Ultrafast science Video Welcome to Lightfest Light-based technologies wow the crowds at Birmingham's new central library Read article: Welcome to Lightfest
Telescopes and space missions Podcasts Is there life on Mars? Lewis Dartnell discusses the search for life on Mars and what forms it might take Read article: Is there life on Mars?
Policy and funding Opinion and reviews Cooking Bacon Has Francis Bacon been unfairly vilified, asks Robert P Crease Read article: Cooking Bacon
Policy and funding Opinion and reviews Individual recognition Sahal Yacoob describes how a "target culture" can cause problems when applied to academia Read article: Individual recognition
Philosophy, sociology and religion Opinion and reviews The wealth of nations Physicist César Hidalgo's argument for an information-centric view of economic growth is "wildly fresh and creative", says reviewer Mark Buchanan Read article: The wealth of nations
Publishing Opinion and reviews Physics logos Is there a logo that unifies all of physics, wonders Robert P Crease Read article: Physics logos
Philosophy, sociology and religion Feature The secret life of scientific ideas How do great ideas in physics come about? Vitor Cardoso shares insights from his web-based project The Birth of an Idea Read article: The secret life of scientific ideas
Policy and funding Opinion and reviews Better science policy Robert P Crease looks at an ambitious programme to improve how science policy is formulated Read article: Better science policy
Cosmology Opinion and reviews A quest for ultimate reality Melanie Windridge reviews Trespassing on Einstein’s Lawn: a Father, a Daughter, the Meaning of Nothing and the Beginning of Everything by Amanda Gefter Read article: A quest for ultimate reality
Optical physics Video Vidya Deepa: the lamp of knowledge How portable LED lights are helping students in a rural Indian community Read article: Vidya Deepa: the lamp of knowledge
Optics newsletter Receive our highlights in optics research, industry news and long reads straight to your inbox, twice a year.