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Physics

News and Updates

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Out of the Shadows: New Imaging Method Reveals Concealed Objects

July 19, 2022

A new way of imaging concealed objects, devised by a researcher at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and his colleagues, might take all...

Nanomagnets Can Choose a Wine, and Could Slake AI’s Thirst for Energy

July 18, 2022

A new type of neural network aced a virtual wine-tasting test and promises a less energy-hungry version of artificial intelligence.

A Primary Standard for Measuring Vacuum

July 15, 2022

A novel, quantum-based vacuum gauge system invented by researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has passed its first test to be...

A close-up view of two green lizards climbing a tree branch.

Gecko Feet Are Coated in an Ultra-Thin Layer of Lipids That Help Them Stay Sticky

July 6, 2022

Scientists already understood the mechanics of gecko adhesion. Now they have a clearer picture of the molecular structures that give the animal its grip.

Now Hear This!

June 30, 2022

Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have designed and built an optical device that could set a new standard for measuring...

Foundational PNT Profile: Initial Public Draft of NIST IR 8323r1 is Available for Comment

June 29, 2022

The initial public draft of NIST IR 8323r1, Foundational PNT Profile: Applying the Cybersecurity Framework for the Responsible Use of Positioning, Navigation...

DC-Area U.S. Government Agencies Announce the Washington Metropolitan Quantum Network Research Consortium, or DC-QNet

June 27, 2022

The group will work to advance quantum network capabilities and leadership.

Spotlight: Connecting the Apples and Oranges of Quantum Computing

June 16, 2022

Before we can send bits of information through networks of quantum computers at different locations, we need to resolve an issue with our building blocks for...

A tiny glass vial on a white stand has a copper headphone-shaped structure over it.

Custom ‘Headphones’ Boost Atomic Radio Reception 100-Fold

May 23, 2022

The structure — a square overhead loop connecting two square panels — increases the incoming radio signal, or electric field, applied to the gaseous atoms in...

Spotlight: The Bucket Brigade for Atomic Physics and the Electron Dipole Moment

May 19, 2022

Gone are the days of bucket brigades for firefighting — long lines of people passing buckets of water one at a time toward a blaze — but NIST/JILA researchers...

Commerce FY 2021 Tech Transfer Report Spotlights Laboratory Successes and Milestones

May 11, 2022

The report details technology transfer activities at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric...

Measuring Up: The Phantom of the Library

May 4, 2022

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has revolutionized medical diagnostics and research by providing a non-invasive way to investigate internal tissue structures...

A woman with a ponytail sits next to a rack of electronics, adjusting wiring.

Spotlight: Using PEACOCS to Link Atomic Time Signals Across Longer Distances

April 26, 2022

Networks linking atomic clocks on satellites with those on Earth promise an exciting new frontier for science, including in the search for mysterious dark...

$diffraction grating$

‘Exceptional’ Research: Unexpected Light Behavior May Be Harnessed to Improve Optical Communications and Sensors

April 21, 2022

Shine a flashlight into murky pond water and the beam won’t penetrate very far. Absorption and scattering rapidly diminishes the intensity of the light beam...

Inspired by Prehistoric Creatures, NIST Researchers Make Record-Setting Lenses

April 19, 2022

Five hundred million years ago, the oceans teemed with trillions of trilobites — creatures that were distant cousins of horseshoe crabs. All trilobites had a...

Prototype superconducting sensor is a square chip with lines running through it.

Spotlight: Looking Beyond the Standard Model to Explore Neutron Decay

April 12, 2022

This prototype NIST sensor may help solve some mysteries of the universe by looking beyond the Standard Model. The Standard Model is a long-standing theory that...

Frances Lloyd poses next to a microscope.

Spotlight: Revisiting a Powerful Pioneer for the World’s Voltage Standards

March 30, 2022

Frances Lloyd was rejoining the workforce in 1977 after taking time off to raise her child. She had an impressive background. Frances worked on aircraft...

Revamped Design Could Take Powerful Biological Computers From the Test Tube to the Cell

March 23, 2022

Tiny biological computers made of DNA could revolutionize the way we diagnose and treat a slew of diseases, once the technology is fully fleshed out. However, a...

Not Letting It Slip By: NIST Discovery Could Increase Accuracy in Measuring Blood Flow for Cancer Diagnosis, Other Applications

March 22, 2022

Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have discovered a potential source of error when using acoustic waves to measure the...

Painting of woman holding a mandolin has magnified section showing metal soap structures.

NIST, Collaborators Uncover New Details on the Formation of ‘Metal Soaps’ in Oil Paint Hindering the Conservation of Artworks

March 3, 2022

When you think of soaps, you may first picture the liquid foams or solid bars that wash away dirt, grime and bacteria. However, not all soaps are cleansers. In...

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