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Physics World February 2018

Physics World February 2018

Swarm science: how midges shed light on collective behaviour

In our cover feature this month, science writer Jennifer Ouellette discovers how tiny midges can shed light on collective behaviour in physics. You can also discover from Helen Gleeson how physicists are seeking to create liquid-crystal contact lenses – and learn from Stephen Ornes more about the technological challenges of going to Mars. And our veteran North America correspondent Peter Gwynne assesses the impact that Donald Trump has had on US science, one year into his presidency.

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Particle and nuclear astrophysics: European astroparticle physicists release 10-year vision news

Europe reveals its astroparticle vision

Some of the books in Dave Wenner’s history of physics collection. opinion

Collecting books

Photograph of technicians and engineers testing spacesuits in a vacuum chamber feature

The long road to Mars

Photographs of laser cutting and solar-cell manufacturing opinion

The business of physics

The crystalline lens in the human eye becomes more rigid with age, making it harder to focus on close up objects feature

Looking – into the future

Photograph of a swarm of midges feature

Sounding out swarms

Still image of the Millennium Falcon spaceship from Star Wars review

Boldly going to a galaxy far, far away

Helen Arney (right), Steve Mould (left) and Matt Parker (centre) review

Of graphs and giggles

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