New antiviral drugs to treat Ebola patients in West Africa have been tested with the help of a transportable diagnostics laboratory developed with ESA’s support.
Editorial: Volume 16, Number 2
Hawaii Says ‘Aloha’ to NASA’s Low-Density Supersonic Decelerator
NASA’s Low-Density Supersonic Decelerator test vehicle has arrived at the U.S. Navy’s Pacific Missile Range Facility in Kauai, Hawaii.
Flavor Ratio of Astrophysical Neutrinos above 35 TeV in IceCube
Author(s): M. G. Aartsen et al. (IceCube Collaboration)
The highest energy neutrinos ever recorded have a flavor distribution of neutrinos that is consistent with the particles having a cosmic origin.
[Phys. Rev. Lett. 114, 171102] Published Tue Apr 28, 2015
Ready to fly
Human spaceflight and operations image of the week: Newly refitted Airbus A310 aircraft on the runway and ready for its first flight for weightless research
First exoplanet visible light spectrum
Observations revealed new properties of the first exoplant ever discovered around a normal star — 51 Pegasi b.
Strange supernova is “missing link” in gamma-ray burst connection
Studies show that supernovae with strong engines and lighter particles produce gamma-ray bursts.
Saturn’s sponge-like moon
Space Science Image of the Week: Saturn’s moon Hyperion may be a potato-shaped lump of porous rock but, as discovered by Cassini, it is more intriguing than it seems
Deep Space Atomic Clock
The Deep Space Atomic Clock mission will explore how to better navigate spacecraft and collect data with more precision.
NASA Wins 2015 Webby Awards
The websites and a mobile app selected for best-of-the-Web honors represent the diversity of NASA’s online offerings.
A sharp view into black holes
The Event Horizon Telescope has made a step toward taking the first detailed pictures of black holes by adding the South Pole Telescope to its instrumentation lineup.
Kuidas tabada molekule ergastatud olekutes?
Aatomid ja molekulid astuvad keemilistesse reaktsioonidesse ergastatud seisunditest, millel on väga lühike eluiga ning mida ei ole seni olnud võimalik katseliselt uurida. Nüüd on Masakazu Yamazaki (Tohoku Ülikool, Jaapan) töörühm saanud selliste, vaid pikosekundeid kestvate seisundite kohta infot, mõõtes neilt hajunud elektronide energiaid. Tulevikus loodavad uurijad saada 3D kujutisi ergastatud olekutes molekulide elektronpilvedest ning uurida […]
Ariane 5’s first launch of 2015
An Ariane 5 has lifted off from Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana and delivered two telecom satellites into their planned orbits.
Ühe elektroni sünkrotronkiirgus aitab määrata neutriino massi?
Teadlased on suutnud ära mõõta üksiku magnetväljas ringorbiidil liikuva elektroni kiirguse. Eksperimendis, mida tuntakse ka Projekt 8 nime all ja milles osales 27 teadlast kuuest teadusasutusest USA-st ja Saksamaalt, mõõdeti väga täpselt ära üksiku elektroni kiirguse sagedus, mis omakorda annab täpse hinnangu elektroni energiale. Kui elektroni energia mõõtmise täpsust õnnestuks veel parandada, saaks sellistest eksperimentidest […]
Wolfgang Pauli – 115
Wolfgang Pauli (25.04.1900 – 14.12.1958) on sündinud Viinis juudi perekonnas, õppinud Müncheni ülikoolis. 19-aastaselt koostas ta põhjaliku ülevaate eri- ja üldrelatiivsusteooriast, mida Einstein ise kõrgelt hindas ja mis jäi aastateks parimaks sellekohaseks ülevaateks. Doktorikraadi kaitses 1922 Müncheni ülikoolis, seejärel töötas Göttingenis, Kopenhaagenis ja Hamburgis. 1928 pages ähvardava natsismiohu eest Šveitsi, kus sai Zürichi Tehnikaülikooli professoriks. […]
Dawn Enters Science Orbit
NASA’s Dawn spacecraft entered into its first science orbit on Thursday, April 23, as scheduled.
Probing Atmospheric Electric Fields in Thunderstorms through Radio Emission from Cosmic-Ray-Induced Air Showers
Author(s): P. Schellart et al.Radio waves generated by cosmic rays provide an unprecedented view of the elusive electric fields in thunderstorms.[Phys. Rev. Lett. 114, 165001] Published Fri Apr 24, 2015
Week In Images
Our week through the lens: 20-24 April 2015
Giant cosmic tsunami wakes up comatose galaxies
If clusters of galaxies merge, a huge shock wave can drive the birth of a new generation of stars.
Looking back: Hubble at 25, an interactive timeline
Hubble data has yielded tens of thousands of scientific papers, and its powerful camera continues to beam back breathtaking images of the universe.
Astronomers find runaway galaxies
These compact elliptical galaxies likely have been flying out of their home clusters by interactions with larger galaxies.
Florida
Earth observation image of the week: a Sentinel-1 image over the US state of Florida, also featured on the Earth from Space video programme
Loodi mikroskoopiline, muudetava lainepikkusega plasmonlaser
USA teadlased on loonud laseri, mis on ühtaegu väga väike ja reguleeritava lainepikkusega. Loodud laser on vaid mõne nanomeetri paksune, see koosneb läbipaistvate plaatide vahele asetatud ja värvainega ümbritsetud kulla nanoosakeste ruudustikust. Uue laseri abil loodetakse efektiivsemalt jälgida vähiuuringutes kasutatavaid biomarkereid. USA teadlaste loodud seadme skeem on alumisel pildil. Kollased täpid on seal kulla nano-osakesed, […]
JPL Celebrates Hubble’s 25th Anniversary
This week marks the 25th anniversary of the launch of NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope, and JPL is celebrating its significant role in the historic mission.
Meet Sentinel-2
The second satellite for Europe’s Copernicus programme is set for launch on 12 June. Discover the ‘colour vision’ mission
Preparing to launch ‘colour vision’ satellite
The latest satellite for the European Commission’s environmental Copernicus programme has arrived safe and sound in French Guiana for launch on 12 June. Carrying a multispectral imager, Sentinel-2A is set to give us a new perspective of our land and vegetation.
Public Good Diffusion Limits Microbial Mutualism
Author(s): Rajita Menon and Kirill S. KorolevMicrobial cooperation involves the diffusion of nutrients from one species to another, but too high a diffusion rate weakens the cooperative bond.[Phys. Rev. Lett. 114, 168102] Published Thu Apr 23, 2015
Observation of Parametric Instability in Advanced LIGO
Author(s): Matthew Evans et al. Ground-based interferometric gravitational wave detectors are predicted to suffer from instabilities that strongly limit the sensitivity of the detectors. Arising from a coupling between optical and mechanical resonances…
Hubble 25
Celebrating 25 years of the Hubble Space Telescope, this montage presents the incredible range of images that have helped to shape our view of the Universe
Celestial fireworks celebrate Hubble’s 25th anniversary
This glittering tapestry of young stars exploding into life in a dramatic fireworks display has been released today to celebrate 25 incredible years of the Hubble Space Telescope.
Earth from Space
Join us Friday, 24 April, at 10:00 CEST for the ‘Earth from Space’ video programme. This week features a Sentinel-1 image over the US state of Florida
NASA’s NExSS to lead search for life on distant worlds
The coalition hopes to better understand the various components of exoplanets, as well as how the stars and neighbor planets interact to support life.
NASA unveils celestial fireworks as official image for Hubble 25th anniversary
The sparkling centerpiece of Hubble’s silver anniversary fireworks is a giant cluster of about 3,000 stars called Westerlund 2.
Space artist nominated for prestigious prize
Katie Paterson’s ESA-supported work Campo del Cielo, Field of the Sky – which included a symbolic return to space for a chunk of meteorite – has been shortlisted for the International Prize for Contemporary Art, granted by the Foundation Prince Pierre de Monaco.
Nanotorudest saab ka ahju ehitada
Paljude komposiitmaterjalidest valmistatud detailide valmistamisel ja parandamisel on vaja neid kuumutada. Kui töödeldavad esemed on väga suured või on nad juba kusagile külge kruvitud (näiteks lennukile), siis võib kuumutamine olla vägagi kulukas ja aeganõudev protsess. Ka energia tarbimise poolest – tüüpiliselt tuleb sellisel töötlusel esmalt üles soojendada ahi, alles pärast seda saab asuda detaili kallale, […]
Internal environment: what is it like to be a Schr?dinger cat?
The possibility of quantum interference of a composite object with many internal degrees of freedom
is studied, such that the internal degrees play a role of an internal environment. In particular, if
the internal degrees have a capacity for an irrev…
Spinning tops on a gentle incline?the answer
In my article (Featonby 2015 Phys. Educ. 50 256), I looked at how the behaviour of a spinning top
differs when it is set to spin on a gentle incline.
Physics textbooks: do they promote or inhibit students? creative thinking
Creativity can be viewed from different perspectives, such as the creative thinking process, the
product, the creative environment and the individual. The physics domain, which is based on
experiments, research, hypotheses and thinking outside the bo…
?The physics of life,? an undergraduate general education biophysics course
Improving the scientific literacy of non-scientists is an important aim, both because of the
ever-increasing impact of science on our lives and because understanding science enriches our
experience of the natural world. One route to improving scienti…
Satellite splat: an inelastic collision with a surface-launched projectile
A projectile is launched vertically from the surface of an isolated planet. It collides with and
sticks to a satellite of equal mass that is initially moving in a circular orbit around the planet.
Conservation of mechanical energy, angular momentum, …
Internal environment: what is it like to be a Schrödinger cat?
The possibility of quantum interference of a composite object with many internal degrees of freedom
is studied, such that the internal degrees play a role of an internal environment. In particular, if
the internal degrees have a capacity for an irrev…
Experimental observation of solitary waves in a new designed pendulum chain system
A new coupled pendulum chain system is developed to vividly simulate the solitary solutions of the
sine-Gordon (SG) equation. Transmission processes of three kinds of solitons (kink, anti-kink and
breather) are systematically observed by using a high…
Zeno inhibition of polarization rotation in an optically active medium
We describe an experiment in which the rotation of the polarization of light propagating in an
optically active water solution of D-fructose tends to be inhibited by frequent monitoring whether
the polarization remains unchanged. This is an example o…
A practical activity for teaching the trigonometric relationship between the horizontal and vertical components of a force
The link between trigonometry and forces can be a conceptually difficult one for some A-level
students. This article describes a simple, practical investigation that students can carry out using
three force metres to find the horizontal and vertical …
Refractive index of a transparent liquid
This article describes an alternative method to determine the refractive index of transparent
liquids. The method only requires a laser pointer, a ruler and a modified fish tank.
Electrostatic demonstration of free-fall weightlessness
The phenomena of free-fall weightlessness have been demonstrated to students for many years in a
number of different ways. The essential basis of all these demonstrations is the fact that in
free-falling, gravitationally accelerated systems, the weig…
‘The physics of life,’ an undergraduate general education biophysics course
Improving the scientific literacy of non-scientists is an important aim, both because of the
ever-increasing impact of science on our lives and because understanding science enriches our
experience of the natural world. One route to improving scienti…
Reaching higher goals by means of a reflecting wall
A student realizes that a point particle that is able to rise at a given point P 0 at height H when
launched vertically from the origin O of a Cartesian plane at a fixed initial speed V 0 cannot
reach, by means of a direct shot from a small spring cannon, a point P positioned at the same height
H and distance d from P 0 , with 0 < d ≤ R , where R is the maximum horizontal distance attainable
with an optimum throw at an angle of 45°. However, the student realizes that, in the absence of air
resistance, conservation of energy does not prevent this possibility. Therefore, in order to reach
point P , the student uses a perfectly reflecting surface, opportunely inclined with respect to the
horizontal. The full story of how this is done will be narrated in this article.
Interview: From fine art to fireworks
David Smith talks to Nobel Prize-winning graphene pioneer Konstantin Novoselov about his early
career in Russia and his move to Manchester, where he is currently involved in setting up the
National Graphene Institute.
Physics textbooks: do they promote or inhibit students’ creative thinking
Creativity can be viewed from different perspectives, such as the creative thinking process, the
product, the creative environment and the individual. The physics domain, which is based on
experiments, research, hypotheses and thinking outside the bo…
Behaviour of a bouncing ball
The bounce of a ball is a seemingly innocuous event that can be used to illustrate many aspects of
elementary and even advanced mechanics. Both normal and oblique bounces on a rigid surface are
considered in this article, emphasizing qualitative feat…
Capsizing icebergs: an exercise in the application of the principle of the conservation of energy with a very surprising result
Many icebergs are vulnerable to capsizing. In doing so the gravitational potential energy of the ice
is increased, while that of the displaced sea water is decreased. Applying the principle of the
conservation of energy shows that by capsizing, there…
Reviews
Description unavailable
Measuring the speed of sound in air using smartphone applications
This study presents a revised version of an old experiment available in many textbooks for measuring
the speed of sound in air. A signal-generator application in a smartphone is used to produce the
desired sound frequency. Nodes of sound waves in a g…
Scratch as a computational modelling tool for teaching physics
The Scratch online authoring tool, which features a simple programming language that has been
adapted to primary and secondary students, is being used more and more in schools as it offers
students and teachers the opportunity to use a tool to build …
Spreadsheet application showing the proper elevation angle, points of shot and impact of a projectile
This paper provides the formula for the elevation angle at which a projectile has to be fired in a
vacuum from a general position to hit a target at a given distance. A spreadsheet application that
models the trajectory is presented, and the problem …
The tablecloth pull revisited
A very old and well-known magical trick is the so-called tablecloth pull. A table is covered with a
tablecloth, on top of which are certain objects. The task is to remove the tablecloth while the
objects—which must not be touched—stay on top of …
Dynamics of a sliding ladder leaning against a wall
This study is about the dynamics of a sliding ladder leaning against a vertical wall. The results
are understood by considering the motion divided in two parts: (i) for ##IMG##
[http://ej.iop.org/images/0031-9120/50/3/329/ped510699ieqn001.gif] {$0leq tleq {{t}_{s}}$} with
one degree of freedom, and (ii) for ##IMG##
[http://ej.iop.org/images/0031-9120/50/3/329/ped510699ieqn002.gif] {$t>{{t}_{s}}$} with two degrees
of freedom, where the separation is determined by the instance ##IMG##
[http://ej.iop.org/images/0031-9120/50/3/329/ped510699ieqn003.gif] {${{t}_{s}},$} when the ladder
loses its contact with the wall. The observed experimental details are explained by appealing a
simple model based on elementary notions of mechanics. We emphasize some features, such as a maximum
of the x component of the velocity and of the acceleration of the centre of mass in the first part,
and a minimum of the normal react…
The International Year of Light and Light-based Technologies
I report on the opening ceremony of the International Year of Light and Light-based Technologies
2015 (IYL2015), which took place at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris, France, on 19–20 January 2015.
Over the two days, more than 1000 participants fro…
Special relativity in the school laboratory: a simple apparatus for cosmic-ray muon detection
We use apparatus based on two Geiger–Müller tubes, a simple electronic circuit and a Raspberry Pi
computer to illustrate relativistic time dilation affecting cosmic-ray muons travelling through the
atmosphere to the Earth’s surface. The experime…
Spinning tops on a gentle incline—the answer
In my article (Featonby 2015 Phys. Educ. 50 256), I looked at how the behaviour of a spinning top
differs when it is set to spin on a gentle incline.
News
Description unavailable
Musical intonation of wind instruments and temperature
Wind musical instruments are affected in their intonation by temperature. We show how to account for
these effects in a simple experiment, and provide results in languages accessible to both physics
and music professionals.
The pendulum wave machine
There are many examples on the internet of videos of ‘pendulum wave machines’ and how to make them
(for example, www.instructables.com/id/Wave-Pendulum/
[http://www.instructables.com/id/Wave-Pendulum/] ). The machine is simply a set of pendula of…
The puzzle of a marble in a spinning pipe
What trajectory does a marble follow if it is held inside a rotating pipe and then suddenly
released?
TÜ füüsika instituudi uus ilmajaam avatakse lennukalt
Tartu Ülikooli pressiteade: Sel nädalal lastakse üle maailma taevasse tuhandeid ise disainitud ja kaameratega varustatud aeroloogilisi õhupalle, mis lubavad Maad vaadata linnulennult. Esimest korda osalevad globaalsel õhupalliväljakutsel ka eestlased. Tartu Ülikooli meeskond laseb oma õhupalli lendu 24. aprillil, avades sellega füüsika instituudi katusel asuva uue ilmajaama. TÜ meteoroloogia ja klimatoloogia dotsendi Piia Posti sõnul osaleb […]
Mars Orbiter Views Curiosity Rover in ‘Artist’s Drive’
A view from NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter on April 8, 2015, catches sight of NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover passing through a valley called “Artist’s Drive” on the lower slope of Mount Sharp.
Happy Earth Day
A snapshot of our home planet captured on the morning of Earth Day by the MSG-3 satellite
Clusters of monster stars lit up the early universe
Scientists find that the first stars could have clustered together in phenomenally bright groups, with periods when they were as luminous as 100 million Suns.
Pulsing light may indicate supermassive black hole merger
In a new study, astronomers present direct evidence of a pulsing quasar, which may substantiate the existence of black hole binaries.
Perseverance paves way for wind laser
Developing new satellite instruments is always challenging, but at times more head-scratching is needed to create something truly cutting-edge. ESA’s Aeolus mission may have caused a few headaches along the way, but its wind lasers are now ready and the task of putting the rest of the instrument together can begin so that it can be ready for launch in 2016.
Second Dragon, fruit flies and fresh coffee for Samantha
ESA astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti is nearing the end of her six-month Futura mission but her action-packed stay on the International Space Station is showing no signs of slowing down.
Light out of darkness
Technology image of the week: The darkened laser test bench of ESA’s Opto-Electronics Lab
NASA Soil Moisture Mission Produces First Global Maps
NASA’s new satellite mission to map the water in the soil under our feet has passed another key milestone by generating its first full global maps.
NASA RapidScat Proving Valuable for Tropical Cyclones
Forecasters are already finding NASA’s new ISS-RapidScat mission helpful as they keep watch on major storms around the globe.
NASA’s NExSS Coalition to Lead Search for Life on Distant Worlds
A new initiative is dedicated to the search for life on planets outside our solar system.
Jason-3 Will Add to Record of the Sea’s Rise and Fall
Jason-3 will add to a 23-year data set used to study climate change and ocean cycles like El Niño, as well as for hurricane forecasts, navigation and other ocean needs.
Decade-Spanning High-Precision Terahertz Frequency Comb
Author(s): Ian A. Finneran, Jacob T. Good, Daniel B. Holland, P. Brandon Carroll, Marco A. Allodi, and Geoffrey A. Blake A new scheme to generate terahertz frequency combs features unprecedented bandwidth and frequency accuracy.[Phys. Rev. Lett. 114, …
Spin service
Human spaceflight and operations image of the week: ESA astronaut Claude Nicollier working on the Hubble space telescope 600 km from Earth
Alma reveals intense magnetic field close to supermassive black hole
This new observation helps astronomers understand the structure and formation of these massive inhabitants of the centers of galaxies and the twin high-speed jets of plasma they frequently eject from their poles.
Astronomers probe young star and its planets
The planetary system HR8799, a young star only 30 million years old, was the first to be directly imaged with three planets found in 2008 and a fourth one in 2010.
603 km/h: uus rongide kiirusrekord
Jaapanis, Mount Fuji lähistel asuval eksperimentaalrajal (Yamanashi Maglev Test Line ) püstitati uus rongide kiirusrekord, uueks rekordiks on 603 km/h. Eelmine rekord oli 590 km/h. SCMaglev’iks nimetatav süsteem, kus rekord püstitati on täielikult elektromagnetiline – rongide sisse on paigutatud ülijuhtivad elektromagnetid ning “rööbasteks” on juhtmepoolid. Video sellest sündmusest leiate allpool. Mõned märksõnad: SCMaglev süsteemis sõidavad […]
Ceres’ Bright Spots Come Back Into View
The two brightest spots on dwarf planet Ceres, which have fascinated scientists for months, are back in view in the newest images from NASA’s Dawn spacecraft.
Ceres’ Bright Spots Come Back Into View
The two brightest spots on dwarf planet Ceres, which have fascinated scientists for months, are back in view in the newest images from NASA’s Dawn spacecraft.
Single-Electron Detection and Spectroscopy via Relativistic Cyclotron Radiation
Author(s): D. M. Asner et al. (Project 8 Collaboration)
An electron’s energy can be determined with high accuracy by detecting the radiation it emits when moving in a magnetic field.
[Phys. Rev. Lett. 114, 162501] Published Mon Apr 20, 2015
A cold cosmic mystery solved
A team of astronomers may have found an explanation for the existence of the Cold Spot, a larger-than-expected cold area of the sky.
Icy tendrils reaching into Saturn ring traced to their source
Scientists have been able to show that each unique tendril structure can be reproduced by particular sets of geysers on Enceladus’ surface.
Thor’s neon-hued helmet
Space Science Image of the Week: Intense X-rays have sculpted bubbles, filaments and rippling outbursts within the Thor’s Helmet nebula, as seen by ESA’s XMM-Newton
Veetilk CD plaadil
Pildile on jäänud veetilk CD plaadi tagaküljel. Aga kus on valgusallikas? Ja mida me saame selle pildi põhjal öelda valgusallika kohta?
Week In Images
Our week through the lens: 13-17 April 2015
Fast-Moving Bacteria Self-Organize into Active Two-Dimensional Crystals of Rotating Cells
Author(s): Alexander P. Petroff, Xiao-Lun Wu, and Albert Libchaber Rotating bacteria suck other bacteria into a 2D crystal structure, an unprecedented pattern for living organisms.[Phys. Rev. Lett. 114, 158102] Published Fri Apr 17, 2015
Monoenergetic Positronium Emission from Metal-Organic Framework Crystals
Author(s): A. C. L. Jones, H. J. Goldman, Q. Zhai, P. Feng, H. W. K. Tom, and A. P. Mills, Jr.
A series of low-energy peaks are observed for positronium emitted by the metal-organic framework crystal ZIF-8.
[Phys. Rev. Lett. 114, 153201] Published Fri Apr 17, 2015
Signature of Anomalous Exciton Localization in the Optical Response of Self-Assembled Organic Nanotubes
Author(s): E. A. Bloemsma, S. M. Vlaming, V. A. Malyshev, and J. Knoester
Self-assembled tubular molecular aggregates are robust against exciton localization, and could therefore act as exciton wires.
[Phys. Rev. Lett. 114, 156804] Published Fri Apr 17, 2015
Fast access to CryoSat’s Arctic ice measurements now available
ESA’s ice mission has become the first satellite to provide information on Arctic sea-ice thickness in near-real time to aid maritime activities in the polar region.
NASA’s New Horizons nears historic encounter with Pluto
In an unprecedented flyby this July, our knowledge of what the Pluto system is really like will expand exponentially.
Dawn glimpses Ceres’ north pole
These images represent the highest-resolution views of Ceres to date.
Central/southern Italy
Earth observation image of the week: part of Italy’s Molise, Apulia and Campania regions are pictured in this radar composite image from Sentinel-1A
Veel üks põhjus suve oodata: kohtumine Pluutoga 14.juulil
Sellest on eestikeelses meedias juba ka mitut puhku juttu olnud – 14.juulil 2015 möödub endisest planeedist Pluuto vaid mõnekümne tuhande kilomeetri kauguselt New Horizon nime kandev NASA kosmosesond. Oodata on huvitavat pildimaterjali ning ohtralt andmeid teadlastele Kuiperi vöö objektide uurimiseks, vt näiteks: http://www.astronomy.com/news/2015/04/nasas-new-horizons-nears-historic-encounter-with-pluto http://www.astronoomia.ee/vaatleja/7286/new-horizons-teel-pluutole/ Ootame ka meie andmeid. Ja lisame siia pildi New Horizon asukohast. […]
NASA Nominated for 2015 Best-of-the-Web Honors
Fans of NASA can vote for the agency’s nominees in the 2015 Webby awards competition.
NASA’s Curiosity Rover Making Tracks and Observations
NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover is approaching a new geological unit and has surpassed 10 kilometers in total distance driven on Mars.