Physics in the News

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Pluto bound spacecraft crosses Neptune’s orbit(VIDEO)

via nasa

Mars, August 27, moon hoax is fake

This image sometimes circulates on Facebook, with the claim that Mars will appear as big and bright as a full moon on August 27, 2014. It’s a hoax. Don’t believe it. Mars never appears as large as a full moon in Earth’s sky. (Credit: Unknown)

Physicists ‘freeze time’ to manipulate spin information in graphene

A optical microscope image of the spintronic device (top view). The top electrode (tg) and cobalt electrodes (1 to 5) are yellow. The boron nitride layers (in green) encapsulate the graphene flake, which is outlined by the dotted line. Credit: Fundamental Research on Matter (Credit: FOM)

Radical new theory could kill the multiverse hypothesis

Alessandro Strumia of the University of Pisa, pictured speaking at a conference in 2013, has co-developed a scale-symmetric theory of particle physics called “agravity.” (Credit: Thomas Lin/Quanta Magazine)

via simonfoundation

New technique for measuring nanostructures

X-ray interference pattern measured while studying complex nano-layer structures. The sketch inserted illustrates the path of the x-ray beam relative to the surface of the sample. (Credit: Sebastian Macke)

SpaceX primed to launch second AsiaSat mission in three weeks

Three weeks after launching the AsiaSat-8 communications satellite, SpaceX is primed to deliver its sibling, AsiaSat-6, into geostationary transfer orbit at an altitude of 22,236 miles (35,786 km) on Wednesday, 27 August. (Credit: AsiaSat)

via americaspace

Cosmic rays on the sky – where do they come from?

Relative intensity (top row) and pre-trial significance (bottom row) of the cosmic-ray flux in the vicinity of Region A (left), Region B (center), and Region C (right). (Credit: Abeysekara et al)

Imprint of primordial monster star found

The very first stars in the Universe might have been hundreds of times more massive than the Sun. Credit: Artist's impression by National Astronomical Observatory of Japan — The very first stars in the Universe might have been hundreds of times more massive than the Sun. (Credit: National Astronomical Observatory of Japan)

via scientificamerican

Nuclear fusion reactor at the Princeton Plasma Physics Lab will be operational again after $94 M upgrade

Jonathan Menard, a principal research physicist and program director for the National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX), and Masa Ono, a principal research physicist and project director of the NSTX, stand in front of the experiment during a tour of the facility. The device has been shut down since 2011 while it undergoes a $94 million upgrade that will make it the most powerful device of its kind in the world — Jonathan Menard, a principal research physicist and program director for the National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX), and Masa Ono, a principal research physicist and project director of the NSTX, stand in front of the experiment during a tour of the facility. The device has been shut down since 2011 while it undergoes a $94 million upgrade that will make it the most powerful device of its kind in the world. (Credit NSTX)

Roscosmos intends to spend about $298 million on removing orbital clutter

The agency intends to deploy the spacecraft, codename Liquidator, to clear up the geostationary orbit over the equator, which is 36 thousand kilometers above sea level — The agency intends to deploy the spacecraft, codename Liquidator, to clear up the geostationary orbit over the equator, which is 36 thousand kilometers above sea level. (Credit: Roscosmos)

How the computer of the future keeps its cool

"When you start to make electronics smaller and denser, not only are you making much more heat in the same amount of volume, but it's much harder for the heat to flow outward," says Peter Nalbach, a theoretical physicist at the University of Hamburg, Germany. (Credit: Mehau Kulyk/Getty) — “When you start to make electronics smaller and denser, not only are you making much more heat in the same amount of volume, but it’s much harder for the heat to flow outward,” says Peter Nalbach, a theoretical physicist at the University of Hamburg, Germany. (Credit: Mehau Kulyk/Getty)

via popularmechanics

The plan to build a massive online brain for all the world’s robots

hey hope to create a massive online “brain” that can help all robots navigate and even understand the world around them. “The purpose,” says Saxena, who dreamed it all up, “is to build a very good knowledge graph—or a knowledge base—for robots to use.Thinkstock — Researchers hope to create a massive online “brain” that can help all robots navigate and even understand the world around them. “The purpose,” says Saxena, who dreamed it all up, “is to build a very good knowledge graph—or a knowledge base—for robots to use. (Credit: Thinkstock, Hernandez )

Physics research removes outcome unpredictability of ultracold atomic reactions

Probability density of an Efimov trimer state at different three-body geometries that are characterized by the polar angle -- indicated by the trimer legends. The key feature in the probability density is that unlike ordinary molecular binding that mostly has a single geometry, the Efimov trimer covers have a broad range of geometries. The atoms in such states behave more like in a fluid drop. (Credit: Yujun Wang, Kansas State University) — Probability density of an Efimov trimer state at different three-body geometries that are characterized by the polar angle — indicated by the trimer legends. The key feature in the probability density is that unlike ordinary molecular binding that mostly has a single geometry, the Efimov trimer covers have a broad range of geometries. The atoms in such states behave more like in a fluid drop. (Credit: Yujun Wang, Kansas State University)

Physics in the News

Monday August 18, 2014

Rubbish explodes in space

Astronaut Alexander Gerst captured the moment from his home aboard the ISS. (Credit: Alexander Gerst)

via theregister

Spacewalking cosmonaut tosses tiny satellite into space for Peru

Cosmonaut Oleg Artemyev looks on after he released a small Peruvian satellite into space during a spacewalk outside the International Space Station on Aug. 18, 2014. (Credit: NASA TV) — Cosmonaut Oleg Artemyev looks on after he released a small Peruvian satellite into space during a spacewalk outside the International Space Station on Aug. 18, 2014.
(Credit: NASA TV)

Novel technique to record quantum mechanical behavior of an electron within a nanoscale defect

Part of the optical apparatus used to direct pulses of light to control the quantum state of a single electronic spin in diamond. (Credit: UPenn)

Image overload: NASA requests h elp to sort it all out

North Korea is barely lit when juxtaposed with neighboring South Korea and China. (Credit NASA)

via cnn

Set your alarm: Venus and Jupiter will light up the pre-dawn sky

A panoramic view of the Venus Jupiter Conjunction on August 17, 2014, taken from the Cairns Esplanade in Queensland Australia. (Credit: Joseph Brimacombe.) — A panoramic view of the Venus Jupiter Conjunction on August 17, 2014, taken from the Cairns Esplanade in Queensland Australia. (Credit: Joseph Brimacombe)

via bbc

Black Holes? I’ll take a medium, please

To celebrate the NASA-ESA Hubble Space Telescopes 16 years of success, NASA and the European Space Agency are releasing this mosaic image of the starburst galaxy, Messier 82 (M82), made in March 2006. It is the sharpest wide-angle view ever obtained of M82, a galaxy remarkable for its webs of shredded clouds and flame-like plumes of glowing hydrogen blasting out from its central regions. Located 12 million light-years away, it is also called the "Cigar Galaxy" because of the elongated elliptical shape produced by the tilt of its starry disk relative to our line of sight. (AP Photo/NASA-ESA) — To celebrate the NASA-ESA Hubble Space Telescopes 16 years of success, NASA and the European Space Agency are releasing this mosaic image of the starburst galaxy, Messier 82 (M82), made in March 2006. It is the sharpest wide-angle view ever obtained of M82, a galaxy remarkable for its webs of shredded clouds and flame-like plumes of glowing hydrogen blasting out from its central regions. Located 12 million light-years away, it is also called the “Cigar Galaxy” because of the elongated elliptical shape produced by the tilt of its starry disk relative to our line of sight. (AP Photo/NASA-ESA)

via time

Quantum computing methodology a gigantic leap for next gen development

Fascinating rhythm: Light pulses illuminate a rare black hole

This image of the galaxy Messier 82 is a composite of data from the Chandra X-Ray Observatory, the Hubble Space Telescope and the Spitzer Space Telescope. The intermediate-mass black hole M82 X-1 is the brightest object in the inset, at approximately 2 o'clock near the galaxy's center. (Credit: NASA/H. Feng et al.) — This image of the galaxy Messier 82 is a composite of data from the Chandra X-Ray Observatory, the Hubble Space Telescope and the Spitzer Space Telescope. The intermediate-mass black hole M82 X-1 is the brightest object in the inset, at approximately 2 o’clock near the galaxy’s center. (Credit: NASA/H. Feng et al.)

via phys

Physics in the News

Friday, August 8, 2014

The Black Hole at the birth of the Universe(VIDEO)

via perimeterinstitute

Everyone hates NASA’s asteroid capture program

A concept image of the Orion spacecraft docking with the robotic asteroid redirect vehicle. (Credit: NASA)

How do you feed a hungry quasar? With a ‘super boost,’ scientists say

This graphic shows the center of a newly formed star cluster (stars are in yellow), within which the seed black hole gets its super boost of gas (shown in blue). (Credit: Natarajan, Alexander, Yale) — This graphic shows the center of a newly formed star cluster (stars are in yellow), within which the seed black hole gets its super boost of gas (shown in blue).

via yale

Diamonds are a quantum computer’s best friend

A team of researchers from TU Wien (Vienna) the National Institute for Informatics (Tokyo) and NTT Basic Research Labs in Japan has now proposed a new architecture for quantum computing, based on microscopic defects in diamond. (Credit: TU Wien (Vienna) and Japan. (National Institute of Informatics and NTT Basic Research Labs)

via sciencenewsline

Artificial retina: Physicists develop an interface to the optical nerve

Graphene electronics can be prepared on flexible substrates. Only the gold metal leads are visible in the transparent graphene sensor. (Credit: Natalia Hutanu / TUM)

Rebuilding part of the Large Hadron Collider – with Legos(VIDEO)

Hunt for dark matter takes physicists deep below earth’s surface, where WIMPS can’t hide(VIDEO)

via phys

Colliding galaxies left a stream of gas 2.6 million light years long

The bridge of gas (shown in green) stretches from the large galaxy at the bottom left to the group of galaxies at the top. A third nearby galaxy to the right also has a shorter stream of gas attached to it. (Credit: Rhys Taylor / Arecibo Galaxy Environment Survey / The Sloan Digital Sky Survey Collaboration.)

via motherboard

Japanese paper cuts make graphene extra stretchy

Three dark field-transmission electron microscopy images of bilayer graphene are overlaid with colors to show diffraction angles. The lines are soliton boundaries. (Credit: Muller lab)

via newscientist

Physicists use lasers to collect weak signals

Professor Howard Milchberg. University physicists working in the Intense Laser Matter Interactions group have made two breakthroughs in recent months: One allows them to send high-powered lasers through atmosphere, and another uses this technology to collect weak signals from a distance. (Credit: Samantha Medney/For The Diamondback)

via diamondbackonline

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