General Physics news

Turning heat to electricity

Turning heat to electricity... efficiently

Physics / General Physics

created Nov 18, 2009 | popularity 4.8 / 5 (57) | comments 4

(PhysOrg.com) -- In everything from computer processor chips to car engines to electric powerplants, the need to get rid of excess heat creates a major source of inefficiency. But new research points the way ...


Stars Fueled by Dark Matter Could Hold Secrets to the Universe

Stars Fueled by Dark Matter Could Hold Secrets to the Universe

Physics / General Physics

created Nov 03, 2009 | popularity 4.4 / 5 (58) | comments 44

(PhysOrg.com) -- The first stars in the universe may have been very different from the stars we see today, yet they may hold clues to understanding some of the mysterious features of the universe. These "dark ...


A line on string theory

A line on string theory

Physics / General Physics

created Nov 12, 2009 | popularity 4.7 / 5 (44) | comments 15

(PhysOrg.com) -- A Harvard theoretical physicist has discussed with scientists at the Large Hadron Collider in Switzerland the possibility that they may discover a theorized "stau" particle, with a lifetime ...


Gamma-ray photon race ends in dead heat; Einstein wins this round

Gamma-ray photon race ends in dead heat; Einstein wins this round

Physics / General Physics

created Oct 28, 2009 | popularity 4.7 / 5 (35) | comments 62

Racing across the universe for the last 7.3 billion years, two gamma-ray photons arrived at NASA's orbiting Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope within nine-tenths of a second of one another. The dead-heat finish ...


Second Law of Thermodynamics May Explain Economic Evolution

Second Law of Thermodynamics May Explain Economic Evolution

Physics / General Physics

created Nov 02, 2009 | popularity 4.3 / 5 (34) | comments 29

(PhysOrg.com) -- Terms such as the "invisible hand," laissez-faire policy, and free-market principles suggest that economic growth and decline in capitalist societies seem to be somehow self-regulated. Now, ...


Particles are back in the LHC

Particles are back in the LHC

Physics / General Physics

created Oct 26, 2009 | popularity 4.6 / 5 (30) | comments 2

During the last weekend (23-25 October) particles have once again entered the LHC after the one-year break that followed the incident of September 2008.


Superstring theory useful for experimental physics

Superstring theory useful for experimental physics

Physics / General Physics

created Oct 30, 2009 | popularity 3.9 / 5 (26) | comments 9

Superstring theory aims to explain the laws of physics from extremely small strings in various states. Theoretical superstring theory is therefore normally not considered to be particularly relevant for practical ...


A view of a superconducting solenoid magnet at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) near Geneva

CERN atom-smasher restarts after 14-month hiatus: official

Physics / General Physics

created Nov 20, 2009 | popularity 4.6 / 5 (22) | comments 0

The world's biggest atom-smasher, shut down after its inauguration in September 2008 amid technical faults, restarted on Friday, a spokesman for the European Organisation for Nuclear Research said.


Proton's party pals may alter its internal structure

Proton's party pals may alter its internal structure

Physics / General Physics

created Nov 18, 2009 | popularity 4.6 / 5 (20) | comments 9

A recent experiment at the DOE's Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility has found that a proton's nearest neighbors in the nucleus of the atom may modify the proton's internal structure.


First hyperlens for sound waves created

First hyperlens for sound waves created

Physics / General Physics

created Oct 25, 2009 | popularity 4.7 / 5 (18) | comments 4

Ultrasound and underwater sonar devices could "see" a big improvement thanks to development of the world's first acoustic hyperlens. Created by researchers with the U.S. Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley ...


Do we need dark matter?

Do we need dark matter?

Physics / General Physics

created Nov 12, 2009 | popularity 4.2 / 5 (19) | comments 35

It's the biggest problem in physics: the matter we can see in the universe accounts for just five per cent of the observed gravity that holds galaxies together.


Scientists build first 'frequency comb' to display visible 'teeth'

Scientists Build First 'Frequency Comb' To Display Visible 'Teeth'

Physics / General Physics

created Oct 29, 2009 | popularity 4.9 / 5 (15) | comments 0

(PhysOrg.com) -- Finally, an optical frequency comb that visibly lives up to its name. Scientists at the University of Konstanz in Germany and the National Institute of Standards and Technology in the U.S. ...


Tiny Music Player Made from Wire Bridge

Tiny Music Player Made from Wire Bridge (w/ Video)

Physics / General Physics

created Nov 04, 2009 | popularity 4.2 / 5 (17) | comments 1

(PhysOrg.com) -- In 2008, scientists built a loudspeaker made of carbon nanotubes that produced sound and music based on the thermoacoustic effect. Now, a different team of scientists has built a loudspeaker ...


Large Hadron Collider (LHC)

LHC nears restart after repairs

Physics / General Physics

created Nov 17, 2009 | popularity 4.4 / 5 (16) | comments 3

The European Organization for Nuclear Research says it expects to restart the world's largest atom smasher by this weekend after more than a year of repairs.


Restored machine to explore mysteries of Big Bang (AP)

Restored machine to explore mysteries of Big Bang

Physics / General Physics

created 17 hours ago | popularity 4.5 / 5 (15) | comments 9

(AP) -- Scientists are preparing the world's largest atom smasher to explore the depths of matter after successfully restarting the $10 billion machine following more than a year of repairs.