About half a century ago, physicists like Max Delbrück and Erwin Schrödinger discovered the fascination of tackling problems in biology with physics. Indeed, the increasing overlap of physics, biology and chemistry that followed led to the foundation in 1961 of the International Union of Pure and Applied Biophysics. And as the 700 delegates at the […]
Read article: Career options for physicists
From rocket science to rock stardom, physics prepares you for a wide range of careers
Read article: Isaac Newton: the gifted genius
It seems unlikely that we will ever lose our fascination for the man whom David Berlinski calls “the largest figure in the history of Western science” and the author of “the greatest of scientific theories”. Indeed, there have been many biographies of Isaac Newton over the last two decades. What is important for Berlinski, however, […]
Read article: So just how good is your salary?
Most people choose to study physics because of a fascination with the subject, not because they think it is likely to earn them lots of money. But even physicists are curious on this topic
Read article: A degree for change
Such a degree would accept students with lower mathematical ability and “build mathematical knowledge and competence during the course of study” (see UK tackles student shortage and pages 16-17, print version only). It would address the shortage of science graduates that industry is experiencing and, more crucially, it could help to reverse the alarming decline […]
The most successful applications of atomic clocks include the global positioning system (GPS) of satellites for navigation, and also the international basis of timekeeping, known as the coordinated universal timescale or UTC. Atomic clocks are also used in precision tests of fundamental theories, such as quantum electrodynamics and general relativity. Historically the increase in accuracy […]
Read article: How to get the job you really want
Whether you are about to enter the job market for the first time or have been in the workplace for years, many of the same job-hunting skills apply, discovers Valerie Jamieson
Read article: Life, the cosmos and everything
The notion that certain features of the universe, such as the values of the physical constants, may be constrained by the requirement that intelligent observers can arise was first mooted nearly 40 years ago. This “anthropic principle” has been a focus of controversy (even intense antipathy in some quarters) ever since. However, judging by a […]
Read article: Love and the two-body problem
For physicists who have fallen for the charms of one another, finding two permanent physics jobs in the same place is one of the toughest challenges they face
Read article: The Institute of Physics salary survey
How much do members earn and what do they think of their careers? Edwin Cartlidge picks out the highlights from the Institute's latest compilation of members' earnings
