The third pillar of science
Computing is transforming scientific research, but are researchers and software code adapting at the same rate? Benjamin Skuse finds out
A machine-learning revolution
From image reconstruction to quantum tomography, scientists are applying machine learning to all areas of physics, as Marric Stephens discovers
The dark side of social media
Neil Johnson explains how physics can be used to find groups supporting terror, extremism and hate on social media
Structural supercapacitors prepare for take-off
Energy-storage devices that provide mechanical strength as well as power could pave the way for innovations such as fully electric aircraft, writes Natasha Shirshova
‘Oumuamua: visitor from another star
'Oumuamua is the first confirmed interstellar object detected in our solar system – and it's baffling scientists. Andrew Glester explains
An unelementary affair: 150 years of the periodic table
Robert P Crease traces the history of the periodic table, 150 years after Dmitri Mendeleev drew the first version
Hidden pictures
The technique of hyperspectral imaging is helping to uncover paintings hidden beneath artworks, notably Picasso's Mother and Child by the Sea, as Stephen Ornes reports
Knit and stretch
Most physicists don't start their PhDs by watching YouTube videos. But that's what Samuel Poincloux did to begin investigating the physics of knitted fabrics
The future is flexible
Thin 2D semiconductors could lead to a new generation of flexible, wearable electronic devices – ideal for military and outdoor applications, as Nicola Townsend and Iddo Amit explain
Whizz-bang science
Everyone loves a great firework display, especially when it's New Year's Eve. Pierre Thebault explains the physics of fireworks and describes how pryrotechnicians are improving these spectacles
