Department of Physics at the University of Oxford
LightNews LightNews
banner
oxfordphysics.bsky.social
Department of Physics at the University of Oxford
@oxfordphysics.bsky.social
800 followers 280 following 140 posts
We work to develop, nurture and promote a physics community. Visit https://linktr.ee/PhysicsOxford for events, news and to learn more about the research taking place in our Department.
Posts Replies Media Videos
oxfordphysics.bsky.social
'Navigating the Quantum Wonderland' Free public talk by Paul Davies. Explore 100 years of perplexing quantum mechanics, the rise of Quantum 2.0 (AI, computing), and its challenges, from the universe's birth to consciousness. Register: https://www.physics.ox.ac.uk/events/navigating-quantum-wonderland
November 13, 2025 at 2:40 PM
oxfordphysics.bsky.social
The Department's annual Intl Observe the Moon Night drew 66 visitors for an evening of lunar discovery, where families explored the Moon's science & history. Catch up on our lunar research: https://www.physics.ox.ac.uk/news/celebrating-international-observe-moon-night-2025 or https://bit.ly/4qS5EoD
Attendees with DPhil student, Michelle Colantoni, at Observe the Moon Night 2025
November 13, 2025 at 9:03 AM
oxfordphysics.bsky.social
'Quantum Steampunk: The Physics of Yesterday's Tomorrow' ⚙️ Talk by Nicole Yunger Halpern (Univ Maryland). Nov 17, 5 pm, Simpkins Lee Seminar Room, Beecroft Building, Oxford. Open to all (no physics required)! 👍 Organised by OQIS/Physics Society. Pub chat to follow!
A poster for the event with an image of the guest speaker and a cover of her latest book.
November 12, 2025 at 4:10 PM
oxfordphysics.bsky.social
Congratulations Dr Alex Picksley, former Oxford DPhil student, for winning the 2025 Simon van der Meer Early Career Award for Novel Accelerators!  A brilliant achievement! ✨
Read more: Link in bio or https://www.physics.ox.ac.uk/news/dphil-alumnus-wins-international-early-career-award
November 12, 2025 at 12:50 PM
oxfordphysics.bsky.social
Oxford-led scientists used @CERN 's accelerator to recreate cosmic 'fireballs,' finding evidence that hidden intergalactic magnetic fields, not beam instability, cause missing gamma rays. https://f.mtr.cool/dpztvxbgll
November 12, 2025 at 6:34 AM
oxfordphysics.bsky.social
Atmospheric, Oceanic and Planetary Physics (AOPP) Open Day 2025
Online, 2 Dec, 1:30-4pm
Meet academics plus drop-in sessions with ample opportunity for you to ask questions.
Fill in the form via https://www.physics.ox.ac.uk/study/postgraduates/dphil-atmospheric-oceanic-and-planetary-physics
November 11, 2025 at 12:35 PM
oxfordphysics.bsky.social
Today we remember Henry Moseley, the Oxford physicist whose X-ray spectroscopy work reshaped our understanding of the elements. He was killed in action at Gallipoli in 1915, aged just 27.

🔗 Learn more: https://www.physics.ox.ac.uk/about-us/our-history/highlights-archive/moseley-and-x-rays
November 11, 2025 at 8:02 AM
oxfordphysics.bsky.social
Professor Peter Norreys has been honoured with the Prix Fernand Holweck for his seminal work on high-energy density plasmas using petawatt-class lasers. Read more here: www.physics.ox.ac.uk/news/profess...
A portrait image of Professor Peter Norreys
October 29, 2025 at 6:26 PM
oxfordphysics.bsky.social
Join us 🔍for #DarkMatterDay 6 to 8pm - Thursday 30 October - Open to all, including families. Booking is now closed, but if you'd like to join last minute, please write to [email protected] by Thu noon.
October 29, 2025 at 6:20 PM
oxfordphysics.bsky.social
Meet Harriet ✨Oxford’s new MSc in Quantum Technologies offers interdisciplinary training in computing, sensing, and communications. The course features strong industry links and a four-month research project. Learn more on our website! 🚀
www.physics.ox.ac.uk/news/launch-...
October 29, 2025 at 6:12 PM
oxfordphysics.bsky.social
The @crick.ac.uk's podcast 'A Question of Science' hosted by Prof Brian Cox, is out today, entitled: ‘Who Owns Space?'. Listen to Dr Carly Howett, Assoc Prof of Space Instrumentation here at @ox.ac.uk
Watch the episode here www.crick.ac.uk/news/2025-10... or listen via your chosen podcast channel.
The image shows a studio, showing Professor Brian Cox, host, and Carly Howett – Associate Professor of Space Instrumentation, University of Oxford Jill Stuart – Visiting Fellow, London School of Economics Helen Sharman – Chemist, science communicator and first British astronaut Sanjeev Gupta – Professor of Earth Sciences, Imperial College London all standing in front of chairs and microphones. Copyright of the image is Crick Institute / www.michael-bowles.com
October 29, 2025 at 5:58 PM
oxfordphysics.bsky.social
Full house last Sat, for the Michaelmas Saturday Morning of Theoretical Physics 'The Quantum Strong Force', guest speakers Prof Fabrizio Caola, Alan Barr and Gavin Salam, FRS (on the image with Prof Andre Lukas, Head of Rudolf Peierls Centre for Theoretical Physics and host on the day.
#IYQ2025
October 27, 2025 at 7:12 PM
oxfordphysics.bsky.social
Meet Shirin Ermis: DPhil student "hacking" weather models to see how extreme UK windstorms are changing with climate change. Fascinating stuff! Read her full quick-fire interview here:
https://www.physics.ox.ac.uk/news/meetshirin-ermis
A portrait image of DPhil student Shirin Ermis
October 27, 2025 at 7:01 AM
oxfordphysics.bsky.social
You are invited to International Dark Matter Day! Join the Oxford Physics Department to celebrate the historic hunt for the unseen. Register here: https://www.physics.ox.ac.uk/events/dark-matter-day-2025
October 24, 2025 at 10:02 AM
oxfordphysics.bsky.social
Last month, Oxford, IBM, and partners offered a new quantum information perspective on dispersion forces, showing entanglement governs attractions between molecules. Read the complete article: https://www.physics.ox.ac.uk/news/quantum-information-theory-gives-new-perspective-dispersion-forces
October 24, 2025 at 6:30 AM
oxfordphysics.bsky.social
This coming Saturday we are hosting our popular *alumni* event:  Morning of Theoretical Physics. The topic this time will be 'The Quantum Strong Force' and the guest speakers are Professor Fabrizio Caola, Professor Alan Barr and Professor Gavin Salam, FRS.
October 23, 2025 at 6:01 AM
oxfordphysics.bsky.social
Oxford spin-out QFX successfully secures £2M seed funding to advance next-generation modular quantum technologies for computing, sensing, and secure comms.
Read in full via link in bio, or visit https://www.physics.ox.ac.uk/news/latest-oxford-quantum-spin-out-announces-successful-seed-funding
October 22, 2025 at 5:10 PM
oxfordphysics.bsky.social
The 30th #Hintze Lecture recording – with guest speakers Professor Sir Roger #Penrose (University of Oxford) and Professor Janna #Levin (Columbia University): 'A Universe of #Black #Holes'’ is now available to watch in our YouTube channel, link in bio or:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6r-ZhwGlWc
October 21, 2025 at 11:57 AM
oxfordphysics.bsky.social
Student Digital Skills Hub: Your one-stop guide to digital confidence. Choose a goal-matching pathway, follow the steps, and try practical tools. Read more about this student initiative here:
https://skills.it.ox.ac.uk/article/student-digital-skills-hub-your-onestop-guide-to-digital-confidence
October 15, 2025 at 6:25 AM
oxfordphysics.bsky.social
The mathematical masterpiece: Sir Roger Penrose's black hole discovery drawing. Join Prof Janna Levin and him for their lecture later today (link in bio or previous articles).
Read this wonderful article by Prof. Levin in full: https://jannalevin.substack.com/p/the-drawing-that-earned-sir-roger-f3b
Figure reprinted from Roger Penrose, “Gravitational Collapse and Space-Time Singularities,” Physical Review Letters 14, 57 – Published 18 January 1965. Image taken from https://jannalevin.substack.com/p/the-drawing-that-earned-sir-roger-f3b for this post.
October 14, 2025 at 10:48 AM
oxfordphysics.bsky.social
Professor Ard Louis wins the 2025 IOP Sam Edwards Medal and Prize! He's honoured for pioneering mathematical and numerical models in soft matter and biological physics.
Read more via link in bio or visit https://www.physics.ox.ac.uk/news/professor-louis-awarded-iop-sam-edwards-medal
October 13, 2025 at 12:06 PM
oxfordphysics.bsky.social
Professor Julia Yeomans OBE FRS of Oxford Physics wins the 2025 IOP Paul Dirac Medal! She's honoured for work on the collective behaviour of active matter🌟 Read the article in full via link in bio or https://www.physics.ox.ac.uk/news/professor-yeomans-awarded-iop-paul-dirac-medal
A portrait of Professor Julia Yeomans
October 13, 2025 at 12:02 PM
oxfordphysics.bsky.social
Congrats to Professor Lvovsky on being named an APS Fellow! This honours his pioneering work in quantum optics and quantum information for future tech. Read more: via link in bio or https://www.physics.ox.ac.uk/news/professor-lvovsky-elected-aps-fellow
October 13, 2025 at 10:38 AM
oxfordphysics.bsky.social
Oxford’s BEBOP thermal camera has been selected for ESA's 2032 Mars mission! It'll provide critical weather data to boost the safety of future robotic and human explorers. Read the full article: Link in bio or visit https://www.physics.ox.ac.uk/news/oxford-instrument-lined-esa-mars-mission
A family picture of the Oxford Space Instrumentation laboratory’s thermal imagers. Clockwise from top is one of the development models for Comet Interceptor’s MIRMIS instrument (left half is a contribution from VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland and right half is from Oxford); the flight spare optical layout and calibration target for Lunar Trailblazer’s LTM (in gold); and the BEBOP demonstration model, which is based on LTM and MIRMIS, but larger.
October 10, 2025 at 7:02 PM
oxfordphysics.bsky.social
Breakthrough! Researchers from MPSD and Oxford used circularly polarised terahertz light to switch ferroaxial states on demand, a platform for next-gen non-volatile memory. More: https://www.physics.ox.ac.uk/news/light-controlled-switching-ferroaxial-states-opens-path-ultrafast-data-storage
Terahertz light can reversibly switch an unusual form of structural order in solids – called ferroaxiality – between clockwise and counterclockwise rotational patterns. Credit: Jörg Harms (MPSD)
October 10, 2025 at 12:58 PM