Physical Sciences

Births, deaths and collisions: Swift’s telescope snaps one millionth UV image
On the left is an image of the nearby galaxy NGC 3623 taken with UV. On the right is an optical image. The galaxies spiral arms — where new stars are being born — stand out in the ultraviolet wavelengths emitted by these hot objects. Image: NASA/Swift/L.McCauley, Penn State, CC BY-ND
Researchers' paper on complex networks honored as milestone contribution
Usha Nandini Raghavan, a Penn State alumna, Réka Albert, distinguished professor of physics and biology, and Soundar Kumara, Allen E. Pearce and Allen M. Pierce Professor of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering.
— Steven J. Schiff, Brush Chair Professor of Engineering
Luiz de Viveiros to receive Department of Energy Early Career Research Program funding
Luiz de Viveiros
The Hunt for More Planets to Call Home
Exterior view of the Kitt Peak National Observatory in Arizona.

Penn State scientists will start using one of two new space-exploration instruments to hunt for nearby planets where liquid water may exist.

Preventing the Spread of Nuclear Weapons
Exterior view of the Boulby mine in England.

Penn State will join a new international collaboration to develop detection hardware and algorithms for remote monitoring of nuclear reactors.

Mechanical Force Controls Speed of Protein Synthesis
Assistant professor of chemistry Edward O'Brien.

Proteins power many of a cell's vital functions, and gaining a better understanding of their synthesis could help fight numerous diseases.

Improving Photonic Technology Used Across Industries
Microscope image of a cross-section of a waveguide array.

Cheaper and more efficient photonic devices, such as lasers, optical fibers, and other light sources, may be possible with confined light.

Finding the proteins that unpack DNA
DNA is typically wrapped tightly around proteins called histones (colored) to form a nucleosome, a structure that condenses DNA strands to fit in a cell’s nucleus. A new method allows scientists to identify specialized proteins called nucleosome-displacing factors that unwrap these nucleosomes, making the usually dense DNA more accessible for gene expression and other functions. Image: Karolin Luger
New era of space research launched by IceCube Observatory and global team of astronomers
A flaring supermassive black hole 3.7 billion light-years from Earth in the constellation Orion is the suspected source of a super-high-energy subatomic particle -- a neutrino -- that has launched a new era of space research. Credit: Nate Follmer, Penn State
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