschaers discuss their group's new safety measures
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.
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Latest articles
Read article: Grasshopper jumping on a Bloch sphere, red bricks store electrical energy, dynamics of jail dodgeball
Grasshopper jumping on a Bloch sphere, red bricks store electrical energy, dynamics of jail dodgeball
Excerpts from the Red Folder
Read article: End-to-end motion QA in radiation therapy treatment planning
End-to-end motion QA in radiation therapy treatment planning
Join the audience for a live webinar on 10 September 2020 sponsored by Modus QA
Read article: White papers: Mad City Labs and SAES Group
White papers: Mad City Labs and SAES Group
Explore the latest technology white papers from physics-based industry in instrumentation and measurement
Read article: Agilent vacuum technology: trusted answers
Agilent vacuum technology: trusted answers
Products and practical advice for reaching ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) pressures
Read article: Maximizing QA accuracy and efficiency with RadCalc in a challenging environment
Maximizing QA accuracy and efficiency with RadCalc in a challenging environment
Join the audience for a live webinar on 23 September 2020 sponsored by LAP GmbH Laser Applikationen
Read article: Simple, routine QA enhances contrast-enhanced mammography
Simple, routine QA enhances contrast-enhanced mammography
Quality-assurance specialist CIRS has teamed up with GE Healthcare to commercialize an easy-to-use breast-equivalent phantom for contrast-enhanced spectral mammography
Read article: A map of quantum physics, sound of a wave-function collapse, famous physicists as dogs
A map of quantum physics, sound of a wave-function collapse, famous physicists as dogs
Excerpts from the Red Folder
Read article: Quantum dots track two-dimensional diffusion in cells
Quantum dots track two-dimensional diffusion in cells
Experiments shed light on the processes that transport molecules around the intracellular fluid
Read article: Portable sensor detects biomagnetic signals in noisy outdoor environments
Portable sensor detects biomagnetic signals in noisy outdoor environments
A prototype portable sensor can detect tiny magnetic fields generated by the human brain and heart without the need for expensive magnetic shielding
Read article: COVID-19: an economic perspective
COVID-19: an economic perspective
J Doyne Farmer on the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the prospects of financial recovery
Read article: Experiments pin down conditions that make hot water freeze before cold
Experiments pin down conditions that make hot water freeze before cold
Simplified experimental model makes it possible to engineer the Mpemba effect in a reproducible way
Read article: Autonomous discovery of battery electrolytes with robotic experimentation and machine learning
Autonomous discovery of battery electrolytes with robotic experimentation and machine learning
Available to watch now, The Electrochemical Society in partnership with the Royal Society of Chemistry on the discovery of a novel battery electrolyte that was guided by machine-l...
Read article: Solar flares are predicted by new model
Solar flares are predicted by new model
“κ-scheme” could help give early warning of destructive solar storms
Read article: Novel X-ray technology depicts real-time airflow through the lungs
Novel X-ray technology depicts real-time airflow through the lungs
World-first lung-function measurement tool offers a breath of fresh air for the diagnosis and treatment of cystic fibrosis and other respiratory diseases
Read article: Superconductivity theory comes a step closer
Superconductivity theory comes a step closer
New model attempts to mimic electron behaviour in overdoped cuprates
Read article: Colliding star may have switched-off black hole’s X-ray corona
Colliding star may have switched-off black hole’s X-ray corona
Galactic centre dimmed rapidly over less than two months
Read article: Acoustic tweezers move objects in the body remotely
Acoustic tweezers move objects in the body remotely
A shaped ultrasound beam transmitted through the skin can move objects within a living body, offering a new way to treat kidney stones
Read article: Physics and cars: an evolving journey
Physics and cars: an evolving journey
Physics-based technologies play an increasingly diverse role in car design
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Next-generation plan second check QA and adaptive therapy assessment
Join the audience for a live webinar with MIM Software on 20 August 2020 exploring how MIM SureCalc MonteCarlo can help ensure the highest quality plan for each patient.
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10th International Conference on Waste Management and the Environment 2020
Society is increasingly aware of the need to establish better practices and safer solutions for waste disposal. This requires further investigation into disposal methods and recycling as well as new technologies to monitor landfills, industrial mining wastes and chemical and nuclear repositories.
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