Physics APS

October 13, 2026• Physics 19, 133 A new analysis reveals that all major derivations of the Born rule depend on a probabilistic assumption. Figure 1: Among the key ingredients necessary to derive the Born rule, Zhang observes that additivity is indispensable in existing derivations. Figure 1: Among the key ingredients necessary to derive the Born rule, Zhang observes that additivity is indispensable in existing derivations. × Could the probabilities of quantum mechanics have a deterministic origin?

October 6, 2026• Physics 19, 138 Neutrino astronomy and the effort to build a cubic-kilometer-sized detector at the South Pole are recognized by the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physics. Nobel laureate Francis Halzen. Nobel laureate Francis Halzen. × This story will be updated with a longer explanation of the Nobel-winning work on Thursday, 8 October. When it comes to messengers from space, neutrinos seem meager: Interacting only through the weak nuclear force, they barely register in Earthly detectors.

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September 22, 2026• Physics 19, s124 A newly predicted effect should provide a clean way to distinguish between a Bose-Einstein condensate of quasiparticles called excitons and a more mundane collection of these particles. J.-X. Hui and Q.-D. Jiang [1] J.-X. Hui and Q.-D. Jiang [1] × In some materials, an electron and a hole (the absence of an electron) can bind together to form an exciton.

September 22, 2026• Physics 19, s121 Researchers have gained access to the rich physics of a landmark model magnet by assembling a crystal out of organic magnetic molecules. × The S = 1 Haldane chain is an infinite 1D string of integer spins that favor pointing in alternating directions like an antiferromagnet. Belying that outward simplicity, the model is physically rich. Its first excited state harbors quasiparticles called magnons, which slosh back and forth under topological protection.

September 21, 2026• Physics 19, 118 A tabletop experiment using a classical water vortex supports a decades-old theory describing the decay of turbulence in quantum fluids. Figure 1: A numerical simulation of a quantized vortex in a superfluid system, with sound excitations colored in gray. Figure 1: A numerical simulation of a quantized vortex in a superfluid system, with sound excitations colored in gray.

September 18, 2026• Physics 19, 129 A carbon nanotube foam springs back to its initial state, regardless of the speed of the compression, a property that could lead to a new type of shock absorber. Perfect padding. Vertically aligned carbon nanotube (VACNT) foam can be synthesized into cushion-like cylinders that are roughly 5 mm wide (left). Microscope images of the foam reveal a “forest” of fibers, each of which consists of multiple carbon nanotubes (right). Perfect padding.

September 18, 2026• Physics 19, 127 A recent experiment points the way toward making the intense, energetic beams of positrons needed for next-generation electron–positron colliders. An artist’s conception of a detector harvesting electron–positron collisions in CERN’s Future Circular Collider. An artist’s conception of a detector harvesting electron–positron collisions in CERN’s Future Circular Collider.

September 17, 2026• Physics 19, s112 A proposed lab-based quantum sensor could precisely measure within seconds the warping of spacetime caused by Earth’s rotation. × Einstein’s theory of general relativity predicts that Earth’s rotation subtly distorts spacetime surrounding the planet. Known as frame dragging, this effect has previously been detected using classical probes onboard satellites.

September 16, 2026• Physics 19, s120 Researchers demonstrate a new quantum memory device that will enable faraway nodes in a network to coordinate in time, a key ingredient for a future quantum Internet. To sustain delicate light-based quantum states over a continental scale, fiber-based networks will need quantum repeaters. These devices rely on a protocol known as entanglement swapping, which iteratively transfers entanglement from one pair of photons to another pair in the next segment.