Protons and neutrons are composite objects that consist of quarks bound by the strong force. Free quarks, and the gluons that hold them together, are not observed in nature because the coupling strength between quarks becomes stronger as the distance between them increases. The theory describing this strong force is called quantum chromodynamics. In the […]
For many years atomic-collision experiments basically involved measuring the deflection of fast projectiles that had passed through gaseous targets, or measuring the amount of light given off by atoms and molecules as they were bombarded with different projectiles. In recent years, however, the atomic-physics community has aspired to much more: we want to prepare a […]
Read article: Marconi’s painful centenary
The Marconi story (see article) has featured a cast of interesting characters. Marconi himself was a larger-than-life scion of a wealthy Irish-Italian family, an energetic mix of entrepreneur, inventor and playboy. Until the mid-1990s the Marconi legacy was maintained by GEC, which was Britain’s largest manufacturing company, with interests ranging from defence to medical electronics. […]
Read article: Nuclei prompt stellar rethink
During the last century great strides were made in understanding the structure of the universe and the overall processes that drive its evolution. The utter vastness of the cosmos became apparent following the discovery that although our own galaxy is gigantic, it is just one of many billions of galaxies scattered throughout the universe. The […]
This review first appeared in the news section of PhysicsWeb on 8 November. It is said that one of the world’s most eminent quantum-gravity theorists was once asked to explain in his institution’s annual report what he did. He declined, claiming that his work was far too complicated for the general public to understand. All […]
Read article: Guglielmo Marconi: radio star
A lack of formal education, high-powered family connections and an unstoppable will to succeed helped Guglielmo Marconi to transmit the first radio signal across the Atlantic and launch the wireless-communications industry
Read article: Werner Heisenberg: controversial scientist
Some 100 years after the father of the uncertainty principle was born, historians of science continue to debate the role that Werner Heisenberg played during the Second World War
Read article: Stellar link helps black holes weigh in
Discovery allows astronomers to ‘weigh’ black holes from a snapshot of their host galaxies
Fleeting bursts of X-rays allow scientists to track attosecond electron events for the first time
Read article: Sodium spotted in the atmosphere of distant planet
Astronomers get the first-ever glimpse of the atmosphere of a planet beyond our solar system
