Physics
News
17 Jun 2026
Researchers demonstrate a systematic screening method that can help find promising catalyst candidates without the tedious trial-and-error of every single possible combination.
16 Jun 2026
Researchers at the University of Osaka have developed a quantum mechanical model for concentrated organic radical solutions considering stochastic collisions between molecules. The first-order contribution to intermolecular interactions is averaged to zero by collisional fluctuations, but the second-order term survives and enhances the magnetic susceptibility. These results explain experimental observations of an anomalous increase in the magnetic susceptibility at the solid-to-fluid transition that cannot be predicted by conventional theories.
12 Jun 2026
An exciting new strategy involving a specially designed iron-based catalyst can speed up the reaction that powers next-gen zinc-air batteries. This means cleaner, more efficient energy for everyone.
11 Jun 2026
An international research collaboration, including OMU, IJS, NIST and AUT, has unveiled a robust metallic state in the molecular material ytterbium cesium fulleride (Yb₂CsC₆₀) that directly tests conventional theories of electron behavior. Normally, strong interactions between electrons are expected to suppress their movement and turn materials into insulators through a process called a Mott transition. However, Yb₂CsC₆₀ represents a case where metallicity survived, suggesting that the material’s electrons were continuing to move collectively, stabilized by a different mechanism. The discovery is of relevance to future research in fields such as superconductivity, quantum matter, and next-generation electronic technologies.
10 Jun 2026
New “GMBU” procedure reveals band structures in finite, curved nanomaterials, linking nano‑ARPES and theory for next‑generation device design.
08 Jun 2026
Exciting new research at Tohoku University’s Advanced Institute for Materials Research (WPI-AIMR) explains how to transform decades of scattered literature data into design rules for catalysts.
08 Jun 2026
By engineering a bismuth thin film / twisted bilayer MoS2 heterostructure, the research work achieved precise bidirectional electron confinement without any applied voltage. Moiré potential controls horizontal electron localization; Bi film thickness tunes vertical effective mass - switching electron configurations between a trimer and a Kagome-like arrangement. The voltage-free confinement mechanism offers a material foundation for charge qubits and ultra-low-power semiconductors.
08 Jun 2026
Researchers at The University of Osaka have developed novel kirigami structures with periodic parallel inclined cuts. Stretching these materials longitudinally causes them to twist and rotate. Thus, these structures provide a mechanism for coupling tension and rotation. The mechanical deformation of these structures can be characterized in terms of a geometrical property, the chirality. Some of the developed chiral structures were auxetic, longitudinal stretching resulting in lateral expansion, instead of contraction. The findings have applications in soft robotics and soft actuators.
03 Jun 2026
A remarkable new method of distinguishing chiral (mirror-image) molecules could eventually detect distortions inside quantum and soft materials, find abnormal protein aggregates linked to disease, and more.
02 Jun 2026
Researchers at The University of Osaka used a focused laser beam to make in vitro models of cytoskeletal networks that exhibit dynamic cell-like motions. This technique provides spatiotemporal control of the network structure, unlike conventional methods based on self-organization and photochemical reactions. The models could be used to determine the structure–motion relationship of cytoskeletal networks, which has applications for understanding cell division, migration, and adhesion and the creation of protein-based robots and synthetic cells.
28 May 2026
Spin waves are a promising way to reduce the energy-consumption of computing. New research shows that sending spin waves along a zig-zag path boosts the signal over 5,000 times compared to previous methods.
28 May 2026
Researchers from The University of Osaka created stable cobalt-based honeycomb structures inside a layered material and observed ferromagnetic-like ordering at low temperatures. By introducing a small amount of cobalt into NaSbO3, the team demonstrated a new platform to study Kitaev materials using abundant 3d transition metals, potentially supporting future cost-effective quantum technologies.
28 May 2026
The LIGO–Virgo–KAGRA Collaboration published today a new catalog of gravitational wave events. A total of 161 events, detected between April 2024 and the end of January 2025, have been added to the collection, bringing the total number of gravitational wave signals detected to date to 390. Among the most significant findings are: evidence for the existence of second-generation black holes, the most precise sky localization ever achieved for a gravitational wave source, and the first measurement of three vibrational modes of a black hole. A wealth of results that marks the coming of age of gravitational astronomy.
25 May 2026
Researchers from The University of Osaka discovered a mechanism that greatly improves the efficiency of endothermic singlet exciton fission. By combining singlet-fission molecules with quantum dots, the team created hybridized electronic states at the material interface that act as intermediate energy pathways. This allows one absorbed photon to generate two excited states with high efficiency, potentially allowing solar technologies to exceed current efficiency limits.
25 May 2026
A researcher at The University of Osaka has proposed a thermodynamic framework for describing hysteresis in solids, a history-dependent phenomenon widely used in memory devices, energy conversion materials, and other technologies. The study shows that hysteresis can, in principle, be described within thermodynamics when the state of a solid is defined not only by conventional variables such as temperature and volume, but also by its atomic configuration. By identifying the time-averaged equilibrium positions of atoms as essential state variables, the work provides a more rigorous theoretical foundation for understanding and developing solid-state materials that rely on hysteresis.
22 May 2026
Studying molecules in liquid solution is notoriously difficult. However, this just got easier thanks to a new X-ray technique developed by an international group of scientists. The technique can capture ultrafast molecular changes in extremely dilute liquid samples.
18 May 2026
Researchers have developed an optical fiber that uses laser-induced heating and bubble-driven convection to rapidly concentrate bacteria and nanoparticles in liquid samples. The method collects thousands of targets in 60 seconds with over tenfold higher efficiency than conventional approaches. This approach allows for faster and more sensitive detection in biomedical and environmental applications.
14 May 2026
What if light had a hidden geometry? A new international collaboration between Tohoku University and Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light shows that the geometry behind light waves can affect how light moves and interacts inside materials. Their research explores the hidden geometry of light and reveals new connections between photonics, topology, and quantum physics.
13 May 2026
Researchers from The University of Osaka report the creation of step–terrace–ordered GaN surfaces using catalyst-referred etching (CARE). Mechanical testing on these surfaces demonstrates exceptional reproducibility across 100 measurements, achieving record-low stress scatter.
13 May 2026
Solid electrolyte particle sizes affect ion pathways
12 May 2026
Dolphin secrets, Iron-rich Moon, Squeezing diamonds, Sweat the small stuff, Muonic molecules. Read all in the latest Editor's Choice. Plus: SciCom Coffee speaker.
12 May 2026
Researchers in Japan showed that growing Eu-doped GaN on a semipolar GaN plane selectively forms highly efficient Eu luminescent centers while suppressing inefficient Eu clusters. The approach increased room-temperature red emission by 3.6 times, reduced efficiency droop, and points to brighter, wavelength-stable red LEDs for monolithically integrated full-color micro-LED displays using the GaN materials platform.
05 May 2026
A research team led by Professor Denver Li Danfeng of CityUHK has discovered magnetic-field-induced re-entrant superconductivity in infinite-layer nickelates, where superconductivity re-emerges at high fields. The breakthrough challenges conventional understanding and opens new directions for next-generation superconducting materials.
29 Apr 2026
Counterintuitively, despite the ongoing fuel crisis and the over two decades since the global phaseout of leaded gasoline, toxic lead still lingers in Metro Manila’s air.
28 Apr 2026
Researchers have solved a mystery in fluid dynamics regarding high-speed particle collisions on wet surfaces. They discovered that at high speeds, cavitation (the sudden formation of vapor cavities) changes the liquid shape from a "bridge" to a "dome", releasing the liquid pull-back force. This causes particles to bounce back stronger than they would at lower speeds. Such a vital discovery would drastically improve the safety, design, and durability of ultra-fast motors in the aerospace and automotive industries.
27 Apr 2026
Researchers from The University of Osaka have demonstrated that a wireless electroencephalogram transmission system can operate using energy harvested from the temperature difference between the human body and the ambient air. The low-power device successfully operated outdoors at high temperatures, demonstrating stable performance without external power or airflow. This technology could enable the development of maintenance-free sensing systems for health monitoring and infrastructure applications in the future.
27 Apr 2026
Researchers from The University of Osaka used large-scale simulations and turbulence theory to study how dolphins swim so effectively. The team found that large vortices created by the dolphin’s tail provide most of the propulsion, while smaller vortices contribute little. This discovery improves our mechanical understanding of fast swimming and could guide the design of energy-efficient underwater robots and technologies for controlling turbulence.
22 Apr 2026
For 70 years, we have assumed that “attempt time” in nanomagnets is one nanosecond. For the first time ever, this value was measured experimentally by researchers at Tohoku University. Spoiler alert: it’s more than one nanosecond!
21 Apr 2026
Researchers reveal a powerful new way to precisely tune quantum defects, opening the door to ultra-sensitive next-generation sensors
15 Apr 2026
A once-theoretical structure is now shaping the future of computing. Researchers have uncovered key properties of magnetic skyrmions, ultra-stable, 2 nm vortex-like structures that could enable next-gen memory with extremely low power consumption. Even more surprising? They can form in materials once thought impossible.
Events
08 Jun 2025 to 12 Jun 2025
The 2025 Symposium on VLSI Technology and Circuits will be held on June 8-12, 2025, JST. All the meetings will be held at RIHGA Royal Hotel Kyoto, Horikawa Shiokoji, Shimogyo ku , Kyoto 600 8237, Japan.
Held as a five-day at the Rihga Royal Hotel, as well as selected presentations and panel sessions, the Symposium will feature advanced VLSI technology developments, innovative circuit designs, and the applications they enable, such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, IoT, wearable/implantable biomedical applications, big data, cloud / edge computing, virtual reality (VR) / augmented reality (AR), robotics, and autonomous vehicles.
The weeklong Symposium will continue its reputation as the microelectronics industry’s premiere international conference integrating technology, circuits, and systems with a range and scope unlike any other conferences. In addition to the technical presentations, the Symposium program will feature a demonstration session, evening panel discussions, joint focus sessions, short courses, and workshops.
17 Jan 2022 to 21 Jan 2022
World’s brightest minds converge at virtual summit to inspire young researchers and discuss key issues
12 Jan 2021 to 15 Jan 2021
Organised by the National Research Foundation – Prime Minister’s Office, Singapore, the ninth edition of the Global Young Scientists Summit (GYSS@one-north) will take place 12 to 15 January 2021 as a virtual event.
Researchers
I am a Ugandan female National, an educator and a researcher, experienced in teaching, research and mentorship. I hold a PhD in physics Education with a masters of science in Physics. https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=Z3CH99gAAAAJ&hl=en
Dr. Umedjon Khalilov is a computational materials scientist with over 20 years of experience in atomistic modeling of nanostructures. His research integrates molecular dynamics (MD), Monte Carlo (MC), and density functional theory (DFT) simulations to investigate the synthesis, stability, and functionality of carbon-based and silicon-based nanomaterials. He has led or contributed to numerous international projects focused on hydrogen storage, carbon nanotube growth, and surface reactions in plasma environments. Dr. Khalilov is also actively involved in AI-driven materials discovery and collaborative platforms bridging simulation with experiment.
He has authored 40+ peer-reviewed publications in leading journals.
Ken’ichi Nomoto is a visiting senior scientist at Kavli IPMU and Professor Emeritus at The University of Tokyo. He is one of the best experts in the world in astronomy and astrophysics, particularly on stellar evolution and supernovae. He was awarded the Order of the Sacred Treasure by the Japanese government in 2020.
Emily Nardoni is a Kavli IPMU Fellow and project researcher. She specializes in theoretical high energy physics, with her research focus on understanding the nature of quantum field theory (QFT).
Miho Katsuragawa is a specially appointed project researcher at Kavli IPMU. Her areas of expertise include experimental physics, detector/instrument development, medical application of gamma-ray imaging, and high energy astrophysics.
Jia Liu is the Director of the Center for Data-Driven Discovery and associate professor at CMB Group at Kavli IPMU. Her research integrates data science techniques in the study of large-scale structures of the universe (dark matter, halos, filaments, voids).
Dr. Akira Kakugo is an Associate Professor at Hokkaido University. He has researched biomolecular motors and swarming of active matters.
Professor Ren Yang is a physicist and Chair Professor at the Department of Physics at City University of Hong Kong. His research interests focus on the structure-property relationship studies of materials by utilizing synchrotron X-ray and neutron scattering and other techniques.
Robert E Simpson is an Associate Professor at the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD). Rob’s research interests are focused on designing new materials for applications in electronics, photonics, data storage, and biosensing.
Prof. Jun-Seok Oh is currently working at the Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka City University, He does research in Experimental Plasma Physics and is currently interested in atmospheric pressure plasma applications, 'Plasma Medicine' and 'Plasma Agriculture'.
Prof. Shigekawa's research interest includes fabrication of heterointerfaces and advanced hybrid semiconductor devices such as multijunction solar cells and heterojunction bipolar transistors using surface activated bonding and their characterization.
Dr. Ma’s research mainly focuses on electronic structure of topological materials, superconductivity, low-dimensional materials, and correlated materials using Angle Resolved Photoemission Spectroscopy (ARPES).
Prof Pu Jiang is currently an Assistant Professor at the Graduate School of Engineering Applied Physics 1, Nagoya University
Since September 2023, I am a researcher at Mainz University, Germany. Before that, I was an Assistant Professor of the Physics Department at the Institute for Advanced Studies in Basic Science (IASBS), Zanjan, Iran since Dec. 2015. However, in September 2012, I resigned from my faculty position in support of the "Woman, Life, Freedom" protest in Iran and now I am an exiled scholar. I have been a Junior Associate of the International Center of Theoretical Physics (ICTP), Trieste, Italy since January 2017 and a TWAS Young Affiliate member since 2018. I was a visiting researcher at ICTP-SAIFR, São Paulo, Brazil (June - Nov. 2015) under the TWAS fellowship, and also a Post-Doctoral fellow of the School of Physics in the Institute for Research in Fundamental Sciences (IPM) Tehran, Iran (Oct. 2012 - May 2015). I finished my Ph.D. in the Physics Department of Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn, Germany in Aug. 2012. I did also a one-year Postgraduate Diploma Programme of ICTP (2007-2008) in High Energy Physics.
Ken-ichi Uchida is a group leader in the Spin Caloritronics Group, Research Center for Magnetic and Spintronic Materials under the National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), Japan
Rabin Mahat is a result-oriented and multifaceted doctoral student in Experimental Condensed Matter Physics at The University of Alabama, USA. He is currently working under the guidance of Dr. Patrick LeClair, and Dr. Arunava Gupta. He received M.Sc. in Physics in 2013 from Tribhuvan University, Nepal. He also received his second M.Sc. in experimental Condensed Matter Physics from the University of Alabama in 2019. Rabin's main research is focused on the discovery of novel half-metallic Heusler compounds for potential spintronics device applications. He excels academic and professional expertise in process engineering, research procedures and material science.
Dr Anisa Qamar is a professor in Physics in the Department of Physics, University of Peshawar, Pakistan. She is also the President of Pakistan Physical Society.
Associate Professor, Disaster Science Division, International Research Institute of Disaster Science (IRIDeS), Tohoku University
Dr. Zhifeng Huang is a professor at Hong Kong Baptist University, and associate director of nanomaterials at HKBU's Golden Meditech Centre for NeuroRegeneration Sciences. He co-founded Mat-A-Cell Ltd.
Current: Deputy and Administrative Director & Principal Investigator of International Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics (WPI-MANA) .
Professor at the Graduate School of Pure and Applied Sciences, University of Tsukuba
Dr. Omachi is Associate Professor, Research Center for Materials Science, Nagoya University
Giants in history
Chinese-American physicist Tsung-Dao Lee (24 November 1926 – 4 August 2024) was awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1957 together with Chen-Ning Yang for their work challenging the symmetry law in subatomic particles. They were the first Chinese Nobel prize winners, with Lee becoming the second-youngest laureate. Born in Shanghai, he went to the United States on scholarship and studied under another Nobel winner, Enrico Fermi.
Turkish astrophysicist Dilhan Eryurt (29 November 1926 – 13 September 2012) conducted research on how the sun affects environmental conditions on the moon.
Physicist and statistician Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis (29 June 1893– 28 June 1972), who founded the Indian Statistical Institute in 1931, is known for his pioneering application of statistics to practical problems.
Chinese electron microscopy specialist Li Fanghua (6 January 1932 – 24 January 2020) facilitated the high-resolution imaging of crystal structures by eliminating interference.
Toshiko Yuasa (11 December 1909 – 1 February 1980) was the first Japanese female physicist whose research on radioactivity shed light on beta decay – the process in which an atom emits a beta particle (electron) and turns into a different element.
Malaysia’s first astrophysicist, Mazlan binti Othman (born 11 December 1951) was instrumental in launching the country’s first microsatellite, and in sending Malaysia’s first astronaut, Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor, into space.
Bibha Chowdhuri (1913 – 2 June 1991) was an Indian physicist who researched on particle physics and cosmic rays. In 1936, she was the only female to complete a M.Sc. degree at the University of Calcutta.
Chien-Shiung Wu (31 May 1912 – 16 February 1997) was an experimental physicist who made several important contributions to nuclear physics. Wu worked on the Manhattan Project – a top-secret program for the production of nuclear weapons during World War II and helped to develop a process for separating uranium into U235 and U238.
Gopalasamudram Narayanan Ramachandran (8 October 1922 – 7 April 2001) is best known for developing the Ramachandran plot to understand the structure of short chains of amino acids, known as peptides.
Mohammad Abdus Salam (29 January 1926 – 21 November 1996) was a theoretical physicist and the first Pakistani to receive a Nobel Prize in science.
Sir Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman (7 November 1888 – 21 November 1970) was an Indian physicist who performed ground-breaking research in the field of light-scattering.
Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar (19 October 1910 – 21 August 1995) was an Indian astrophysicist who studied the structure and evolution of stars.
Sir Jagadish Chandra Bose (30 November 1858 – 23 November 1937) was a scientist and inventor who contributed to a wide range of scientific fields such as physics, botany and biology.
Meghnad Saha (6 October 1893 – 16 February 1956) was an Indian astrophysicist best known for formulating the Saha ionization equation which describes the chemical and physical properties of stars.
Charles Kuen Kao (Nov. 4, 1933 to Sept. 23, 2018) was an engineer who is regarded as the father of fibre optics. His work in the 1960s on long distance signal transmission using very pure glass fibres revolutionized telecommunications, enabling innovations such as the Internet.
Japanese physicist Ukichiro Nakaya (1900-1962) made the world’s first artificial snowflakes. He started his research on snow crystals in the early 1930s at Hokkaido University, where there is an unlimited supply of natural snow in winter. By taking over 3,000 photographs, he established a classification of natural snow crystals and described their relationship with weather conditions.
Physicist Narinder Singh Kapany (31 October 1926 – 4 December 2020) pioneered the use of optical fibres to transmit images, and founded several optical technology companies. Born in Punjab, India, he worked at a local optical instruments factory before moving to London for PhD studies at Imperial College. There, he devised a flexible fibrescope to convey images along bundles of glass fibres.
Chinese physicist Xie Xide (19 March 1921 – 4 March 2000) was an influential educator and one of China’s pioneer researchers of solid-state physics.
South Korean theoretical physicist Daniel Chonghan Hong (3 March 1956 – 6 July 2002) achieved fame in the public sphere through his research into the physics of popcorn.
Shinichiro Tomonaga (31 March 1906 – 8 July 1979), together with Richard Feynman and Julian Schwinger, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1965, for their contributions to advance the field of quantum electrodynamics. Tomonaga was also a strong proponent of peace, who actively campaigned against the proliferation of nuclear weapons and promoted the peaceful use of nuclear energy.
Hideki Yukawa (23 January 1907 – 8 September 1981) was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1949 for predicting the existence of the pi meson subatomic particle. Japan’s first Nobel laureate, Yakawa also expressed his support for nuclear disarmament by signing the Russell–Einstein Manifesto in 1955.
Lin Lanying (7 February 1918 – 4 March 2003) was a Chinese material engineer remembered for her contributions to the field of semiconductor and aerospace materials. Lanying was born into a family who did not believe in educating girls and she was not allowed to go to school.
Gregorio Y. Zara (8 March 1902 – 15 October 1978) was a Filipino engineer and physicist best remembered for inventing the first two-way video telephone. Zara’s video telephone invention enabled the caller and recipient to see each other while conversing, laying the foundation for video-conferencing