Physics

Tin is a commonplace metal that’s used industrially in a thousand different ways. From the solder that holds your computer’s motherboard together to the PVC plumbing under your sink, tin compounds are everywhere. In spite of its versatility, tin possesses an interesting physical property which is responsible for its tendency to wear down over time

<!––>Courtesy: iStock/agsandrew This pandemic-blighted year isn’t going to top anyone’s list of favourites, but looking on the bright side for a moment, 2020 has seen some remarkable advances in quantum science and technology. Here are a few of the highlights from subfields ranging from quantum fundamentals to quantum computing. The most precise thermometer possible How

<!––>Little wing: the sensor is made from tiny hollow spheres that are deposited on the surface of a chip. The largest gap between spheres is about 2 microns in size. (Courtesy: RMIT University) Photonic nanostructures found on the wings of some butterflies have inspired researchers in Australia to create a new and highly accurate sensor

Taken from the December 2020 issue of Physics World. Members of the Institute of Physics can enjoy the full issue via the Physics World app. <!––>Metaphorical Christmas Emma Chapman’s new book uses familiar elements of the holiday season to help explain the earliest stars. (Courtesy: iStock/da-kuk) With Christmas looming just around the corner, it will

<!––>Let it snow: Brighten up your holiday season with some quizzing. (Courtesy: Shutterstock/ESB-Professional) 1. It’s dark at the North Pole in winter. Fortunately, Santa’s reindeer have exceptional eyesight. Which wavelengths of light can they see? A Ultraviolet B Infrared C Microwave D All of the above 2. In 2019, researchers at the University of Manchester calculated

<!––>From left to right: Rong Tan, Yajing Shen and Xiong Yang from City University of Hong Kong are developing magnetically driven millirobots. (Courtesy: Xiong Yang) It is thrilling to live at a time when robots the size of small insects, known as millirobots, can open up new avenues of research. Such millirobots can be finely

By Lindsay Olson Scientific Adviser:  Dr. Don Lincoln Curator: Georgia Schwender  As Fermilab’s first artist in residence, my workspace had some unusual supplies for an artist’s studio. Pinned to my idea board I had a list of subatomic particles, quotes from popular physics books, the names of inspiring physicists, and a picture of Nobel Laureate

In this episode, Andrew Glester is joined by Physics World journalists to discuss some of 2020’s best physics books, along with their favourite examples of physics featuring in television and film this year. For more information about all of the media discussed, you can revisit these reviews that have appeared in Physics World during 2020.

Jin-Woo Han is Senior Scientist at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley. Along with colleagues Meyya Meyyappan, Myeong-Lok Seol and Jungsik Kim, he has designed a nanoscale complementary vacuum field emission transistor (VFET). In this interview Han explains why his team is interested in VFETs and the challenges involved in creating the devices

Taken from the December 2020 issue of Physics World. Members of the Institute of Physics can enjoy the full issue via the Physics World app. In this article (originally published in Lateral Thoughts, Physics World’s regular column of humorous and offbeat essays, puzzles, crosswords, quizzes and comics, which appears on the back page of the