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Physics on the edge ScienceNews Share    
For the hottest thing in condensed-matter physics, check out the local liquor store. Hidden inside a device for chilling wine is the unusual compound called bismuth telluride. For physicists, bismuth telluride does more than keep champagne frosty. Under the right laboratory conditions, this crystal can start behaving in weird and wonderful ways. Over the past couple of years, researchers have made several toast-worthy new discoveries involving bismuth telluride and other related materials, known as topological insulators. Read the associated Physical Review Letters article. More
New evidence for quantum Darwinism found in quantum dots PhysOrg Share
Physicists have found new evidence that supports the theory of quantum Darwinism, the idea that the transition from the quantum to the classical world occurs due to a quantum form of natural selection. By explaining how the classical world emerges from the quantum world, quantum Darwinism could shed light on one of the most challenging questions in physics of the past century. Read the associated Physical Review Letters article. More Review prioritizes NASA's astrophysics missions Nature News Share
Bigger is better, according to NASA's latest rankings of its astrophysics satellites, released on 5 May. The assessment gave the three missions with the biggest budgets the highest ratings, and deemed them most deserving of continued funding. Planck, which maps radiation left over from the Big Bang, the Chandra X-ray observatory and the infrared Spitzer Space Telescope were judged to be the best of the 11 missions considered. The external 'senior review' of astrophysics missions based on science return per dollar takes place every two years. More
Bacteria may aid solar energy technology UPI Share
U.S. scientists say they are studying the light harvesting properties of purple bacteria in hopes of adapting their natural designs in solar technologies. University of Miami scientists said purple bacteria are single-celled microscopic organisms that live in aquatic environments, such as the bottom of lakes and in sea corals. They said the bacteria's natural design seems the best structural solution for harvesting solar energy. Read the associated Physical Review Letters article. More Efficient shapes The Economist Share
What is the most efficient shape for randomly packing things into a container? Physicists at New York University and Virginia Tech have carried out a series of experiments and, among all the shapes they have tested so far, the tetrahedron (a pyramid with four triangular sides) takes some beating. The researchers poured tetrahedral dice into containers which they shook until completely full. Read the associated APS Physics Viewpoint article. More
At the nanoscale level, electrons can push atoms around Ars Technica Share
In a paper published in Science this week, a group of researchers showed that an electrical current run through a nanoscale metal wire can actually cause some of the wire's atoms to flow backwards against the current. The effect is larger for smaller particles, and is yet another issue scientists will have to take into account when making tiny electronic devices. More
Particle detector shows promise, if nothing else The New York Times Share
A new widely anticipated experiment underneath a mountain in Italy designed to detect a sea of dark particles that allegedly constitute a quarter of creation did not see anything during a test run last fall, scientists reported Saturday. More |
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