Study of collisions among electrons, ions and atoms has turned into a spectroscopy as investigators use greater energy ranges, finer resolution and more versatile theory. Among topics of current interest are ionic excitations, fine structure in ion‐atom scattering and the role of excited particles in collisions.
THE LEADING ROLE OF atomic‐interaction physics in the development of modern physics was enshrined during the first four decades of this century. Since then, though, the energy range available for study has spread by a factor of a million in both directions, from cryophysics to BeV accelerators. Since the middle fifties the pressure of new activity in atomic collisions has increased as if the shock front originally generated by atomic physics were reflected inward from yet uncharted boundaries. There are many gauges of this increase of activity. One of the most sensitive is the conferences on the physics of electronic and atomic collisions. The next one of the series will be in Leningrad in 1967. The last was in Quebec City last August and was attended by nearly 500 practitioners from all over the world.
Research exchanges between US and Soviet scientists during the second half of the 20th century may be instructive for navigating today’s debates on scientific collaboration.
The Eisenhower administration dismissed the director of the National Bureau of Standards in 1953. Suspecting political interference with the agency’s research, scientists fought back—and won.
Alternative undergraduate physics courses expand access to students and address socioeconomic barriers that prevent many of them from entering physics and engineering fields. The courses also help all students develop quantitative skills.
Defying the often-perceived incompatibility between the two subjects, some physicists are using poetry to communicate science and to explore the human side of their work.
Positron emission tomography’s ability to image the body’s biochemistry, not just its anatomy, makes it a powerful tool for detecting diseases.
September 01, 2025 12:00 AM
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Physics Today - The Week in Physics
The Week in Physics" is likely a reference to the regular updates or summaries of new physics research, such as those found in publications like Physics Today from AIP Publishing or on news aggregators like Phys.org.
