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The newest form of radioactivity, two-proton decay, has been imaged directly using an optical time-projection chamber. The protons are emitted in a way that reflects the internal dynamics of the parent nucleus.
The most precise test of time dilation so far assures us that all is well with the special theory of relativity, and sets important benchmarks for practical applications and for emerging theories of quantum gravity.
An antenna for optical frequencies that operates by tuning into the interaction of surface-plasmon polaritons, supported by an array of nanometre-sized holes in a thin metal film, represents another step towards the manipulation of light at the nanoscale.
The physics of phase transitions beautifully describes the collective behaviour of many populations of inanimate particles, from water molecules to magnetic spins. But could it also help in understanding ensembles of living neurons?
Two papers published in 1957 helped to define the field of nuclear astrophysics. Since then, the field has expanded to include a broad range of phenomena in addition to the origin of the elements.
It is fifty years since John Bardeen, Leon Cooper and Bob Schrieffer presented the microscopic theory of superconductivity. At a wonderful conference in Urbana the 'good old days' were remembered, and the challenges ahead surveyed.
Combining the strong nonlinearity of single-photon emitters with the light-focusing characteristics of metal nanowires could soon enable the realization of a single-photon transistor — a device that would revolutionize the field of quantum optics.
Our social behaviour has evolved primarily through contact with a limited number of other individuals. Yet as a species we exhibit uniformities on a global scale. This kind of emergent behaviour is familiar territory for statistical physicists.
In the fractional quantum Hall effect, the quasiparticles carry fractional charge. But neutral excitations with fractional spin have been elusive in two-dimensional magnets. Is it possible that they have already been observed?
Exotic quasiparticles known as 'anyons' have intriguing fundamental and practical properties. A proposal for a solid-state structure in which anyons might 'live' provides fresh ideas for getting a practical handle on them.
A quantum dot is usually charged by inserting electrons. But electrons can also be removed from a neutral dot. Unexpectedly, positively charged dots are different from highly charged negative ones, which have their own peculiarities.
Generating droplets below a micrometre in size from the break-up of a liquid jet or droplet usually requires surfactants or electric fields. By simply focusing one jet with a pair of coaxial ones, this could be extended down to the nanoscale.
A global infrastructure for exchanging quantum information requires coherent communication over long distances. The demonstration of interference between photons from two unsynchronized sources could bring us a step closer to that goal.
Pioneering measurements of the superfluid density in ultrathin films of a high-temperature superconductor demonstrate the importance of phase fluctuations for the physics of these fascinating materials.
After 18 years, and some significant setbacks, the first data from Borexino on low-energy solar neutrinos support the existence of neutrino oscillations, and are set to reveal more about the workings of the Sun.
