# I'm blue da ba dee da ba die…

 The 2014 Nobel prize in physics has been awarded to Isamu Akasaki, Hiroshi Amano and Shuji Nakamura for the development of blue LEDs.

This year’s Nobel Laureates are rewarded for having invented a new energy-efficient and environment-friendly light source – the blue light-emitting diode (LED). In the spirit of Alfred Nobel the Prize rewards an invention of greatest benefit to mankind; using blue LEDs, white light can be created in a new way. With the advent of LED lamps we now have more long-lasting and more efficient alternatives to older light sources.

“The 2014 Nobel Prize in Physics – Press Release”. Nobelprize.org. Nobel Media AB 2014. Web. 7 Oct 2014.

# Mathematical Physics IOP booklet

 The Institute of Physics (IOP) has written a report that examines the relationship between mathematics and physics.

There is no completely agreed upon definition of mathematical physics, which is closer to mathematics that physics in most respects. The IOP report puts it like this;

Mathematical physics is best described as consisting of two parts: physical research that proceeds primarily through mathematical means and areas of mathematics that work to solve the problems posed by physics.

The Journal of Mathematical Physics define mathematical physics as;

…the application of mathematics to problems in physics and the development of mathematical methods suitable for such applications and for the formulation of physical theories.

The IOP booklet looks at a wide range of topics in mathematical physics from quantum mechanics, gravity & black holes, random matrix theory, solitons and topological insulators.

# 'Banana skins are slippery', say Japanese physicists

 Kiyoshi Mabuchi, Kensei Tanaka, Daichi Uchijima and Rina Sakai have won the 2014 Ig Nobel Prize in physics for their paper on measuring the amount of friction between a shoe and a banana skin, and between a banana skin and the floor, when a person steps on a banana skin that’s on the floor [1].

Bananas are my second favourite fruit, just behind Polish apples, so it is nice to see them feature in world-class physics research. More than that, slipping on a banana skip is the pinnacle of slapsick comedy and deserves more scientific attention.

Reference
[1] Kiyoshi Mabuchi, Kensei Tanaka, Daichi Uchijima and Rina Sakai, Frictional Coefficient under Banana Skin, Tribology Online 7, no. 3, 2012, pp. 147-151. (Available online here)

# Nuclear theory research in the UK to be exanded

 A new nuclear theory group is going to be set up at the University of York. The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) will make a special funding award to set up the group and will provide funding to appoint a nuclear physics theory chair and PhD studentships. Furthermore, the university of York will fund a nuclear physics theory lectureship.

The need to expand the UK’s capability in theoretical nuclear physics was part of the Institute of Physics review in October 2012. For sure, although the UK has some good researchers in this field, the numbers of people in theoretical nuclear physics is small. One number that has been suggestion is that there are about seven permanent researchers in the UK working on theoretical nuclear physics.

The establishment of a new group must be welcome news for the UK nuclear physics community.

# Smoking supercapacitors!

 scientists from South Korea have converted cigarette butts into a high-performing material that could be used to coat the electrodes of supercapacitors [1].

The material is produces via the heat treatment of used cigarette butts in a nitrogen rich environment.

The article states that the processed cigarette filter material stored a higher amount of electrical energy than commercially available carbon. Also the material stored more energy than the more experimental materials graphene and carbon nanotubes.

If the process can be made economically viable then this process could be used to ecologically recycle cigarette butts.

Reference
[1] Minzae Lee, Gil-Pyo Kim, Hyeon Don Song, Soomin Park and Jongheop Yi, Preparation of energy storage material derived from a used cigarette filter for a supercapacitor electrode, 2014 Nanotechnology 25 345601.

Cigarette butts offer energy storage solution IOP News

# Newton to appear at a pub in Cardiff!

 As part of this year’s Cardiff Science Festival the Institute of Physics has organised for Prof. Mike Edmunds to perform his one man play about Sir Isaac Newton at Porter’s Bar in Cardiff on Wednesday, 16 July 2014 from 18:30 to 20:00.

This event is completely FREE, but spaces are limited. Please follow the link below for more details.

# Breakthrough Prize

 Online nominations for the Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics and the New Horizons Prize in Fundamental Physics are now open.

The Breakthrough Prize is a $3 million award and the New Horizons Prize is worth$100,000 and given to young researchers.

# Warning about UK science spending

 The science board of the Science and Technology Funding Council (STFC) published a report last week warning about the effects of the flat cash funding of UK science.

According to the report the UK spent 1.8% of GDP on research and development over the past twenty years. The average spend of comparator countries has been 2.9%.

Other countries have increased their spending. For example South Korea has doubled its spending over the last few years to 4% GDP

The bottom line is unless we spend more money on science there could be huge damage to the scientific standing of the UK in the future, which at the moment punches well above its weight.

Stark warnings on spending made by STFC’s Science Board IOP website.

# Charlotte Church to study physics

 Image by BrotherDarksoul The Welsh singer Charlotte Church has said she wants to obtain a degree in physics.

Speaking to BBC Wales she said

I want to go and do a degree in physics – I will have to do an A-level in physics and maths first though.

What ever she decides I wish her luck in her studies.

The other music stars turned scientists include Brian May of Queen fame and Brian Cox.

# Peter Higgs talks to Jim Al-Khalili

 Prof. Peter Higgs is interviewed by Prof. Jim Al-Khalili on BBC Radio 4’s The Life Scientific this Tuesday, 18 February.

Higgs reveals that he did not see the full significance of his initial paper on symmetry breaking and how he got left behind with the further developments for a while before returning to the field in the 1970s.