A Nuclear Future
08 Jun 2023 under Features
An international megaproject seeks to mimic the sun’s power to deliver clean energy On 5 December 2022, a pellet of solid hydrogen at the National Ignition Facility (NIF) at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, USA, made nuclear fusion history by generating more energy than it absorbed. Using an array of high-powered lasers, researchers achieved a “burning […]
Modelling Lightning Strikes to Aircraft
23 Feb 2023 under Focus
Lightning strikes can be dangerous for aircraft. But studying this phenomenon in the field is quite difficult. Researchers at IISc have developed a unique computational model to simulate how lightning can strike an aircraft. The insights they have gleaned from this model can help design better lightning protective measures for aircraft. Lightning strikes can damage […]
Fractal Patterns in Graphene
02 Dec 2022 under Highlights
Fractals are geometrical patterns that are infinitely self-similar: they are made of a characteristic shape that is repeated at smaller scales. We see them everywhere in nature, from the spiralling florets of cauliflowers to the forks of a lightning bolt as it arcs towards the ground. Fractals are often observed in condensed matter systems – […]