The week in physics: 25-29 January

Ocean circulation; Shape-shifting proteins; Topological phases in ecological models. Forward this email  View in your browser THE WEEK IN PHYSICS: 25–29 JANUARY Advertisement A Piezo Motion Tutorial Piezoceramic-based motors and nanopositioning devices are vital to many physics related research projects. Force, precision, size, and the ability to work over a wide temperature range, make them unique. Piezo actuators are currently used on the Mars Rover, in Accelerator Rings, and Super Resolution Microscopes to name a few. There are several types of piezo motors—each optimized for a specific application. Read more. Southern water stymies the Atlantic Ocean's overturning circulation Evidence implicates Antarctic icebergs as the culprit responsible for reorganizing the North Atlantic deep water to shallow depths during glaciations. Alex Lopatka Evolutionary insights into shape-shifting proteins A protein that has two stable structures likely evolved from an ancestor that had only one. Rachel Berkowitz Advertisement See math and science in a new way Be challenged to learn and review STEM concepts through interactive problems that keep you inspired and creative. Brilliant designs a unique learning experience with the help of storylines, illustrations, and endless puzzles to solve. Get thrown into the Quantum Computing course and solve problems right at the start! It'll be, dare we say, fun? FROM THE VAULT: September 1999 I. I. Rabi as educator and science warrior Rabi the educator argued passionately for science as an integral component of our culture. Gerald Holton The 10 science policy stories to watch in 2021 The Biden administration faces important issues relating to the pandemic, climate change, and immigration policy. The FYI Team Advertisement HiCube® Eco Turbopump Stations The proven HiCube Eco plug-and-play compact, dry vacuum turbopump stations from Pfeiffer Vacuum are now available with a range of pumping options. Starting at $4,750, HiCube Eco can be configured with a choice of turbopumps and dry diaphragm pumps to meet your HV and UHV needs. Topological phases emerge in an ecological model An exotic phenomenon in condensed-matter systems illuminates the behavior of a one-dimensional model akin to the game rock-paper-scissors. Heather M. Hill New tools are proposed to prevent nuclear proliferation Machine learning algorithms trained with publicly available information can detect previously unknown commerce involving nuclear weapons–related materials. David Kramer Webinar Ray Optics Simulations Tune into this webinar to learn about optical ray tracing using the COMSOL Multiphysics® software. We will demonstrate how to create a geometry of a lens system and trace rays through it, and show how to combine ray optics with a structural and thermal simulation for a STOP analysis. Register now. FROM THE FEBRUARY MAGAZINE Whiskey webs: Fingerprints of evaporated bourbon When a water-diluted droplet of American whiskey evaporates, it can leave behind a self-assembled web pattern not found in Scotch or brandy. Stuart J. Williams FEATURED JOBS > Faculty Position in Astronomy & Astrophysics  |  Northwestern University > Application Scientist Quantum Technology - Boston Area  |  Zurich Instruments 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 66 000 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