Special Feature

Sensing a Nuclear Kick on a Speck of Dust

Physics 17, 108
Scientists have detected the decay of radioactive nuclei by tracking the recoil of dust-sized spheres on which the nuclei were embedded.

See also Viewpoint: Nuclear Decay Detected in the Recoil of a Levitating Bead.

—Laura Canil is a scientific illustrator based in Berlin.

—Michael Schirber is a Corresponding Editor for Physics Magazine based in Lyon, France.


Recent Articles

Analysis of Zebrafish Smackdown
Biological Physics

Analysis of Zebrafish Smackdown

By observing two fighting fish, researchers have decoded the repertoire of trajectories and body postures used in the interaction—and identified the winner. Read More »

Qubit Readout Mystery Solved
Quantum Information

Qubit Readout Mystery Solved

Theoretical work provides a long-awaited explanation for why measurements of qubits in superconducting quantum computers are less accurate than expected. Read More »

Qubits Manipulated on the Fly
Quantum Information

Qubits Manipulated on the Fly

A way to address the individual ions of a rotating ion crystal could allow scientists to perform quantum simulations in which each qubit can be carefully controlled. Read More »

More Articles