The week in physics: 21 December-1 January

Where stretchy molecules break; Uranium in spacecraft; Slow plant CO2 adsorption. Forward this email  View in your browser THE WEEK IN PHYSICS: 21 DECEMBER–1 JANUARY Webinar Probing local magnetic field patterns Discover how to probe nanostructures locally with high-spatial-resolution techniques such as NV-centers and nanowire MFM microscopy. Learn about their applications, characteristics and required operating conditions, and find out how to use lock-in amplifiers to enhance the sensitivity and contrast of these methods. Register now! Plants absorb carbon dioxide more slowly than previously thought Although rising temperatures boost the productivity of photosynthesizing vegetation, nutrient and water limitations may have diminished the positive trend over the past 30 years. Alex Lopatka Stretchy molecules rupture far from the crack The detailed molecular consequences of fracturing in an elastic sheet have never been observed before. A new method for visualizing them reveals some surprises. Johanna L. Miller FROM THE VAULT: July 1948 The Christmas lectures at the Royal Institution The history of this series, in existence some sixscore years, is described by the General Secretary of the Royal Institution. Thomas Martin No bomb-grade uranium in space, says White House NASA plans to award contracts this month for designs of nuclear reactors to be deployed on the lunar surface. David Kramer Diverse groups make better decisions A statistical model shows the benefits of a population composed of both impulsive and cautious members. Heather M. Hill FROM THE JANUARY MAGAZINE Overlooked mechanisms behind seismic damage Photographs of aboveground and underground structural failures after earthquakes uncover simple but not widely recognized physics. Koji Uenishi FEATURED JOBS > Tenure-Track Assistant Professor in Theoretical or Experimental Physics of Quantum Matter  |  McMaster University, Department of Physics & Astronomy > Postdoctoral Researcher in Ultracold Atomic Physics  |  Rice University Are you hiring? Do you want your job to appear here? Post with Physics Today and select the "Featured Job Listing: Physics Today 'The Week in Physics' e-newsletter" upgrade to easily showcase your job to 60 000 physicists and engineers. Physics Today is published by the American Institute of Physics 1 Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740 USA +1 301 209 3100 © 2021 American Institute of Physics. Unsubscribe  |  Email Preferences  |  Privacy Policy  |  Contact Us