The week in physics: Artificial muscles for robots; Lowell Observatory

The week in physics: 17–21 November ADVERTISEMENT Protect Science This #GivingTuesday Deep federal funding cuts threaten research, students, and America's scientific leadership. Your Giving Tuesday gift to AIP Foundation supports programs that nurture future physical scientists, widen access to STEM, and preserve the true story of modern science. Stand with us today. Help protect science and the hope it brings. How twisted fibers could help robots move nimbly Fibrous materials that can reversibly twist and coil can be coaxed to contract and elongate as part of lightweight exoskeletons and other bioinspired structures. Caterina Lamuta With eye on future, Lowell Observatory shaves jobs, focuses science As scientists scramble to land on their feet, the observatory's mission remains to conduct science and public outreach. Toni Feder From the vault: June 1975 Light as a fundamental particle The question of whether the photon is "special" leads to some remarkable conclusions about the interactions of matter and about the underlying symmetry of nature. Steven Weinberg Q&A: Kate Marvel on the physics and emotions of climate change The astrophysicist turned climate physicist connects science with people through math and language. Jenessa Duncombe What can physicists do? Lexie Weikert creates business plans in the space industry Toni Feder ADVERTISEMENT Your #GivingTuesday Gift Sustains Discovery Science faces deep funding cuts that endanger research, education, and innovation. This Giving Tuesday, your support for AIP Foundation strengthens programs that inspire young physical scientists, expand opportunity, and safeguard the history that guides future breakthroughs. Give today to keep discovery and hope alive. Post a Job Get Job Alerts Browse All Jobs Postdoctoral Fellow - RISE Inertial Fusion Energy Hub Optics & Optical Materials Colorado State University (Fort Collins, CO) View Job Focused Ion Beam Scanning Electron Microscopy (FIB-SEM) Lab Manager University of Oregon (Eugene, OR) View Job Director, School of Earth and Space Exploration Arizona State University (Tempe, AZ) View Job Assistant Professor in Condensed Matter Theory University of Oklahoma (Norman, OK) View Job Chair, Materials Science and Engineering Department FAMU-FSU College of Engineering (Tallahassee, FL) View Job Assistant Professor of Physics Saginaw Valley State University (University Center, MI) View Job Physics Today is published by the American Institute of Physics. To manage your AIP email preferences and newsletter subscriptions, click here. Or unsubscribe from all AIP emails. © 2025 American Institute of Physics. Physics Today 1 Physics Ellipse College Park, MD 20740-3842 +1 301 209 3100