Author Archives: rberkowitz

A Vortex in an Egg Cell

Posted on January 16, 2021 by rberkowitz

During a fruit-fly egg cell’s early development, its internal fluid begins to swirl in a vortex—a transition caused by the coordinated behavior of elastic filaments in the cell. Continue reading →

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Railways could double as a tool for probing Earth’s shallow crust

Posted on January 12, 2021 by rberkowitz

Seismologists prospect for mineral deposits in Canada by recording the humming vibrations from freight trains. Continue reading →

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Ultrabright Photons for Single-Chip Quantum Devices

Posted on January 1, 2021 by rberkowitz

A microcavity-based source of photon pairs achieves one hundred times the efficiency of state-of-the-art devices. Read more in APS Physics…

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A galactic fast radio burst finally reveals its origin

Posted on January 1, 2021 by rberkowitz

Observations at multiple wavelengths provide compelling evidence that the first example of a fast radio burst detected in our galaxy came from a magnetized neutron star. Continue reading →

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Speeding Toward Improved Hydrogen Fuel Production

Posted on December 26, 2020 by rberkowitz

A new nanomaterial helps obtain hydrogen from a liquid energy carrier, in a key step toward a stable and clean fuel source. Continue reading →

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A 2D Metal Compound Shows a Superconducting Surprise

Posted on December 10, 2020 by rberkowitz

A cesium-rich “kagome” metal is both a topological insulator and a superconductor, making it a compelling material for future quantum technologies. Continue reading →

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A fast radio burst finally reveals its origins

Posted on December 8, 2020 by rberkowitz

Observations at multiple wavelengths provide compelling evidence that the first burst detected in our galaxy came from a magnetized neutron star. Continue reading →

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Pulses of Light Accelerate in Free Space

Posted on December 6, 2020 by rberkowitz

A recipe for greatly accelerating a light pulse involves sculpting its
spectrum in space and time. Continue reading →

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Nobel Prize in Physics honors the discovery of a supermassive compact object at the heart of the Milky Way

Posted on December 1, 2020 by rberkowitz

By tracking the orbits of stars close to the galactic center, Reinhard Genzel and Andrea Ghez ruled out all possibilities besides a black hole. Continue reading →

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Climate patterns shape forest wildfire recovery

Posted on November 24, 2020 by rberkowitz

An alternating north–south drought cycle in the western US restricts seedlings’ ability to regenerate after fires. Continue reading →

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