Kymeta is working on a conformal antenna that could be integrated into the body of missiles being developed by iRocket, enabling the multi-orbit connectivity they say will be vital for the U.S. Golden Dome interceptor network.
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OQ Technology has become the first European satellite operator to send an emergency broadcast message directly to an unmodified smartphone from low Earth orbit, the Luxembourg-based venture announced Nov. 19.
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A startup with a NASA contract to raise the decaying orbit of an astronomy satellite has selected the rarely used Pegasus rocket for the mission.
The post Katalyst selects Pegasus to launch Swift reboost mission appeared first on SpaceNews.
Program aims to prove a new class of spacecraft that can survive and maneuver in the drag-heavy regime of very low Earth orbit
The post Redwire lands $44 million DARPA award to build air-breathing satellite appeared first on SpaceNews.
The administration has yet to follow up on its 200th Executive Order, which called for enhanced readiness. This silence represents a profound missed opportunity. Amidst a severe, persistent partisan divide, focusing on genuine military readiness offers a pathway for non-partisan decisions. To ensure this initiative cost-effectively achieves its goal of preparing for war so as […]
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Startup founded by ex-OneWeb engineers aims to replace bespoke ground systems with automated tools
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Physics Around the Clock: Adventures in the Science of Everyday Living
By Michael Banks
Why do Cheerios tend to stick together while floating in a bowl of milk? Why does a runner’s ponytail swing back and forth? These might not be the most pressing questions in physics, but getting to the answers is both fun and provides insights into important scientific concepts. These are just two examples of everyday physics that Physics World news editor Michael Banks explores in his book Physics Around the Clock, which begins with the physics (and chemistry) of your morning coffee and ends with a formula for predicting the winner of those cookery competitions that are mainstays of evening television. Hamish Johnston
Quantum 2.0: the Past, Present and Future of Quantum Physics
By Paul Davies
You might wonder why the world needs yet another book about quantum mechanics, but for physicists there’s no better guide than Paul Davies. Based for the last two decades at Arizona State University in the US, in Quantum 2.0 Davies tackles the basics of quantum physics – along with its mysteries, applications and philosophical implications – with great clarity and insight. The book ends with truly strange topics such as quantum Cheshire cats and delayed-choice quantum erasers – see if you prefer his descriptions to those we’ve attempted in Physics World this year. Matin Durrani
Can You Get Music on the Moon? the Amazing Science of Sound and Space
By Sheila Kanani, illustrated by Liz Kay
Why do dogs bark but wolves howl? How do stars “sing”? Why does thunder rumble? This delightful, fact-filled children’s book answers these questions and many more, taking readers on an adventure through sound and space. Written by planetary scientist Sheila Kanani and illustrated by Liz Kay, Can you get Music on the Moon? reveals not only how sound is produced but why it can make us feel certain things. Each of the 100 or so pages brims with charming illustrations that illuminate the many ways that sound is all around us. Michael Banks
A Short History of Nearly Everything 2.0
By Bill Bryson
Alongside books such as Stephen Hawking’s A Brief History of Time and Carl Sagan’s Cosmos, British-American author Bill Bryson’s A Short History of Nearly Everything is one of the bestselling popular-science books of the last 50 years. First published in 2003, the book became a fan favourite of readers across the world and across disciplines as Bryson wove together a clear and humorous narrative of our universe. Now, 22 years later, he has released an updated and revised volume – A Short History of Nearly Everything 2.0 – that covers major updates in science from the past two decades. This includes the discovery of the Higgs boson and the latest on dark-matter research. The new edition is still imbued with all the wit and wisdom of the original, making it the perfect Christmas present for scientists and anyone else curious about the world around us. Tushna Commissariat
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The Senate Commerce Committee plans to hold a second confirmation hearing next month for Jared Isaacman’s nomination to be NASA administrator.
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In this episode of Physics World Stories, theoretical physicist, cosmologist and author Paul Davies discusses his latest book, Quantum 2.0: the Past, Present and Future of Quantum Physics. A Regents Professor at Arizona State University, Davies reflects on how the first quantum revolution transformed our understanding of nature – and what the next one might bring.
He explores how emerging quantum technologies are beginning to merge with artificial intelligence, raising new ethical and philosophical questions. Could quantum AI help tackle climate change or tackle issues like hunger? And how far should we go in outsourcing planetary management to machines that may well prioritize their own survival?
Davies also turns his gaze to the arts, imagining a future where quantum ideas inspire music, theatre and performance. From jazz improvized by quantum algorithms to plays whose endings depend on quantum outcomes, creativity itself could enter a new superposition.
Hosted by Andrew Glester, this episode blends cutting-edge science and imagination in trademark Paul Davies style.
This article forms part of Physics World‘s contribution to the 2025 International Year of Quantum Science and Technology (IYQ), which aims to raise global awareness of quantum physics and its applications.
Stayed tuned to Physics World and our international partners throughout the year for more coverage of the IYQ.
Find out more on our quantum channel.
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Photodetectors convert light into electrical signals and are essential in technologies ranging from consumer electronics and communications to healthcare. They also play a vital role in scientific research. Researchers are continually working to improve their sensitivity, response speed, spectral range, and design efficiency.
Since the discovery of graphene’s remarkable electrical properties, there has been growing interest in using graphene and other two-dimensional (2D) materials to advance photodetection technologies. When light interacts with these materials, it excites electrons that must travel to a nearby contact electrode to generate an electrical signal. The ease with which this occurs depends on the work functions of the materials involved, specifically, the difference between them, known as the Schottky barrier height. Selecting an optimal combination of 2D material and electrode can minimize this barrier, enhancing the photodetector’s sensitivity and speed. Unfortunately, traditional electrode materials have fixed work functions which are limiting 2D photodetector technology.
PEDOT:PSS is a widely used electrode material in photodetectors due to its low cost, flexibility, and transparency. In this study, the researchers have developed PEDOT:PSS electrodes with tunable work functions ranging from 5.1 to 3.2 eV, making them compatible with a variety of 2D materials and ideal for optimizing device performance in metal-semiconductor-metal architectures. In addition, their thorough investigation demonstrates that the produced photodetectors performed excellently, with a significant forward current flow (rectification ratio ~10⁵), a strong conversion of light to electrical output (responsivity up to 1.8 A/W), and an exceptionally high Ilight/Idark ratio of 10⁸. Furthermore, the detectors were highly sensitive with low noise, had very fast response times (as fast as 3.2 μs), and thanks to the transparency of PEDOT:PSS, showed extended sensitivity into the near-infrared region.
This study demonstrates a tunable, transparent polymer electrode that enhances the performance and versatility of 2D photodetectors, offering a promising path toward flexible, self-powered, and wearable optoelectronic systems, and paving the way for next-generation intelligent interactive technologies.
Youchen Chen et al 2025 Rep. Prog. Phys. 88 068003
Two-dimensional material/group-III nitride hetero-structures and devices by Tingting Lin, Yi Zeng, Xinyu Liao, Jing Li, Changjian Zhou and Wenliang Wang (2025)
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Quantum Conference Key Agreement (QCKA) is a cryptographic method that allows multiple parties to establish a shared secret key using quantum technology. This key can then be used for secure communication among the parties.
Unlike traditional methods that rely on classical cryptographic techniques, QCKA leverages the principles of quantum mechanics, particularly multipartite entanglement, to ensure security.
A key aspect of QCKA is creating and distributing entangled quantum states among the parties. These entangled states have unique properties that make it impossible for an eavesdropper to intercept the key without being detected.
Researchers measure the efficiency and performance of the key agreement protocol using a metric known as the key rate.
One problem with state-of-the-art QCKA schemes is that this key rate decreases exponentially with the number of users.
Previous solutions to this problem, based on single-photon interference, have come at the cost of requiring global phase locking. This makes them impractical to put in place experimentally.
However, the authors of this new study have been able to circumvent this requirement, by adopting an asynchronous pairing strategy. Put simply, this means that measurements taken by different parties in different places do not need to happen at exactly at the same time.
Their solution effectively removes the need for global phase locking while still maintaining the favourable scaling of the key rate as in other protocols based on single-photon interference.
The new scheme represents an important step towards realising QCKA at long distances by allowing for much more practical experimental configurations.
Yu-Shuo Lu et al., 2025 Rep. Prog. Phys. 88 067901
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A U.S. government official warned that a draft European space law could “stifle innovation,” as other countries also assess the potential impacts of the proposed legislation.
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European government officials stressed the need to build strong, autonomous space capabilities, even as the continent continues to rely on foreign companies for some launches.
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The company now counts liquid engines for hypersonic vehicles and solid rocket motors as its core lines of business.
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Eutelsat is a step closer to the financing needed to refresh its OneWeb LEO broadband constellation, after the French operator’s board approved plans Nov. 18 to raise nearly $1 billion from anchor shareholders.
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