Physics | Penn Today

Gif of water moving across a microscope plate, leaving behind several particles

Looking to mud to study how particles become sticky

A collaboration of geophysicists and fluid mechanics experts led to a fundamental new insight into how tiny ‘bridges’ help particles of all kinds form aggregates.

Student leaning on railing on staircase.

Penn senior Srinivas Mandyam awarded Churchill Scholarship

Mandyam will graduate in May with a bachelor’s degree in physics, mathematics, and biophysics, along with a master’s in physics; the scholarship awards him a year of graduate research study in physics at the University of Cambridge.

a pattern of raised triangles made out of paper with blue lines indicating flaps that reach out to neighboring structures

Kirigami designs hold thousands of times their own weight

A team of researchers found that using the origami-inspired art of paper cutting and folding, it is possible to create super strong models from lightweight soft materials without the need for adhesives or fasteners.

New astronomical instrument on the hunt for exoplanets

A state-of-the-art instrument called NEID, from the Tohono O’odham word meaning “to see,” collected its “first light” and is poised to look for new planets outside the solar system.

a close up image of a leaf with the main vessels and branches visible

How biology creates networks that are cheap, robust, and efficient

Physicists describe how vascular networks, collections of vessels that move fluid, nutrients, and waste, balance robustness with “cost” to create a diverse array of structures and designs.

Microscopic image of ice with hexagonal linked shapes

A close look at thin ice

A pairing of theory and experiment led to discovering atomic-scale details of the growth of ice on surfaces, which can inform the design of materials that make ice removal simple and cheaper.

a series of three abstract and disordered patterns made of different geometric shapes

Researchers use a material’s ‘memory’ to encode unique physical properties

A new study shows that, as materials age, they “remember” prior stresses and external forces, which scientists and engineers can then use to create new materials with unique properties.

Drops of liquid crystal molecules branch out into strange structures

Shaped by surface tension and elasticity, spherical drops of chain-like liquid crystal molecules transform upon cooling into complex shapes with long-reaching tendrils.

a group of people seated at a circle of chairs talking to each other

Inspiring young women in STEM

Over two days, nearly two dozen female STEM role models at Penn welcomed more than 100 high school students and teachers to campus as part of the Girls Advancing in STEM (GAINS) Initiative Conference on campus.

nine spirals of yellow and white over a dark blue impressionist background, with darker lines of waves along the bottom of the image

Researchers create better light-trapping devices

A new study shows how the performance of optical resonators can be improved using topological physics, which can lead to more efficient lasers, sensors, and telecommunication devices.

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