Ideally you would consult a list of priorities and decide accordingly, taking into account national strengths, weaknesses and needs. But the chances of finding such a list of priorities are slim. Most governments have never asked for such a list and scientists have certainly never volunteered one. There are signs, however, that this is changing. […]
These neutron stars usually rotate with such precision that they are known as the best timekeepers in the universe, but every so often their rotation rate suddenly increases. It is thought that these glitches are related to superfluidity inside the star, which allows the neutrons to flow without friction. Now, a group of Italian scientists […]
Synchrotron radiation is now used routinely in many areas of science. Many research groups, especially in physics, chemistry and biology, base large parts of their research programmes on the use of this type of radiation. There are also increasing numbers of scientists who find that a few days’ work at a synchrotron radiation source can […]
At a meeting last week on "Science & Responsibility", Joseph Rotblat, winner of the 1995 Nobel Peace Prize, called for scientists to sign the equivalent of a 'hippocratic' oath
Aluminium alloys are widely used as a substrate in magnetic disks, but the demand for higher storage and faster access times require better materials. A replacement material would need to offer a thinner substrate, a higher recording density, a very smooth surface, and a high degree of flatness. Originally platinum alloys were considered to be […]
In 1911 Niels Bohr used quantum theory to explain how negatively charged electrons could remain in certain orbits without radiating energy. Patent 5695344 describes an educational demonstrator that simulates the theoretical orbital motion of electrons around the nucleaus of various elements. The device works by magnetically deflecting a series of wires. Inside a container is […]
All 115 staff at the 320-year-old Royal Greenwich Observatory (RGO) in Cambridge stand to lose their jobs, after a management buy-out was rejected last week
This year saw many advances in physics. PhysicsWeb has compiled a list of ten highlights (in no particular order) of 1997
Reviewed by Bernard Carr. There are a some ideas in science – usually those that try to extend it in unorthodox directions, or which trespass too far into the domain of metaphysics – that seem to produce very extreme reactions. Depending on their philosophical propensities, people either passionately embrace or vehemently reject them, but they […]
When we walk across a room, our eyes automatically adjust to keep objects in focus. The eyeballs swivel in their sockets to compensate for the movement. Professional camera operators use a harness containing a bulky set of counter-weights to achieve the same effect. In aircraft, a series of spinning mirrors or mechanical scanning devices are […]
