The increasing miniaturisation of electronic chips is enabling a technological revolution, exemplified in a growing number of applications, from powerful mobile phones to the internet of things. But as the components of our electronic devices become smaller and smaller, we need to use the unintuitive laws of quantum physics to understand their behaviour and predict, for instance, how much heat a small quantum machine will generate when driven at maximum power.

As online data moves faster, becomes more complex and contains highly sensitive information, advanced encryption methods are required to protect against data breaches. Random number generation (RNG) is used in encryption within a multitude of applications, including e-commerce and high frequency trading.

The mystery of how comets are able to emit X-rays has been solved by a team led by the University of Oxford.

The research published in Nature Physics considers the longstanding scientific question of how comets are able to radiate X-rays. A conundrum that is particularly puzzling, given that such emission is normally associated with very hot objects like the Sun, and comets are among the coldest objects in the Solar System.

Professor Stephen Hawking, 1942-2018

On 13 March 2018, physicists awoke to news that Prof Stephen Hawking, surely Oxford’s best known physics undergraduate (Univ. 1959), had died peacefully in his sleep. He leaves behind a monumental legacy.

Congratulations to three MPLS academics who have been appointed as members of the new UK Research and Innovation Councils, which will replace the existing Research Councils on 1 April 2018 when UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) is formally established.

Researchers Vera Schäfer and Dr Chris Ballance in Professor David Lucas's group have set a new speed record for the 'logic gates' that form the building blocks of quantum computing – a technology that could transform the way we process information.

The annual MPLS Impact Awards aim to foster and raise awareness of impact by rewarding it at a local level, and prepare the ground for the impact case studies that will be needed for REF 2021, and future similar exercises. This year’s awards were presented at the MPLS Winter Reception on the 6th February at Mansfield College, with the winners receiving a pay award of £1,000 (minus taxes).

Oxford Physicists won awards in three out of the four categories!