Today's headlines
In vivo dosimetry should play a pivotal role in radiation therapy
In vivo dosimetry can detect treatment errors and ensure the accurate and safe delivery of radiotherapy, so why is it not used more in the clinic?
Accretion, not colliding spaghetti, flares up as star is devoured by black hole
Outflow at 10,000 km/s created extremely bright flare
Astronomers propose telescope to monitor Betelgeuse dimming
The Betelgeuse Scope concept would use twelve off-the-shelf 10 cm-aperture telescopes to provide detailed, nightly observations of the supergiant star
Research updates
Quantum spin liquid candidate becomes a superconductor under pressure
Sodium ytterbium (III) selenide could become a new platform for studies of high-temperature superconductivity
Superconductivity endures to 15 °C in high-pressure material
Carbonaceous sulphur hydride is a superconductor at room temperature
Radiologists and space experts to develop imaging tools for space missions
Partnership will use diagnostic imaging tools to explore health issues associated with microgravity, and apply this knowledge to patients on Earth
Black metal hydrogen emerges at high pressures
Results of advanced simulations may reconcile data from several recent – and seemingly contradictory – experiments
Fluttering polymer ribbons harvest electrical energy
Prototype “B-TENG” device powers 100 LEDs
Positronium formed during PET scans could detect hypoxic tumours
Using PET scans to detect oxygen concentration in tumours may lead to more effective cancer treatments
Physics World podcasts
Explore in depth
Air-breathing rocket engines: the future of space flight
UK firm Reaction Engines hopes to revolutionize space access with a new class of propulsion system for reusable vehicles, as Oliver Nailard explains
Why physics-based firms benefit from green-strings-attached economic-recovery measures
James McKenzie applauds physics-based firms that are helping the environment
New auxetic material stretches the limits
Helen Gleeson describes a new auxetic material that gets thicker when stretched due to changes at the molecular level
Path of least resistance
Careers don't always play out as planned, but unconventional pathways can also lead to success
Canadian Light Source overcomes geographic challenges while building local expertise
Isabelle Blain and Marie D’Iorio on Canada's first national synchrotron
Redefining the scientific conference to be more inclusive
Eleanor S Armstrong, Divya M Persaud and Christopher A-L Jackson say that scientific meetings can be more welcoming for everyone
Fostering academic debate in an online world
Carla Figueira de Morisson Faria and Andrew Brown describe organizing an online "quantum battles" workshop
Physics in the pandemic: reports on how physicists are coping with the effects of the coronavirus
Read article: Physics in the pandemic: ‘Our physics and dosimetry facilities were vacated for COVID-19 patients’
Physics in the pandemic: ‘Our physics and dosimetry facilities were vacated for COVID-19 patients’
Priya Saini, a medical physicist at SMS Medical College and Hospitals in Jaipur, describes her efforts to maintain a radiotherapy service in the midst of a pandemic
Read article: Physics in the pandemic: ‘Our event had grown from a hub for the UK to a truly global event within a matter of days’
Physics in the pandemic: ‘Our event had grown from a hub for the UK to a truly global event within a matter of days’
Gunnar Moeller from the University of Kent in the UK describes how this year's Condensed Matter Physics in the City was turned into an online-only event
Read article: Physics in the pandemic: ‘Cancer patients in Nepal have been affected miserably by this COVID-19 pandemic’
Physics in the pandemic: ‘Cancer patients in Nepal have been affected miserably by this COVID-19 pandemic’
Tirthraj Adhikari, a radiation oncology physicist at the BP Koirala Memorial Cancer Hospital in Nepal, discusses treating cancer patients during the pandemic
Read article: Physics in the pandemic: ‘I took it upon myself to keep my classes alive, even if lessons had to be conducted via Zoom’
Physics in the pandemic: ‘I took it upon myself to keep my classes alive, even if lessons had to be conducted via Zoom’
Physics teacher Resty C Collado finds ways to keep students from turning into mindless "Zoombies" during online-only classes
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.
Latest articles
Read article: Raman microscopy: when chemicals become images
Raman microscopy: when chemicals become images
Join the audience for a live webinar on 10 November 2020 sponsored by HORIBA Scientific
Read article: Excitement grows over mysterious signal in dark-matter detector
Excitement grows over mysterious signal in dark-matter detector
Theorists publish five explanations for puzzling excess electron recoils in XENON1T
Read article: Comprehensive machine targeting and image quality QA with the QUASAR™ Penta-Guide system
Comprehensive machine targeting and image quality QA with the QUASAR™ Penta-Guide system
Join the audience for a live webinar on 12 November 2020 sponsored by Modus QA
Read article: Combining elemental/chemical analysis: when micro-XRF meets Raman microscopy
Combining elemental/chemical analysis: when micro-XRF meets Raman microscopy
Join the audience for a live webinar on 20 October 2020 sponsored by HORIBA Scientific
Read article: Proton-coupled electron transfer in electrochemistry
Proton-coupled electron transfer in electrochemistry
Join the audience for a live webinar on 28 October 2020 sponsored by the ACS Chemical Reviews and Gamry Instruments, in partnership with The Electrochemical Society
Read article: Nanocrystals could drive explosive volcanic eruptions
Nanocrystals could drive explosive volcanic eruptions
Small concentrations of tiny nanolites can have deadly consequences
Read article: Physicists place fresh limits on gravity’s role in wavefunction collapse
Physicists place fresh limits on gravity’s role in wavefunction collapse
Dedicated underground experiments set new constraints on the Diósi–Penrose model of curvature-induced collapse
Read article: Fundamental constants set upper limit for the speed of sound
Fundamental constants set upper limit for the speed of sound
Simple yet “eye-catching” formula agrees with experimental results
Read article: Raining on the parade of self-driving cars
Raining on the parade of self-driving cars
Developing sensors that enable autonomous vehicles to cope with tough weather conditions is tricky – and the economics may be more challenging still
Read article: Virtual imaging trials aim to optimize COVID-19 screening
Virtual imaging trials aim to optimize COVID-19 screening
Human anatomical models with simulated coronavirus lung pathologies have could optimize CT and radiography acquisitions to effectively screen and manage COVID-19 patients
Read article: Physicists pin down deuteron mass
Physicists pin down deuteron mass
Penning trap enables the most precise measurement ever of the mass of a deuterium nucleus
Read article: Black hole’s shadow boosts Einstein’s general theory of relativity
Black hole’s shadow boosts Einstein’s general theory of relativity
Event Horizon Telescope image tests theory in the strongest gravitational field yet
Read article: Triplet control prevents ‘lasing death’ in perovskite lasers
Triplet control prevents ‘lasing death’ in perovskite lasers
Suppressing long-lived triplet excitons enables devices made from quasi-2D organic–inorganic material to continue lasing for over an hour
Read article: Nanodiamond quantum thermometer measures the temperature of worms
Nanodiamond quantum thermometer measures the temperature of worms
New quantum thermometer makes use of nitrogen-vacancy centres to sense fever in tiny C. elegans worms
Read article: Net-zero carbon target in UK will require national approach to materials science, says report
Net-zero carbon target in UK will require national approach to materials science, says report
Henry Royce Institute calls for government investment to boost materials science in the country and support the use of low-carbon technology
Read article: Tiny ingestible capsule helps treat gastrointestinal disorders
Tiny ingestible capsule helps treat gastrointestinal disorders
A biologically inspired device that clings to the stomach lining after being ingested can electrically stimulate the stomach wall to induce muscle contractions
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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Combining elemental/chemical analysis: when micro-XRF meets Raman microscopy
Join the audience for a live webinar on 20 October 2020 exploring how elemental and molecular characterizations combined can help solve issues across many applications
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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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