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Department of Physics

The Cavendish Laboratory
 
Read more at: The Pacific slope of Peru is greening, and this is not good news
Exaggerated 3D model of the Peruvian Andes with an overlay of the greening strip

The Pacific slope of Peru is greening, and this is not good news

21 July 2023

Research led by physicists and geographers at the University of Cambridge has unveiled some large-scale changes in the vegetation in the South American Andes which may have dramatic impact on the environment and ecosystems of the region. This is a warning sign, like the canary in the mine. There is nothing we can do to...


Read more at: New study shatters conventional wisdom and unlocks the future of electrochemical devices
Artist’s illustration of an electronic polymer in water conducting both ionic and electronic charges.

New study shatters conventional wisdom and unlocks the future of electrochemical devices

6 July 2023

A new study by researchers at the University of Cambridge reveals a surprising discovery that could transform the future of electrochemical devices. The findings offer new opportunities for the development of advanced materials and improved performance in fields such as energy storage, brain-like computing, and...


Read more at: Shedding Light on the Universe: Far, far away galaxies may be responsible for lighting up the Universe
epoch of reionisation

Shedding Light on the Universe: Far, far away galaxies may be responsible for lighting up the Universe

6 July 2023

There are many big questions about the universe we live in. One of the main interests for scientists is to understand how the first galaxies shine and how their light travels through the universe. To answer this question, they are applying many different approaches. Now with the incredible power that James Webb Space...


Read more at: AI cuts waiting times for cancer patients in NHS first
Portrait of Raj Jena in blue scrubs and in front of a scanner machine is hospital

AI cuts waiting times for cancer patients in NHS first

30 June 2023

Artificial intelligence developed by and for the NHS at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge is reducing the amount of time cancer patients wait for radiotherapy treatment. “OSAIRIS” is saving many hours of doctors’ time in preparing scans and helping to cut the time patients have to wait between referral for radiotherapy...


Read more at: A revolutionary phantom recipe that can enhance patient diagnoses
Mouse Ear taken with one of the photoacoustic imaging systems

A revolutionary phantom recipe that can enhance patient diagnoses

30 June 2023

Scientists have created a new recipe, just like a cake recipe, that can be used to make a phantom. Having this new phantom material is very exciting as we can now test the performance of photoacoustic imaging systems as we undertake clinical trials. In our ongoing clinical trials, we will use this phantom material to test...


Read more at: Funding a new source of space power
Artist's impression of a solar power satelite. Credit European Space Agency

Funding a new source of space power

29 June 2023

New space-based solar power technology developed at the University of Cambridge is preparing for lift off thanks to a multi-million government investment. With this government funded programme, we will develop brand new technologies that will enable a complete, technically feasible, robust, and relatively inexpensive...


Read more at: Scientists given the green light, to control microscopic electricity
Scientists given the green light, to control microscopic electricity

Scientists given the green light, to control microscopic electricity

20 June 2023

Researchers based at the University of Cambridge have discovered a new phenomenon where light can be used to control electricity in disordered semiconductor materials on the nanoscale. While a lot still remains to be discovered in the field, w ith this new tool, we are very excited to see what other sorts of new phenomena...


Read more at: Space telescope Cheops unveils four mysterious warm exoplanets
Illustration of an exoplanet and its host star. Credit NASA, ESA, CSA, Dani Player (STScI)

Space telescope Cheops unveils four mysterious warm exoplanets

8 June 2023

ESA’s exoplanet mission Cheops confirmed the existence of four warm exoplanets orbiting four stars in our Milky Way. These exoplanets have sizes between Earth and Neptune and orbit their stars closer than Mercury orbits our Sun. The Universe is far too big and there is far too much data sent by those powerful telescopes to...


Read more at: DNA line-actants may help unlock applications of synthetic cells to therapeutics and diagnostics
Coloured 3D view of a DNA origami plate

DNA line-actants may help unlock applications of synthetic cells to therapeutics and diagnostics

19 May 2023

Scientists have now been able to demonstrate that we can exert control on lipid membranes and their phase behaviour using rationally designed “DNA line-actants”, which will help improve our understanding of membrane biophysics, and more broadly, the role that lipid phase separation plays in biological functionality. The...


Read more at: How to build new types of low-cost biosensor that access the biomolecules in blood, sweat, and tears (and urine)
Graphic illustration of a hand holding a phone and connected to a health monitor and a computer

How to build new types of low-cost biosensor that access the biomolecules in blood, sweat, and tears (and urine)

5 May 2023

That's the new challenge of an £8.6M EPSRC programme grant on Ubiquitous Optical Healthcare Technologies (UbOHT) that will fund three Cambridge researchers, along with teams at York, Strathclyde and Exeter. The project will develop 'BioSensors 2.0', new sensors that are low-cost and can be used outside of the hospital...