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Because cracks propagate quickly, studying the fracturing process -- which can tell us a lot about the materials and the physics involved -- currently requires expensive high-speed cameras. A new imaging method known as the virtual frame technique allows ordinary digital cameras to capture millions of frames per second for several seconds, requiring only a short and intense pulse of light. At the 2019 APS March Meeting, researchers will describe how the virtual frame technique would allow direct imaging of fracturing and other material surface processes.

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Medical practitioners commonly treat organs in isolation, but Boston University physicist Plamen Ivanov wants to usher in a new paradigm. As he will describe at the 2019 APS March Meeting, “It’s time to view health and disease not only from the perspective of individual organs but from the point of view of their integration,” he said. “We need to show how the different systems communicate with each other and stay in sync.” Ivanov calls the field he’s pioneering “network physiology.”

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To investigate how shortfin mako sharks achieve their impressive speeds, researchers tested real sharkskin samples, using digital particle image velocimetry. They discovered that a “passive bristling” capability of the microscopic surface geometry of the shark’s scales controlled flow separation, which causes pressure drag -- the most influential cause of drag on aircraft. The work will be described at the 2019 APS March Meeting, and could lead to new designs to reduce drag on aircraft.

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For best chances of in vitro fertilization success, the most motile sperm are chosen from semen. But current methods of sperm selection are inefficient and can cause fragmentation of the precious DNA carried in sperm heads. Afrouz Ataei has developed an alternative mechanism to sort sperm, which avoids genetic damage while also being faster and more cost-effective. Ataei will describe the device at the 2019 APS March Meeting in Boston.

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A critical concern for commercial farmers is to have good and synchronized tree growth. The problem in mild winter climates is that plants do not receive enough chilling, and growth resumption becomes spread out with some buds even failing to grow. Now scientists from Jazan University have discovered an effective new way to control the dormancy of grapes and other fruiting plants, by using high-tech plasmas to wake them from their winter's slumber. They will present the work next week at the APS 71st Annual Gaseous Electronics Conference and 60th Annual meeting of the APS Division of Plasma Physics, Nov. 5-9.

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Landfill gases contain numerous contaminants, but one group has demonstrated a promising new application of plasma technology capable of removing such compounds. Researchers have demonstrated an experimental plasma device capable of cleaning gas samples of D4, one of the most common siloxanes. Drawing on a technique for creating plasma called dielectric barrier discharge, the group was able to significantly reduce the amount of D4 samples after treating it with a helium-based plasma. They will present at the APS 71st Annual Gaseous Electronics Conference and 60th Annual meeting of the APS Division of Plasma Physics, Nov. 5-9.

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Many of today’s methods of purifying water rely on filters and chemicals that need regular replenishing or maintenance. Millions of people, however, live in areas with limited access to such materials, leading the research community to explore new options of purifying water in using plasmas. Many plasma-based approaches are expensive, but a new class of plasma devices may change that. Researchers at the have been studying a new type of plasma generator for water purification. They will present the research next week at the APS 71st Annual Gaseous Electronics Conference and the 60th Annual meeting of the APS Division of Plasma Physics, Nov. 5-9.

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A whiff of plasma, when combined with a nanosized catalyst, can cause chemical reactions to proceed faster, more selectively, at lower temperatures, or at lower voltages than without plasma. Using computer modeling, researchers investigated the interactions between plasmas and metal catalysts embedded into ceramic beads in a packed bed reactor. They discovered that together, the metals, beads and gas create plasma that intensifies electric fields and locally heats the catalyst, which can then accelerate reactions. They will present at the APS 71st Annual Gaseous Electronics Conference and 60th Annual meeting of the APS Division of Plasma Physics, Nov. 5-9.

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The American Physical Society (APS) 71st Annual Gaseous Electronics Conference and 60th Annual meeting of the APS Division of Plasma Physics will take place next week, Nov. 5-9, at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland. These two co-located meetings will form one of the largest gatherings of their kind anywhere in the world this year, with more than 2,000 attendees expected from around the world to convene and discuss the basic understanding and groundbreaking applications of different types of plasma science.

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Four nuclear power plants, sources of low-emissions electricity, have announced closings this year. If plants continue to shut down instead of extending operations the nation risks losing 60 percent of its clean electricity starting in 2030, according to a new report, Renewing Licenses for the Nation’s Nuclear Power Plant by the American Physical Society.

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Exploding stars, gravitational waves, new physics, and the search for the Higgs: These are some of the topics to be presented at a series of live webcast news briefings from the 2013 American Physical Society (APS) April Meeting, held April 13 - 16 in Denver, Colo.

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Plant mimicry, black holes, remote-controlled worms, and more: On Thursday, March 21, a series of media briefings will be webcast live from the 2013 American Physical Society (APS) March Meeting in Baltimore, Md. Register at http://apswebcasting.com/.

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The American Physical Society’s 2013 April meeting will focus on some of the world’s largest physics projects and grandest research areas. Topics include particle physics, astrophysics, nuclear physics, plasma fusion and gravitational physics, as well as talks and sessions dedicated to social issues, energy and security. The meeting will take place April 13-16 at the Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel in Denver, Colorado.

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The March Meeting of the American Physical Society (APS), the world’s largest annual physics meeting, will take place March 18 – March 22 at the Baltimore Convention Center.

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The American Physical Society (APS), the nation’s largest organization of physicists, commends President Obama’s exhortation in his State of the Union Speech that, "Now is the time to reach a level of research and development not seen since the height of the Space Race."

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The American Physical Society’s 2013 March meeting will focus on some of the most dynamic and cutting-edge research areas in physics. The topics on tap include high temperature superconductivity, biophysics, and advanced materials, as well as talks and sessions dedicated to social issues, medical technology, energy, and national security. The meeting takes place March 18 to March 22 at the Baltimore Convention Center in Baltimore, MD.

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Science and engineering students have hand-delivered a petition to the local offices of all U.S. senators and House leaders, requesting that sequestration be halted because it would harm their future as innovators and hurt economic growth in the United States. The students represent numerous scientific societies across the United States, including the American Physical Society.

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The following press conferences will take place during the March Meeting of the American Physical Society (APS), to be held February 27 - March 2, 2012, in the Boston Convention Center. Journalists are invited to attend the meeting free of charge.

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The American Physical Society (APS) and the Universität Würzburg are very pleased to announce jointly that Laurens Molenkamp, Chair for Experimental Physics at Würzburg, has been appointed senior Editor of Physical Review B, the position of leadership for the preeminent international journal in condensed matter and materials physics. Molenkamp replaces Peter Adams, founding editor of the journal, who is stepping down but will remain on staff.

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The American Physical Society’s 2012 March meeting will focus on some of the most dynamic and cutting-edge research areas in physics. The topics on tap include high temperature superconductivity, biophysics, and advanced materials, as well as talks and sessions dedicated to social issues, medical technology, energy, and national security. The meeting takes place February 27–March 2 at the Boston Convention Center in Boston, Mass.