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. Read more in APS Physics…

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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. Read more in Physics Today…

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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. Read more in Physics Today…

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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. Read more in APS Physics…

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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. Read more in APS Physics…

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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. Read more in APS Physics…

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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. Read more in Physics Today…

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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. Read more in Physics Today…

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The Entangled Dance of Atom Beams

Posted on February 23, 2021 by rberkowitz

Entangled pairs of ultracold atoms interfere in a double waveguide. Read more in APS Physics…

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Femtosecond Probe Catches Electrons Relaxing

Posted on February 11, 2021 by rberkowitz

Pump-probe experiments measure the time it takes for electrons to thermalize and cool after photoexcitation. Read more in APS Physics…

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