Gabriel Popkin
Ocean Wave Breaking Stirs Up Atmosphere
Simulations show that breaking ocean waves contribute most of their energy to the air, rather than the water, which could affect cloud formation and climate evolution. Read More »
Circuits for Light
Devices that process light signals the way traditional circuits process electronic signals can now work in a technologically important wavelength range. Read More »
Voter Model Works for US Elections
A computer simulation of individual voter behavior matches statistical measures of data from years of US presidential elections. Read More »
Thin-film Peeling is Not Always Smooth
The attractive force that allows geckos to walk on the ceiling fluctuates in time at the nanoscale, potentially causing a gecko’s feet to detach from a surface more easily than previous theories suggested. Read More »
AI Promises Climate-Friendly Materials
Materials scientists are developing better battery components, faster catalysts, and other green materials. But the magnitude of the task calls for help from AI and robots. Read More »
Prizes Are Not Always a Win for Science
A proliferation of prizes is boosting both science and scientists. It’s also raising concerns about equity and potential downsides for the research enterprise. Read More »