Author Archives: rberkowitz

Cubes Keep Their Distance

Posted on April 22, 2021 by rberkowitz

Cubes suspended in a liquid are less likely than spheres to form clusters and fall out of solution. Read more in APS Physics…

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Counting All the Antistars in the Sky

Posted on April 22, 2021 by rberkowitz

Analyzing gamma-ray sources leads to an upper limit on how many antimatter stars could exist in the Milky Way. Read more in APS Physics…

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Laser-Cooled Atoms and Molecules Collide in a Trap

Posted on April 14, 2021 by rberkowitz

An experiment shows the circumstances under which ultracold atoms are quick to kick molecules out of a trap, providing clues for how to use atoms as a refrigerant for molecules. Continue reading →

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Ancient lightning may have provided the phosphorus necessary for life

Posted on April 6, 2021 by rberkowitz

On early Earth, lightning strikes created glassy rocks that hosted abundant soluble minerals, which were rich in phosphorus, a vital ingredient in biomolecules. Continue reading →

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A tabletop waveguide delivers coherent x rays

Posted on April 1, 2021 by rberkowitz

The layered anode emits bright, directed beams without the need for mirrors or large-scale accelerators. Continue reading →

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Shape-Shifting Proteins Follow Diffusion Rules

Posted on March 23, 2021 by rberkowitz

How quickly a protein diffuses in a liquid depends directly on its radius, which changes as the protein’s conformation fluctuates. Continue reading →

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Loopy Pipe Network Converts AC to DC

Posted on March 19, 2021 by rberkowitz

A simple network of pipes based on the structures of a bird’s lung transforms back-and-forth flow into one-way flow. Continue reading →

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At-Home Experiment Exposes Gel Cracks

Posted on March 4, 2021 by rberkowitz

Kept out of the lab by COVID-19, an undergraduate student has performed experiments in his living room, revealing a mechanism for fracture elongation in soft materials. Continue reading →

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Evolutionary insights into shape-shifting proteins

Posted on March 2, 2021 by rberkowitz

Over millions of years a protein that now folds into two stable structures likely favored first one configuration, then the other, before settling on both. Continue reading →

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A tabletop waveguide delivers focused x rays

Posted on February 28, 2021 by rberkowitz

By simultaneously generating and guiding beams, the layered anode emits x rays in one direction without the need for mirrors or large-scale accelerators. Continue reading →

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