Scientific community and society articles within Nature Physics

Featured

  • Editorial |

    Most researchers would agree that science communication is important. Still, academia would benefit from a more proactive approach — one that embeds communication in research culture.

  • News & Views |

    • Bart Verberck

  • Comment |

    The information contained in the nomination process for the Nobel Prize highlights the ever-changing meaning of scientific recognition.

    • Chiara M. F. Mingarelli

  • Measure for Measure |

    Early radiography methods, such as conventional X-ray scans, gave physicians only limited information about what happens inside the body. Rachel Toth tells us how this case was cracked with computed tomography.

    • Rachel Toth

  • Measure for Measure |

    As our metrology column turns ten years, there is no better way to celebrate than to look at the definitions of a year, finds Stefanie Reichert.

    • Stefanie Reichert

  • Editorial |

    Social connections can unlock opportunities that are advantageous to careers in physics. However, this resource is unevenly distributed, and its benefits can’t always overcome the negative effects of societal stereotypes and biases.

  • Measure for Measure |

    Despite being derived from the unit of time, the hertz is a unit in its own right. It has remained a much beloved unit since its establishment almost one hundred years ago, as Karen Mudryk recounts.

    • Karen Mudryk

  • Editorial |

    Two decades ago this month, Nature Physics published its first issue. We reflect on the past and look into the future.

  • Feature |

    In our very first issue we published eight research papers, on topics ranging from condensed matter physics to atom interferometry. Two decades on, we look back at those works and hear from their authors.

    • Bart Verberck
    • , Elizaveta Dubrovina
    •  & Sonal Mistry

  • Editorial |

    It’s never too early to plan for a regular dose of physics during your vacation. If you are looking for inspiration, we have some hidden physics gems for you.

  • Editorial |

    This month, we publish three articles reporting breakthroughs in different areas of quasicrystal research.

  • Editorial |

    This month, we celebrate the 150-year anniversary of the signing of the Metre Convention and look to the future of metrology.

  • Comment |

    Measurements play a crucial role in our daily lives; and we rely on metrology to ensure that measurements are accurate and comparable. Celebrating the 150th anniversary of the beginning of the global measurement system, we look into its future.

    • Wynand Louw
    •  & Gert Rietveld

  • Measure for Measure |

    Many young metrologists have fascinating ideas that could shape the future of metrology. Chingis Kuanbayev and Kangyoung Sung tell us how the young professionals imagine what the field will look like beyond 2050.

    • Chingis Kuanbayev
    •  & Kangyoung Sung

  • Editorial |

    Following International Women’s Day, we draw inspiration from trailblazing women physicists from history and ask how the physics community can accelerate the closing of the gender gap.

  • Measure for Measure |

    The SI brochure has described the global measurement system for more than 50 years, and yet it has kept a low profile. Richard Brown leafs through its history.

    • Richard J. C. Brown

  • World View |

    Physics is amazing and transformational. But for far too long the people most likely to benefit from its opportunity and wonder have been too narrowly defined.

    • Sarah Bakewell

  • Measure for Measure |

    Even a child intuitively understands the cold of winter or the heat of a hot summer day. However, when it comes to a scientific definition of temperature, things get murky quickly. As Aaron Hui explains, measuring electrical noise is one way to measure temperature directly.

    • Aaron Hui

  • Measure for Measure |

    Living organisms and soft materials pose specific challenges to metrology, as Pavao Andričević and Hüsnü Aslan explain.

    • Pavao Andričević
    •  & Hüsnü Aslan

  • Measure for Measure |

    Twinkle, twinkle little star, tell me just how far you are. Richard I. Anderson discusses standard candles and their applications.

    • Richard I. Anderson

  • Measure for Measure |

    Measurements pervade winemaking, from the size of vineyards to the taste in your mouth. Stefanie Reichert gives us the tour.

    • Stefanie Reichert

  • Editorial |

    This year marks the hundredth anniversary of Satyendra Nath Bose’s paper that stimulated the study of quantum statistics. We take this opportunity to celebrate the physics of bosons.

  • Measure for Measure |

    It has many names and yet no name. The designation of the universal gas constant as R has remained a mystery, as Karen Mudryk recounts.

    • Karen Mudryk

  • Editorial |

    Construction of the European Spallation Source began 10 years ago. Upon completion, its advanced technology and sustainable design will herald a new era for neutron scattering experiments.

  • Editorial |

    Social activities are common in many research groups, often based around outdoor activities such as hiking. We argue that there are more inclusive ways to bring a team together.

  • Measure for Measure |

    UNESCO has now formally adopted World Metrology Day as a UNESCO International Day to be observed on 20 May each year — the theme of 2024 is sustainability. Shanay Rab and Richard Brown take a look at its origin.

    • Shanay Rab
    •  & Richard J. C. Brown

  • Measure for Measure |

    Bart Verberck uses the musical cent as a pretext to touch on some of the intricacies of musical tuning systems.

    • Bart Verberck

  • Comment |

    The time has come to consider appropriate guardrails to ensure quantum technology benefits humanity and the planet. With quantum development still in flux, the science community shares a responsibility in defining principles and practices.

    • Urs Gasser
    • , Eline De Jong
    •  & Mauritz Kop

  • Measure for Measure |

    Measuring air temperature is far from a trivial task, as Andrea Merlone, Graziano Coppa and Chiara Musacchio explain.

    • Andrea Merlone
    • , Graziano Coppa
    •  & Chiara Musacchio

  • Measure for Measure |

    Adaptive optics allows scientists to correct for distortions of an image caused by the scattering of light. Anita Chandran illuminates the nature of the technique.

    • Anita Mary Chandran

  • Measure for Measure |

    Quantum technologies change our notion of measurement. Chenyu Wang elaborates on how quantum squeezing enhances the precision of gravitational-wave interferometers.

    • Chenyu Wang

  • Editorial |

    Many advances in biological physics result from multidisciplinary collaborations. We celebrate the physics of life with a collection of articles that offer insight into successful interactions between researchers from different fields.

  • Measure for Measure |

    The hectare has a long association with the metric system, but its most recent status has created some ambiguity as to its future application. Richard Brown surveys the lay of the land.

    • Richard J. C. Brown

  • Measure for Measure |

    Although its measurement was considered an experimental nightmare for decades, the Stefan–Boltzmann constant was assigned an exact value in 2019. Massimiliano Malgieri and Pasquale Onorato explain what this story teaches us.

    • Massimiliano Malgieri
    •  & Pasquale Onorato

  • Editorial |

    The Ig Nobel Prize celebrates research that makes us first laugh and then think. We look at some of this year’s not so ignoble highlights.

Browse narrower subjects

Browse Scientific community and society across other nature.com journals