• Everyday science
• Puzzle

Word wave puzzle no.5

Can you work out the word in this puzzle?

• Microscopy
• Research update

Laser-based rotation of floating samples enables high-resolution 3D microscopy

Laser-driven thermoviscous flows provide contact-free rotation, transport or stabilization of delicate samples such as biological cells

• Everyday science
• Opinion and reviews

Soviet institutes, Martian neighbours, Whovian science, stellar patterns and dystopian predictions: micro reviews of recent books

Condensed natter: Physics World editors give their compressed verdicts on top new books

• Soft matter and liquids
• Research update

Venus flytraps snap shut by rapid cell-wall softening

Previous theory of water transport is ruled out

• Particle and nuclear
• Analysis

HALHF is going all in on plasma acceleration

An experimental milestone in plasma acceleration at the UK’s CLARA test facility

• Everyday science
• Puzzle

Quiz of the week: the last major galactic merger of the Milky Way created what feature?

Have you been keeping up to date with physics news? Try our short quiz to find out

• Environment and energy
• Webinar
• SPONSORED

The discovery of mesoporous carbon support with characteristic porosity and the art of mastering its use

Join the audience for a live webinar at 3 p.m. BST/10 a.m. EDT on 15 July 2026

High durability and oxygen diffusivity of mesoporous carbon support of CNovel® MH-18 used for PEFCs

• Everyday science
• Puzzle

It’s all kicking off: how much do you know about the science of football?

Kick off the 2026 FIFA World Cup by testing your knowledge of the physics of football

• Scientific enterprise
• News

Lodha Foundation unveils plans for India’s first privately funded physics institute

The Lodha Theoretical Physics Institute will focus on areas such as quantum physics

• Nuclear physics
• Research update

Nuclear shells govern close proton–neutron partnerships

Electron scattering experiment gives a surprising result