Physical Sciences

Penn State scientists share in Special Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics
Aerial view of the LIGO gravitational wave detector in Livingston, Louisiana. Credit: LIGO.
Discovered: Why warm galaxies stop birth of new stars
An artist's rendition of the galaxies: Akira (right) and Tetsuo (left) in action. Akira's gravity pulls Tetsuo's gas into its central supermassive black hole, fueling winds that have the power to heat Akira's gas. The action of the black hole winds prevents a new cycle of star formation in Akira. IMAGE CREDIT Kavli IPMU
Record-breaking ultraviolet winds discovered near black hole
Artist's impression of a high-velocity wind (white) being launched from the surface of an accretion disk (red/yellow) around a supermassive black hole (black central dot). To set the scale, the black hole's size in this image is comparable to that of the inner Solar System. Distinct absorption in the ultraviolet part of the spectrum is produced when light from the accretion disk passes through the wind. Credit: NASA/CXC and Nahks Tr'Ehnl.
Quinnan Receives NSF Graduate Research Fellowship
Melissa Quinnan
Under Pressure: New technique could make large, flexible solar panels more feasible
High pressure deposition inside rolled up, flexible substrates allows for extremely large area, uniform thickness hydrogenated amorphous silicon films useful for applications such as flat panel displays and solar cells. CREDIT: Hiu Yan Cheng, Penn State University
Four synchronized planets reveal clues to how planets form
This animation illustrates the Kepler–223 planetary system, which has long-term stability because its four planets interact gravitationally to keep the beat of a carefully choreographed dance as they orbit their host star. CREDIT: W. Rebel (license granted for free worldwide public-domain use)
Mauricio Terrones receives Faculty Scholar Medal
Squire Booker receives Faculty Scholar Medal
Caught in the act: 3D structure of an RNA-modifying protein determined in action
Structure of the RNA-modifying protein RlmN, shown in a ribbon-diagram. The RlmN (blue ribbon) is trapped in the middle of its reaction while it is bound to transfer RNA (shown in grey, stick format). Iron and sulfur atoms are shown as orange and yellow spheres. Selected amino acids, cofactors, and nucleobases are shown in stick format and are colored by atom type. CREDIT: Penn State
Physics Major Andrea Sylvia Biscoveanu Awarded a Goldwater Scholarship
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