Research Highlights in 2005

For contributions to the quantum theory of optical coherence, and to the development of laser-based precision spectroscopy, including the optical frequency comb technique.

Bose–Einstein condensates are not only fascinating in their own right, but they also provide a valuable tool for making high-precision measurements of fundamental physical phenomena.

By applying electrical voltages, a solid-state qubit can be manipulated to stay coherent for longer.

Extreme solar conditions caused the Earth’s radiation belts to shrink temporarily, yielding an opportunity to investigate particle acceleration in those regions.

The folding and unfolding of a biological molecule such as RNA proves a useful test of non-equilibrium thermodynamics.

Numerical simulations of twisted magnetic field lines on the solar surface show how the ‘kink instability’ results in solar flares.

Magnetic resonance images of the rich dynamics inside a droplet could improve our understanding of the interaction between immiscible liquids.

Electron-microscope images of the life and death of a nanotube device provide a better understanding of how such devices can fail.

A look back at Bohr's molecular model offers a fresh perspective on the formation of chemical bonds between atoms in hydrogen and other molecules.

Data on the reflection of seismic waves reveal chambers of frozen magma below the Earth's crust, supporting the theory that the crust was generated by multiple magmatic bodies.

The miniaturization of electronic components continues apace with the demonstration of a transistor made entirely of carbon nanotubes.

Photonic measurements carried out on three-dimensional quasicrystals reveal surprisingly simple, yet potentially valuable, optical properties.

Electromagnetic fluctuations within the heart of a controlled magnetic reconnection experiment could provide an explanation for the unusual rates observed, and provide another piece in the puzzle of how magnetic fields couple to plasmas.

For the computer industry, there is nothing like silicon. Thanks to a new twist to an old plot, this could remain so in the future.

For two atoms to react they must first collide. The use of light to control collisions between ultracold atoms provides a potentially useful tool for studying chemical reactions.

Discovery of a distinct class of plasma vortex at the cusps of the Earth's magnetosphere provides new insight into the nature of turbulence in magnetized plasmas.

A new record has been set for the acceleration of particles in a plasma wakefield — an energy gain of more than 2.7 GeV in a 10-cm-long device.