Tag Physics
New nondestructive optical technique reveals the structure of mother-of-pearl
Scientists have admired and marveled at the material for decades, not only for its beauty and optical properties but because of its exceptional toughness.
Surprising communication between atoms could improve quantum computing
A group of UW physicists has identified conditions under which relatively distant atoms communicate with each other in ways that had previously only been seen in atoms closer together.
American Physical Society bestows top honors on two UW scientists
Physics professor Vernon Barger won the J.J. Sakurai Prize for Theoretical Particle Physics, and chemistry professor Martin Zanni was the recipient of the Earle K. Plyler Prize for Molecular Spectroscopy & Dynamics.
UW grad student shares hands-on physics, art lessons with local fifth graders
Students took breaks from all-electronic assignments to work with take-home kits that let them explore the physics of light while creating art.
UW, collaborators win federal quantum information science funding
UW–Madison solidified its standing as a leader in the field when the federal government announced Q-NEXT as a funded center through the National Quantum Initiative Act.
NSF Physics Frontier Center for neutron star modeling to include UW–Madison
The center expands the reach and depth of existing capabilities in modeling some of the most violent events known in the universe: the mergers of neutron stars and their explosive aftermath.
When bomb tore through Sterling Hall 50 years ago, he was inside: ‘I still have flashbacks’
Bill Evans remembers feeling the building shudder, then seeing a wave of dirt and dust blow by a lab door. He immediately reported that something terrible had happened.
UW–Madison named member of new $25 million Midwest quantum science institute
"It is a recognition of the strength of quantum information research at UW–Madison that we are among the first," says professor of physics Mark Saffman, director of the Wisconsin Quantum Institute.
Nanomaterial bests all others in blocking speeding projectiles
In the future, these new types of armor could potentially be used as a shield on military vehicles to provide enhanced protection from bullets, as well as on spacecraft to mitigate impacts from meteorite debris.
New research helps explain why the solar wind is hotter than expected
When the sun expels plasma, the solar wind, which causes events such as auroras above the earth, cools as it expands through space — but not as much as the laws of physics would predict. UW–Madison physicists now know the reason.
Physicists to improve plasma fusion mirror devices with $5 million grant
It will serve as a prototype for the next generation of fusion reactors. "It’s a new look at an older concept using new technology,” says researcher Cary Forest.
First cohort of students dives into new physics-quantum computing master’s degree
UW–Madison’s inaugural MS in Physics – Quantum Computing, which addresses a workforce need as the first program of its kind in the U.S., will prime students to enter this rapidly growing field.
UW–Madison physicist awarded Packard Fellowship
Shimon Kolkowitz's research into ultra-precision atomic clocks will test Einstein's general theory of relativity.
Detailed PICture reveals how tooth enamel is strong enough to last a lifetime
Physicist Pupa Gilbert used PIC mapping to find that the way enamel crystals are misoriented likely deflects cracks, leading to teeth’s lifelong strength.
Making biominerals: nature’s recipe is old, evolved more than once
In recent years, scientists have teased out many of the secrets of biomineralization, the process by which sea urchins grow spines, mollusks build their shells…
Lessons of conventional imaging let scientists see around corners
Scientists from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and the Universidad de Zaragoza in Spain, drawing on the lessons of classical optics, have shown that it is possible to image complex hidden scenes using a projected “virtual camera” to see around barriers.
Researchers recreate the sun’s solar wind and plasma “burps” on Earth
A new study by UW–Madison physicists mimicked solar winds in the lab, confirming how they develop and providing an Earth-bound model for the future study of solar physics.
IceCube: Antarctic neutrino detector to get $37 million upgrade
IceCube, which in 2018 helped unravel one of the oldest riddles in physics and astronomy — the origin of high-energy neutrinos and cosmic rays — has received new funding to expand the detector and its scientific capabilities.
UW lab gears up for another Antarctic drilling campaign
The UW–Madison Physical Sciences Laboratory, which specializes in making customized equipment for UW–Madison researchers, will once again lead drilling operations for the IceCube neutrino observatory.
By dropping, throwing smart phones, students key into a 21st century approach to physics
In Professor Duncan Carlsmith's introductory physics classroom, smartphones are dropped, thrown and strapped to pendulums, and the data from their sensors is used to teach principles of physics.