Physics

Measuring Entropy in Active-Matter Systems

Physics: A movie of a molecule jostling around in a fluid at equilibrium looks the same when played forward and backward. Such a movie has an “entropy production rate”—the parameter used to quantify this symmetry—of zero; most other movies have…

Scientists Solve Major Mystery of Powerful Energy Beams Pointed at Earth

VICE: After decades of effort, scientists have finally discovered the secret mechanism that powers the brightest light shows in the universe, which are emitted by absurdly energetic beams that…

How the first transistor worked

IEEE Spectrum: The vacuum-tube triode wasn’t quite 20 years old when physicists began trying to create its successor, and the stakes were huge. Not only had the triode made long-distance telephony and movie sound possible, it was driving the entire enterprise of commercial radio, an industry worth more than a…

Computer Proof ‘Blows Up’ Centuries-Old Fluid Equations

Quanta Magazine: For centuries, mathematicians have sought to understand and model the motion of fluids. The equations that describe how ripples crease the surface of a pond have also helped researchers to predict the weather, design better airplanes, and characterize how…