Physics Today

Our July issue is here! Read about the harsh Martian atmosphere, a device that makes 16 polarization measurements simultaneously, and the risk of meteor impacts. Plus, learn how one physical sciences department has changed its PhD qualifying exam. Read the issue now: https://lnkd.in/ejHaKJCq #PhysicsToday

As tensions grew between the US and Soviet Union in the early 1980s, renewed fear of an atomic war prompted a resurgence in antinuclear protests. One of those, the Greenham Common Women’s Peace Camp, took the form of an encampment exclusively for women outside a UK missile base. Criticized by the UK tabloids, camp members began printing a newsletter to tell their story. The Niels Bohr Library & Archives at the American Institute of Physics holds an issue of the newsletter, which features typewritten and handwritten texts, comics, poems, and marginalia. Physics Today’s Ryan Dahn, PhD explores the history and context of this extraordinary Cold War document. #PhysicsToday #histSTM #ColdWar #feminism

The latest ultrafast electron microscopes enable the study of dynamical processes on incredibly short temporal scales in physics, chemistry, materials sciences, and biology. In this month’s magazine, Mohammed Hassan explains how the technology works and looks ahead to what improvements may be around the corner. #PhysicsToday https://lnkd.in/eYCcqRkZ

For those pursuing careers in academia, the tenure process is one of the last hurdles in a long series of obstacles and challenges. Everyone’s experiences are different. But the overwhelming evidence is that the experiences of faculty members from minoritized groups differ significantly from those of faculty who are white and who are male—and often are much less positive. Last year in Physics Today, AIP researchers discussed the inequality seen in a recent survey of physics and astronomy faculty. https://lnkd.in/eUxApqtN #BlackSpaceWeek #BlackInAstro

Astronomers, you may be missing an important citation. In his 1962 thesis, Titus Pankey Jr suggested an explanation for the type Ia supernova light curve and then provided an illustration on the basis of radioactive-decay physics. His research, however, is cited far less frequently than a 1969 paper that independently introduced the same idea. Many achievements by Pankey, one of the first 10 Black physics PhD recipients in the US, have not been recognized as they should be. But that’s changing. Recent essays, and now a Wikipedia page, have boosted the awareness of the Howard University physicist who published papers on astrophysics, semiconductors, and experimental materials science. Learn more about Pankey and the work to boost his legacy: https://lnkd.in/ditQaFT7 #PhysicsToday #BlackSpaceWeek #BlackInAstro

Northern Europe is warmer than other regions at the same latitude because Atlantic Ocean circulation carries heat from the equator to the continent. By combining climate science and fluid dynamics, researchers are investigating how heating and cooling of the ocean surface, together with Earth’s rotation, create buoyancy differences that drive large-scale ocean circulation. https://lnkd.in/esVmUQ-a #PhysicsToday #ClimateScience #FluidDynamics

Celebrate #BlackSpaceWeek by reading about the female computers who played a crucial role in developing the complex mathematical models that landed humanity on the Moon. The job meant higher salaries and new professional opportunities for many African American women. #BlackInAstro https://lnkd.in/egM5kSSA

A newly developed plastic is infused with plastic-eating bacteria that can survive the extreme heat of plastic manufacturing. The bacteria-incorporated plastic degrades faster than typical plastic. #PhysicsToday #sustainability #planetvsplastics Read about how it works in this month’s backscatter: https://lnkd.in/e56PMxfF 📸: David Baillot, UC San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering; H. S. Kim et al., Nat. Commun. 15, 3338, 2024.

Throughout June, AIP will be highlighting archival resources that celebrate the accomplishments of #LGBTQ+ people in #STEMM. Be sure to share the stories that inspire you and follow our social channels to join the conversation. #PrideMonth🌈 Read more: https://lnkd.in/egA6w46K

Smartwatches, VR headsets, and other compact displays need to be very bright. One solution? MicroLEDs. Researchers are focusing on improving the manufacturing efficiency of the roughly two-decade-old technology for mass-market applications. #PhysicsToday https://lnkd.in/eyXYbixD