This week our image of the week comes from a Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics paper investigating the effect of oxygen vacancies on the properties of doped Tin Oxide through Mössbauer spectroscopy. The image shows the result of simulations of… Read More ›
Physics
Magnetic cooling: how cool is that!
More than 15 % of energy is spent worldwide on various forms of cooling. In addition to the energy bill, the compressor in cooling units can bring a rich palette of sounds to your home: think of all this clanking,… Read More ›
Image of the Week: A spectral map for exchange spin waves
This week’s image of the week is a typical spectral map with a set of lines of spectra for exchange spin waves, both in coordinates kAa, kBa. The image is taken from the article “Formation of the band spectrum of… Read More ›
Understanding Delinquent Domain Walls
Why do apparently simple nanomagnets exhibit such complicated behaviours?
A look back at 2016
As 2016 draws to a close, I take a look back at some of the most exciting science stories to come out of the past year. Solar Impulse – sun powered flight The first solar powered round-the-world flight touched down… Read More ›
The Physics of Food in 2016
Christmas is a time for festivities, family, friends, and food. It has been a turbulent year for many, but in the world of food physics there have been some fascinating developments since our post last year. From knives to mince… Read More ›
Image of the Week
This week our image of the week comes from a Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics Topical Review looking at the modelling of turbulence in thermal plasma flows. Such modelling is vital to realise the full usage of these flows across… Read More ›
Cell Fate in a High-Gradient Magnetic Field
As the field of nanomedicine grows, knowledge of the interactions between magnetic fields and living cells is of increasing importance. In a recent Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics article Vitalii Zablotskii et al. reviewed current research into the impact of high-gradient magnetic… Read More ›
The 2016 oxide electronic materials and oxide interfaces roadmap
Oxide materials are of ever growing importance for a wide range of applications. We take a look at the Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics 2016 oxide electronics roadmap with Michael Lorenz and MSR Ramachandra Rao.
Role Models: how did you get here?
There has been much discussion over the past years about getting young people, particularly young women, into science and the effect of positive role models on young peoples’ decisions. Three young scientists, discuss how they got to be where they are, the people who played the most influential role in getting them there and what their influence meant to them.
Point defects stabilise cubic Mo-N and Ta-N
Does ordering of vacancies and their type play any role on stability of MoN and TaN?
Image of the Week: GaN/InGaN microdisks, or “micromushrooms”
This week’s image of the week is taken from a recent paper in Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics from researchers at the University of Hong Kong, Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications and the University of Sheffield. The image… Read More ›
The big physics of sport roundup!
Every sport has physics at its core, whether its football, cricket, golf or the shotput. What can we learn from physics that might help us understand our favourite games?
Spectacularly long range energy transfer to graphene
Can graphene be used as a nanoscopic ruler over a wide range of distances?
Shape fluctuations in biomembranes: the physics and the biology
Novel physics-based experimental techniques and concepts from statistical mechanics may help understand why living cells use up precious energy to constantly ‘jiggle’ and ‘twitch’ their membranes.
The Institute of Physics: for physics, for physicists, for you
Paul Hardaker, CEO: “We know well that science benefits the economy and creates jobs. If we are to see these benefits continue to grow we need to remain competitive in funding, and both the UK and Ireland need to be the places where physicists can do world-class science.”