Physics and Astronomy News Archive: May 2006

First Pictures From The Map Of The Universe Mission

Source: PPARC Posted: 5/22/06

An ambitious mission by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) to make a new, high resolution map of the universe has just successfully returned its first pictures.

Researchers Use Bacteria To Reduce Uranium

Source: Stanford Posted: 5/22/06

Scientists demonstrate a promising technique for cleaning up uranium from some of the most severely contaminated areas with the help of bacteria.

Proton May Not Be All That Strange

Source: JLab Posted: 5/22/06

The HAPPEx experiment, rather than adding to the complexity, is actually simplifying our view of the nucleus' constituents.

Light's Most Exotic Trick Yet: So Fast it Goes ... Backwards?

Source: Rochester Posted: 5/22/06

Researchers at the University of Rochester have pushed light into reverse. As if to defy common sense, the backward-moving pulse of light travels faster than light.

Dual Properties of Carbon Nanotubes Revealed

Source: BNL Posted: 5/8/06

For the first time, researchers have directly measured the electronic structure of individual carbon nanotubes whose physical properties had already been determined.

World-Leading Microscope Shows More Detail Than Ever

Source: EPSRC Posted: 5/8/06

A unique 3-dimensional microscope that works in a new way is giving unprecedented insight into microscopic internal structure and chemical composition.