News
What is ‘Fallout’? Physicist breaks down the science of Amazon’s sci-fi show and the horrifying reality of nuclear radiation
The world ends on Oct. 23, 2077, in a series of radioactive explosions –– at least in the world of “Fallout,” a post-apocalyptic video game series that has now been adapted into a blockbuster TV show on Amazon’s Prime Video. The literal fallout that ensues creates a post-apocalyptic United States that is full of mutated […]
April 11, 2024
You’ve heard of a leap year, but what about a leap second? A physicist explains what is messing with the Earth’s rotation
The effects of climate change can be seen everywhere, in the global refugee crisis, an even worse allergy season and, now, even in the very concept of time. Scientists have recently pinpointed how meltwater from the polar ice caps is throwing off Earth’s rotation to the point that those who really care about precision timekeeping […]
April 02, 2024
What is the ‘3 Body Problem’? Astrophysicist explains concept behind hit Netflix show
“3 Body Problem,” Netflix’s new big-budget adaptation of Liu Cixin’s book series helmed by the creators behind “Game of Thrones,” puts the science in science fiction. The series focuses on scientists as they attempt to solve a mystery that spans decades, continents and even galaxies. That means “3 Body Problem” throws some pretty complicated quantum […]
March 26, 2024
What is a nova outburst? Astrophysicist explains science behind the once-in-a-lifetime event that will light up the sky this year
The total solar eclipse isn’t the only reason to keep your eyes to the sky this year. For the first time in 80 years, a star system 3,000 light years away will be visible to the naked eye thanks to a once-in-a-lifetime nova outburst. NASA announced that the nova, which will create a “new” star […]
March 18, 2024
What will the once-in-a-generation total solar eclipse on April 8 look like?
The moon’s shadow will cast a path of daytime darkness as it traverses the country on a narrow path from Texas to Maine during April 8’s solar eclipse. Those located inside the 115-mile-wide corridor known as the “path of totality” will experience a total eclipse, says Northeastern professor Jonathan Blazek. If it’s not cloudy, stars will […]
March 15, 2024
Efforts to limit fast-food near homes need rethinking, Northeastern researcher says
Amid an obesity epidemic in the United States, you may have heard of efforts to eliminate “food deserts,” or areas with few healthy food options, and limit fast-food chains near where people live. But research from Northeastern University suggests a new approach. “Most of the fast food in this country is consumed far away from […]
March 15, 2024
Can AI help scientists develop drugs? Northeastern Institute for Experiential AI explores how the technology is reshaping pharmaceuticals
On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic. Cases outside China had risen 13-fold and the virus was spreading rapidly. Those first six months of the pandemic were challenging, says Sam Scarpino, AI+Life Sciences director at the Institute for Experiential AI at Northeastern, because we didn’t have great options […]
February 29, 2024
Meni Wanunu, developer of sensitive biological sensors, receives Northeastern University NAI Innovator of the Year Award
Meni Wanunu works with small things — very small things, like individual molecules. But how can researchers observe the inner workings of something so miniscule? For advancements in sensors that stretch and scan molecules on their own level, Wanunu has received the Innovator of the Year Award from the Northeastern University chapter of the National […]
February 27, 2024
Yes, the moon is shrinking. Here’s what that means for the planned Artemis III mission — and future lunar visits
As NASA gears up to send human beings back to the moon during the still-to-be-scheduled Artemis III mission, researchers with the federal agency are learning more about the geologic profile of Earth’s lone satellite — including that it, apparently, has been shrinking. A study published recently found that a proposed landing site for NASA’s long-anticipated […]
February 06, 2024
Are space elevators possible? Physicist says they could transform humanity into a ‘spacefaring civilization’
Humanity’s quest to explore — and, perhaps eventually, colonize — outer space has prompted a great many ideas about how precisely to go about it. While conventional wisdom suggests that space launch via rockets is the best way to send human beings into orbit, other “non-rocket” methods have been proposed, including a futuristic “space elevator.” […]
February 01, 2024
Physics
Nanomedicine could reduce the frequency of breast and ovarian cancer treatments, research finds
A Northeastern University researcher is using nanomedicine to develop a time-released immunomodulatory treatment that would lengthen time between hospital visits for patients fighting advanced breast cancer. Most cancer drugs require continual daily or weekly delivery, leading to frequent hospital visits, says Needa Brown, an assistant teaching professor of physics at Northeastern. “It’s not the best […]
January 11, 2024
The physics of rapid ‘depressurization.’ Passengers on Alaska Airlines flight 1282 likely would have died if blowout occurred above 40,000 feet, physicist says
If the Alaska Airlines plane that lost a portion of its fuselage while ascending after takeoff Friday had been flying at normal cruising altitude, its passengers and crew would probably have died from the depressurization event, according to a Northeastern expert. The Boeing 737 Max 9 airplane was only minutes into its flight from Portland, […]
January 09, 2024
Innovations in the Introductory Physics Labs
The Introductory Physics Laboratory (IPL for short) in the College of Science is one of the biggest teaching labs at Northeastern, serving about 1,300 students every term. It is supervised by professors Baris Altunkaynak, Oleg Batishchev and Paul Champion. Ron Zettlemoyer and Austin Beaudette are the electronics and instructional lab support technicians. There is a […]
December 21, 2023
The world’s most powerful particle accelerator is helping discover the universe’s deepest secrets
Located at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) near Geneva, Switzerland, the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is the world's most powerful particle accelerator and is used to study elementary particles and their interactions.
November 30, 2023