Impact

Business and innovation

Hot time for hard disks: why magnetic-recording technology is still going strong

James McKenzie looks at the power of incremental improvement and the commercial success of magnetic‑recording technology

Quantum technology: why the future is already on its way

With a new era of quantum technology beckoning, James McKenzie reflects on recent milestones in the quantum computing “arms race”

Screen capture of panel session showing images of the six panellists.

Quantum
Blog

Inside the quantum bubble

The UK’s annual Quantum Technology Showcase went virtual in 2020, but the pandemic hasn’t dampened the enthusiasm for quantum start-ups

Why physics-based firms benefit from green-strings-attached economic-recovery measures

James McKenzie applauds physics-based firms that are helping the environment

Photo of a triangular warning sign with a red border and a black exclamation mark, against a background of stormy skies

Raining on the parade of self-driving cars

Developing sensors that enable autonomous vehicles to cope with tough weather conditions is tricky – and the economics may be more challenging still

Samson Rogers with the Cellular Highways prototype

First-hand insights: why direct contact with hi-tech firms helps you spot their potential

James McKenzie finds that hearing a company’s vision first hand is key to understanding its potential

Education and outreach

Embracing a life of variables

Engineer, physics teacher, science communicator and education consultant Steve Bullock talks about a career of bold choices, sideways jumps and obstacles overcome

More funding for education research is needed to carry out research into how students learn physics.

Why we need to support research into university physics education

Nicolas Labrosse says that UK research funders must accept their responsibility to fund higher education research in physics

Physics teachers could be crucial to inspiring young minds and overcoming under-representation.

The importance of teachers to bridge the educational divide

With COVID-19 further exposing educational inequality, Jess Wade says the importance of physics teachers has never been more critical

Achieving a healthy work–life balance as a graduate student

After-work hobbies, days off and an occasional holiday are important strategies for maintaining mental health, as Amber Lenon explains

On the road less travelled: a Black physicist’s journey in academia

For Brooke Russell, a constructive, mentoring environment was crucial to her development as a physicist – and it’s essential for attracting new talent into the field

Physics in the pandemic: ‘Moving the International Physicists’ Tournament online was challenging’

David Collomb describes how a popular competition for physics students went virtual, with a team from Russia emerging as the overall winner

Policy and funding

US president-elect Joe Biden set to put science centre stage

Physicists welcome the election of Joe Biden as US president but he faces challenges to unite a divided Congress

Nobel laureates claim European Commission set to slash photonics budget by 30%

Gérard Mourou, Stefan Hell and Theodore Hänsch have warned that cuts to photonics would be disastrous for Europe's technological goals

US heads to the polls in an election focused on science

From dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic to stimulating industries of the future, science policy has played a larger role than usual in next week’s US election