I caught up with researchers in Korea about a new device that can vacuum up microplastics floating on the surface of a body of water.

physics.aps.org/articles/v18/6

🧪⚛️

"The biggest obstacle in making a green battery isn’t technological. It's changing the mindsets of companies and consumers, who largely treat batteries as disposable commodities that can be thrown in the dustbin." --Shirley Meng. #WomenInSTEM 🧪 ⚛️🌏

physics.aps.org/articles/v17...

Bring on multimessenger tau-neutrino triggered observations.

Scientists have found seven astrophysical tau neutrinos—particles that are notoriously difficult to detect—in an analysis of data from the IceCube Neutrino Observatory in Antarctica. 🧪 ⚛️

physics.aps.org/articles/v17...

Who knew cerium was so interesting?

A widening gap between the cerium-140 abundance predicted by theories and that measured in observations of certain stars indicates a potential need for updated models of element formation. 🧪⚛️

physics.aps.org/articles/v17...

A rare lab visit for me. I attended the opening of Princeton Plasma Physics's new Quantum Diamond Lab, where researchers will grow diamonds for quantum applications. I also toured the magnetic confinement fusion reactor. Reactor smaller than I expected, equipment need to operate it, much bigger. 🧪⚛️

While undergraduate physics students that identify as neurodivergent report little outright discrimination or violence, they do say that structural ableism has negatively impacted their time as students. #scicomm 🧪⚛️

physics.aps.org/articles/v17...

Less than a year after its opening, the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams produced five never-before-seen isotopes (and some hints of others, see the paper), a success that researchers say highlights the discovery potential of the facility. 🧪 ⚛️

physics.aps.org/articles/v17...

And relax. My new #JWST feature is out and the weekend has arrived. 😅 Please read, its a good one (yes I am biased, but...) 🧪⚛️🔭 🛰️

physics.aps.org/articles/v17...

Its day 556 of January and... Spring is coming, if the predictions of my son's class are anything to go by. (My crocuses are also in full bloom, LI, NY.) As an aside: why do the kids spend a week each year learning about this superstition. Is it that big a deal? (In the UK it is not a thing). 🧪

I spotted this story on atomic clocks 3 months ago at @sciencewriters.org. The paper finally came out. #scicomm #physics physics.aps.org/articles/v17/8

Collaborations between scientists at far-off institutions produce fewer breakthrough discoveries than those between scientists who can regularly meet in person. The analysis goes up to 2020--Wu said he hopes COVID has pushed this trend in the opposite direction. ⚒️🧪 ⚛️
physics.aps.org/articles/v16...

Particle physicists have set out their plan for the next decade. Not everyone is happy. #scicomm 🧪⚛️

physics.aps.org/articles/v16...

New library find. Well written & beautifully illustrated. My son understood a fraction of it--he mostly practiced saying mRNA as I read--but he loved that Kati is still alive & doing science. The book published in June, so no mention of her Nobel (a reprint surely coming). #WomenInSTEM #scicomm 🧪

Great trip visiting Kirsty Wan and others at the @uniofexeter.bsky.social Living Systems Institute. So much great science going on and really interesting to see them trying to break down silos with microbiologists in offices next to physicists in offices next to mathematicians.

When you twin with an astronaut, you can't not have your picture taken. Great finishing session for #sciwri2 on the upcoming Artemis missions. #physics #scicomm 🧪🔭

Is that what this spider is then? I've never seen anything quite so big.

One for the geophysicists. 🧪This morning my uncle sent me photos my Dad took in 1975 for his PhD (he mapped rock formations on the Isle of Jersey). Each one prominently features a hammer. My Dad sadly passed 6 months ago today. The hammer hangs on my living room wall. We also have my grandfather's.