Physics | Penn Today

a simulated view of the Milky Way galaxy

New stellar stream, born outside the Milky Way, discovered with machine learning

Finding this new stellar stream, named after Nyx, the Greek goddess of night, was made possible using machine learning tools and simulations of data collected by the Gaia space observatory.

the Atacama Cosmology Telescope in the foreground and the desert and mountains of chile in the background

New view of nature’s oldest light adds fresh twist to debate over universe’s age

Observations by the Atacama Cosmology Telescope suggest that the universe is 13.77 billion years old, and reveals how fast the cosmos is expanding.

researching working in simons observatory

Additional challenges in bringing research online

As research on campus slowly restarts, those whose work requires field surveys, large-scale collaborations, or travel face additional challenges in bringing their research back online.

a graph showing connected circles for characters in king lear, othello, and macbeth

What do ‘Bohemian Rhapsody,’ ‘Macbeth,’ and a list of Facebook friends all have in common?

To an English scholar or avid reader, the Shakespeare Canon represents some of the greatest literary works of the English language. To a network scientist, Shakespeare’s 37 plays and the 884,421 words they contain also represent a massively complex communication network.

A person standing in front of a lab bench full of bones. On the wall hangs a poster that reads: "Dougal Dixon's Dinosaurs."

The joys and trials of defending a dissertation virtually

When most aspects of university life moved online because of COVID-19, so, too, did the thesis defense for Ph.D. candidates. Despite some challenges, the shift had unexpected benefits.

a trapezoid with gray dots on the left and colored dots on the right representing atoms in a disordered material

Using stress to shape microlevel structures

A new study describes how external forces drive the rearrangement of individual particles in disordered solids, enabling new ways to imbue materials with unique mechanical properties.

At home, but still engaged with STEM classes

While instructional laboratories on campus are closed, students, faculty, and instructors are finding creative solutions for science, math, and engineering courses and projects.

two color-coded networks with nodes and edges arranged into a series of three stars on the left and a large pentagon on the right

To err is human, to learn, divine

Researchers develop a new model for how the brain processes complex information: by striking a balance between accuracy and simplicity while making mistakes along the way.

an abstract depiction of an optical chip with arrows representing unidirectional light travel

Fixing leaky optical pipes with topological glue

Combining theoretical insights with experimental results, physicists demonstrate a new design for optoelectronic devices that could help make optical fiber communications more energy efficient.

Penn labs get creative to stay productive, connected

In the face of a pandemic that has shuttered most physical laboratories across campus, researchers have shifted gears, maintaining work and social ties through grant- and manuscript-writing, virtual journal clubs, online coffee breaks, and more.

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