Search results (45)
« Back to NewsBeautiful clouds, Mr Bond: Philip Stier and why you shouldn't look up the same way again
29 June 2021
A Science Blog interview with Philip Stier, now at the forefront of climate science as a leading researcher into clouds.
Binks Trust gift to boost photovoltaic research
16 June 2021
The Department of Physics is delighted to have received a significant philanthropic donation from the Binks Trust, which will be used to enhance its solar energy research over the next few years.
Global Jet Watch: discovery of jets in classical novae
11 June 2021
Scientists at the University of Oxford have discovered that classical nova explosions are accompanied by the ejection of jets of oppositely-directed hot gas and plasma, and that this persists for years following the nova eruption. Previously, such jets had only been encountered emanating from very different systems such as black holes or newly collapsing stars.
Green light for European Space Agency mission to Venus
10 June 2021
Oxford University scientists will play a leading role in a new mission to study the geology and atmosphere of Venus, our neighbouring planet, helping determine whether it was once habitable – and why Earth became the only known planet that can sustain life.
Subatomic particle seen changing to antiparticle and back for the first time
8 June 2021
Physicists have proved that a subatomic particle can switch into its antiparticle alter-ego and back again. An extraordinarily precise measurement made by Oxford researchers using the LHCb experiment at CERN has provided the first evidence that charm mesons can change into their antiparticle and back again.
UK–Canada collaboration uses geology to help astronomers find habitable planets
14 May 2021
Earth sciences Physics Research Space
To date, astronomers have identified more than 4,000 confirmed exoplanets but only a fraction have the potential to sustain life. Now, new research is using the geology of early planet formation to help identify those that may be capable of supporting life.
Natural climate change solutions highly effective long term
13 May 2021
Climate Food security & biodiversity Physics Research Zoology
Nature-based solutions (NbS) can contribute to the fight against climate change up to the end of our century, according to new Oxford research in Nature. The analysis suggests that, to limit global temperature rise, we must slash emissions and increase NbS investment to protect, manage and restore ecosystems and land for the future.
From The Conversation: Mars InSight: why we’ll be listening to the landing of the Perseverance rover
15 February 2021
Earth sciences Physics Research The Conversation
Ben Fernando (Departments of Earth Sciences and Physics) writes about using the Insight mission to detect seismic signals during the landing of Perseverance - the first time that anyone has tried using a spacecraft on the surface of another planet to detect another spacecraft arriving.
Science Blog: From rust to riches? Computing goes green...or is that brown?
3 February 2021
Computer science Physics Research
Professor Paolo Radaelli from Oxford’s Department of Physics, working with Diamond Light Source, has been leading research into silicon alternatives and his group’s surprising findings are published in Nature on 4th February.
Science Blog: Listening for a space craft to land on Mars
21 January 2021
University physicists believe that, for the first time, they might be able to ‘hear’ a spacecraft land on Mars, when Perseverance arrives at Earth’s ‘near’ neighbour in about a month’s time around 18 February.
Quantum Technologies for Fundamental Physics: exciting science awaits
13 January 2021
Oxford’s Department of Physics is playing a key role in three of the seven quantum projects supported by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).
Jocelyn Bell Burnell receives highest accolade from Royal Astronomical Society
11 January 2021
Jocelyn Bell Burnell from the Department of Physics has been awarded the Royal Astronomical Society’s highest honour, the Gold Medal 2021. The medal recognises her extraordinary achievements and has been awarded not only for her personal research but also for her contributions to the field of astronomy generally.
$10 million gift for new Nanoscience Institute in Oxford
7 December 2020
Biomedical engineering Chemistry Engineering Funding Materials science Medical science Physics
A new institute for nanoscience research is to open in Oxford thanks to a $10 million gift from The Kavli Foundation.
Oxford Net Zero launches to tackle global carbon emissions
17 November 2020
Climate Earth sciences Physics Plant sciences Zoology
The Oxford Net Zero initiative, launched this week, draws on the university’s world-leading expertise in climate science and policy, addressing the critical issue of how to reach global ‘net zero’ – limiting greenhouse gases – in time to halt global warming.
The European Space Agency formally adopts Ariel, the exoplanet explorer
12 November 2020
More than 50 institutes from 17 countries, including the University of Oxford, have been working over the past five years to develop the science goals and design the instrumentation which will enable Ariel to survey a diverse sample of around 1000 planets outside our own solar system.
Global food system emissions alone threaten warming beyond 1.5°C – but we can act now to stop it
6 November 2020
Climate Physics The Conversation
In an article from 'The Conversation', John Lynch in the Department of Physics discusses the necessary changes for bringing agriculture in line with a “net-zero” world.
Understanding the superpowers of perovskites
2 November 2020
Materials science Physics Research
For the first time, researchers from Oxford’s Departments of Physics and Materials have managed to image hybrid metal halide perovskites with atomic-scale resolution providing new insights into these wonder-materials.
Institute of Physics awards for MPLS researchers
30 October 2020
Three MPLS academics and researchers have been awarded 2020 IOP Medals for their contributions to Physics - two in the Department of Physics and one in the Department of Chemistry.
Large tides may have been a key factor in the evolution of bony fish and tetrapods
26 October 2020
Earth sciences Physics Research
Pioneering research, published in Proceedings of the Royal Society A, into ancient tides during the Late Silurian - Devonian periods (420 million years ago - 380 million years ago), suggests that large tides may have been a key environmental factor in the evolution of bony fish and early tetrapods, the first vertebrate land-dwellers.
Oxford scientists develop extremely rapid diagnostic test for Covid-19
15 October 2020
Scientists from the Department of Physics have developed an extremely rapid diagnostic test that detects and identifies viruses in less than five minutes.