Tag Physics
Vaterite: Crystal within a crystal helps resolve an old puzzle
With the help of a solitary sea squirt, scientists have resolved the longstanding puzzle of the crystal structure of vaterite, an enigmatic geologic mineral and biomineral.
UW–Madison physicist wins science image challenge
Close your eyes and picture an ocean reef: vivid violet, cool blue and tropical green intertwining in gentle curves and delicate edges. And that's just the urchin teeth.
Scientists begin effort to stir up a cosmic dynamo in the lab
For scientists trying to understand the subtleties of cosmic dynamos - the magnetic field-inducing phenomena at the hearts of planets, stars and galaxies - the physics, for the most part, must be done at vast distances.
UW scientists play key role in discovery of a new particle consistent with Higgs boson
Experiments at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), aided by scientists from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, have narrowed the search for the elusive Higgs boson, discovering a new particle with a mass in the region of 125 GeV.
IceCube Neutrino Observatory explores origin of cosmic rays
Although cosmic rays were discovered 100 years ago, their origin remains one of the most enduring mysteries in physics. Now, the IceCube Neutrino Observatory, a massive detector in Antarctica, is honing in on how the highest energy cosmic rays are produced.
Recent sightings: Wonders of Physics
Physics student Blaine Law (right) uses the pressure of liquid nitrogen changing from a liquid to a gas to power a canon during a…
Mother of pearl tells a tale of ocean temperature, depth
Nacre -- or mother of pearl, scientists and artisans know, is one of nature's amazing utilitarian materials.
Recent sightings: Cosmic dynamo installation
With the exterior doors temporarily removed from Sterling Hall, workers move a three-meter diameter, hollow aluminum sphere, an essential component of the Madison Plasma…
Made in Wisconsin: Vessel to contain cosmic force takes shape
At the heart of most celestial objects is a dynamo. The Earth's dynamo, spun to life in the molten metal core of our planet, generates a magnetic field that helps us find north and, perhaps more critically, shields us from solar winds that would otherwise singe our planet.