Toilets spew invisible aerosol plumes with every flush – here's the proof, captured by high-powered lasers

Toilets eject aerosol droplets that may carry disease-causing pathogens. Learning about how these particles move could help reduce exposure in public restrooms.

John Crimaldi, Professor of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder • conversation
Dec. 8, 2022 • ~7 min

How cables in glaciers could help forecast future sea level rise

New research shows how fibre-optic cables can monitor the hidden structure of glaciers, teaching us about past and future ice flow.

Adam Booth, Associate Professor in Applied Geophysics, School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds • conversation
May 14, 2021 • ~7 min

What is the slowest thing on Earth?

Physicists can use bright, hot lasers to slow atoms down so much that they measure -459 degrees Fahrenheit.

Katie McCormick, Postdoctoral Scholar of Physics, University of Washington • conversation
June 22, 2020 • ~6 min

Pairing lasers with microwaves makes mind-bogglingly accurate electronic clocks – a potential boon for GPS, cell phones and radar

Researchers have made some of the most accurate clocks imaginable in recent years, but the trick is harnessing those clocks to electronics. Using lasers to tune microwaves bridges the gap.

Franklyn Quinlan, Physicist, National Institute of Standards and Technology • conversation
May 22, 2020 • ~7 min

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