The week in physics: High-intensity petawatt laser; Different measures of audio fidelity

The Week in Physics Relativistic plasma could boost intensity of petawatt laser With a new approach to generating powerful laser pulses, researchers may have the means to observe phenomena in quantum electrodynamics. Alex Lopatka MAY 29, 2026 How human hearing is shaping high-end audio Insights into how the auditory system processes time and information are guiding audio design beyond traditional measures of fidelity. Milind N. Kunchur MAY 29, 2026 From the vault The cosmological constant problem Quantum gravity may force theoretical physicists to rethink one of the great conundrums in modern physics. Thomas Banks MAR 01, 2004 UK physical scientists brace for new round of funding cuts They are advocating for projects and facilities that are threatened by the government’s cost-cutting plans. Sarah Wild MAY 26, 2026 What can physicists do? Amelia Paine works to bring disease cures to patients Toni Feder MAY 29, 2026 ADVERTISEMENT High power diode lasers by Cobolt HÜBNER Photonics, manufacturer of high-performance lasers, proudly announces the addition of high-power diode lasers to the Cobolt 06-01 Series. The Cobolt 06-HPLD are multimode diode lasers operating at fixed wavelengths, between 405 nm and 975 nm, delivering up to 1.2 W of output power. Learn more. Post a Job Get Job Alerts Browse All Jobs Director, Centre for Quantum Technologies (CQT) National University of Singapore (Singapore (SG)) View Job Science Support Analysts Space Telescope Science Institute (Baltimore, Maryland) View Job Lecturer in Advanced Photonic Materials University of St Andrews (St Andrews, Fife (GB)) View Job Req 6734 - Data, Compute, Automation, and AI (DCAA), Team Lead SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory (Menlo Park, California) View Job Chief Executive Officer American Astronomical Society (Washington D.C.) View Job Observatory Director and Lecturer in Physics and Astronomy University of North Georgia (Dahlonega, Georgia) 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. © 2026 American Institute of Physics Physics Today 1 Physics Ellipse College Park, MD 20740 +1 301 209 3100