Researchers have combined theory and experiments to show that nuclear polarization does not limit studies of muonic atoms, clearing the way for new nuclear physics experiments. University of ...

There is a lot going on inside atomic nuclei. Protons and neutrons are whizzing around and interacting with each other. The movement of the nuclear particles and their intrinsic angular momentum ...

For most stars, neutron stars and black holes are their final resting places. When a supergiant star runs out of fuel, it expands and then rapidly collapses on itself. This act creates a neutron ...

Andrea Richard's research is helping answer a longstanding question in nuclear physics, providing new insight into the ...

Magnetic confinement fusion is based on the fact that ions and electrons cannot easily travel across a magnetic field. Therefore, hot plasma can be confined by strong magnetic fields. This approach is ...

Calculations show how the mysterious “magic numbers” that stabilize nuclear structures emerge naturally from nuclear forces—once these are described with appropriate spatial resolution. Figure 1: ...

Scientists in Vienna have achieved a major breakthrough in timekeeping by creating the world’s first self-stabilizing nuclear clock, a technology that could eventually surpass even the most precise ...

The nucleus of an atom is now the modern version of sand flowing through an hourglass. Researchers have spent 15 years trying to increase accuracy in timekeeping. The U.S. standard currently relies on ...

Clocks are the bedrock of modern physics and technology, as they allow scientists to assess fundamental scientific theories, and they make GPS and telecommunications possible. The current gold ...

Atomic, molecular and optical (AMO) physics explores the quantum behaviour of electrons, atoms and light, and their mutual interactions across energy, length and time scales. In atoms and molecules, ...

Smaller version Illustration of a conventional atomic fountain clock (left) next to NPL’s miniature atomic fountain clock. (Courtesy: NPL) A miniature version of an atomic fountain clock has been ...