Physics (Video)
Physics (Video) is a lecture and presentation series from UCTV, the University of California Television network. It features guest speakers, researchers, and University of California faculty discussing physics concepts and research. Episodes aim to help audiences better understand and predict the world around us. The show is offered in video format and draws on academic expertise from across the UC system.
Episodes
The History of Metamaterials
Metamaterials are special structures made of tiny components that give them unique electromagnetic properties not found in nature. One key feature is a negative refractive index, which enables technologies like "superlenses" for ultra-detailed imaging and "invisibility cloaks." The concept began when Sir John Pendry theorized special rings (SRRs) that could manipulate electromagnetic waves. Later,
Metamaterials Open New Horizons in Electromagnetism with Sir John Pendry 2024 Kyoto Prize Laureate in Advanced Technology
Sir John Pendry is the 2024 Kyoto Prize Laureate in Advanced Technology. He serves as a professor of Theoretical Solid State Physics at Imperial College London. After earning his Ph.D. at University of Cambridge, Pendry’s initial research concerned a low-energy electron diffraction theory for examining and measuring the surface of materials for practical purposes. He theoretically demonstrated tha
Black Holes Spacetime and You
How much do we really know about the quantum nature of space and time, the origins of the universe itself, and its most mysterious phenomena - black holes? In this program, Clifford Johnson, professor of physics at UC Santa Barbara, explains why understanding the laws of physics helps explain how the world around us works, and can fuel our imaginations to dream, invent, and create. Johnson works t
My Journey Through Mathematics and Physics with Elliott Lieb 2023 Kyoto Prize Laureate in Basic Sciences
The 2023 Kyoto Prize Laureate in Basic Sciences, Professor Elliott Lieb presents snapshots of his seventy-year journey through the world of science, first as a would-be engineer, then as a physicist and later as a mathematician and a mathematical physicist. In many encounters with colleagues in different areas of research he learned that mathematics and a mathematical perspective can be pivotal in
What It Means To Be Curious With Nobel Laureate Barry Barish
Nobel Laureate and physicist Barry Barish, professor at UC Riverside, reflects on his life in science, being curious, experiencing imposter syndrome, and working in the field of physics with Brian Keating, host of the "Into the Impossible" podcast and professor of physics at UC San Diego. [Humanities] [Science] [Show ID: 38727]
Carver Mead - 2022 Kyoto Prize Laureate in Advanced Technology: Engineering Concepts Clarify Physical Law
Carver Mead is a pioneer of modern microelectronics. He proposed a new methodology, very large-scale integration (VLSI), that would make it possible for creating millions or billions of transistors on a single integrated circuit (microchip). His research investigated techniques for VLSI, designing and creating high-complexity microchips. This design process has advanced electronic technologies and
Honoring the Historic Contributions of Mayer Hall to the Field of Physics
The American Physical Society has designated UC San Diego’s Mayer Hall as a historic site in recognition of research conducted by physicists Walter Kohn and Lu Jeu Sham on density functional theory. Their development of the "Kohn-Sham equation" inside Mayer Hall became the foundation for the computation of the material properties of electrons and nuclei. Understanding the electronic properties of
A New Measure: The Revolutionary Quantum Reform of the Modern Metric System
The International System of Units (the SI), the modern metric system, has recently undergone its most revolutionary change since its origins during the French Revolution. The nature of this revolution is that all of the base units of the SI are now defined by fixing values of natural constants. Our measurement system is now, both philosophically and practically, strongly quantum. Nobel Prize reci
Time Einstein and the Coolest Stuff in the Universe
At the beginning of the 20th century, Einstein changed the way we think about time. Now, early in the 21st century, the measurement of time is being revolutionized by the ability to cool a gas of atoms to temperatures millions of times lower than any naturally occurring temperature in the universe. Nobel Prize recipient William Phillips, Ph.D., a Distinguished University and College Park Profess
My Career in Physics with Julio Barreiro Guerrero - Mi Camino
Julio Barreiro Guerrero grew up in a public housing project in Acapulco de Juarez. Inspired by a junior high teacher, he found his passion for science. Through hard work and focus he found himself the recipient of scholarships that opened up a world of opportunity in physics. Today, he runs a lab at UC San Diego focused on quantum science and technology. He shares his story and a message of inspir
The Art and Science of Music with Victor Minces - Creative Conversations
Victor Minces teaches the science of music. He seeks to transform our perception of everyday experiences by revealing the physics behind them. Through his program, Listening to Waves, he works to make science accessible to all and imbue creativity in the scientific process. Hear his perspectives on teaching, arts education and more in this engaging conversation. Series: "Education Channel" [Scien
Biomolecular Action Movies: Flash Imaging with X-ray Lasers
Proteins are nature’s machines, performing tasks from transforming sunlight into useable energy to binding oxygen for transport through the body. These functions depend on structural arrangement of atoms within the protein, which was, until recently, only possible to measure statistically, in easily crystallized samples via conventional X-ray diffraction. In the past decade, X-ray Free Electron La
Laser-Plasma Accelerators: Riding the Wave to the Next Generation X-Ray Light Sources
Particle accelerators have been revolutionizing discoveries in science, medicine, industry and national security for over a century. An estimated 30,000 particle accelerators are currently active around the world. In these machines, electromagnetic fields accelerate charged particles, such as electrons, protons, ions or positrons to velocities nearing the speed of light. Although their scientific
Complexity and Robustness: How Biology Ecology and Technology Balance Tradeoffs in an Uncertain World
Do complex systems exhibit fundamental properties? This talk looks at tradeoffs between robustness and fragility that occur in biological, ecological, and technological systems that are driven by design, evolution, or other sorting processes to high-performance states which are also tolerant to uncertainty in the environment and components. Series: "GRIT Talks" [Science] [Show ID: 32758]
Why Do Your Shoelaces Come Untied?
UC Berkeley mechanical engineers have shown why your shoelaces keep coming untied. It’s a question that everyone asks themselves, often after stopping to retie their shoes, yet no one had investigated. The answer, the study suggests, is that a double whammy of stomping and whipping forces act like an invisible hand, loosening the knot and then tugging on the free ends of your laces until the whole
Lakshana Huddar Berkeley: How to Build an Advanced Nuclear Reactor in a University Laboratory
Lakshana Huddar, Berkeley: How to Build an Advanced Nuclear Reactor in a University Laboratory Series: "Women in Science" [Science] [Show ID: 31079]
Tianyu Liu Santa Cruz: Enhancing the Performance of Supercapacitors Through Facilitation of Ion Diffusion
Tianyu Liu, Santa Cruz: Enhancing the Performance of Supercapacitors Through Facilitation of Ion Diffusion Series: "Women in Science" [Science] [Show ID: 31080]
Searching for the Genetic Code of our Universe
The 2012 discovery of the Higgs boson completes a powerful and comprehensive description of nature known as the standard model of particle physics. The next step is to find the new physics that underpins this model, which many physicists believe could solve mysteries first seen in astrophysical and cosmological data, such as dark matter and neutrino mixing. Joseph Incandela, UCSB Professor of Phys
Harnessing Fusion: Creating a Sun on Earth
The National Ignition Facility (NIF) at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) is the world's largest and most powerful laser system. Experimental physicist Tammy Ma explores how and why scientists and engineers are working hard to demonstrate sustainable fusion burn - the same reaction that occurs in the sun - to one day harness as a source of limitless, clean energy. Series: "Lawrence
Why Does Time Advance?: Richard Muller's New Theory
A simple question from his wife – Does physics really allow people to travel back in time? – propelled physicist Richard Muller on a quest to resolve a fundamental problem that had puzzled him throughout his 45-year career: Why does the arrow of time flow inexorably toward the future, constantly creating new "nows"? Series: "UC Berkeley News" [Science] [Show ID: 31548]
Hacking the Revolution: Quantitative Biology at UC San Diego
A brief overview of how UC San Diego scientists are leading the next revolution in biology. Series: "UCTV Prime" [Science] [Show ID: 30564]
On Beyond: Space Dust Exploring Nanomaterials Fire Drought and Ecosystems Oak Tree Ecosystems California Agricultural Legacy
Explore the dust between the stars - and why it is so important, see how researchers explore molecules on the nanoscale to improve materials, discover why natural extremes are critical to Mediterranean ecosystems, the fate of California Oak trees, and sustaining the heritage of agriculture in California, all on this edition of On Beyond. Series: "On Beyond" [Science] [Show ID: 30667]
Spacetime Versus the Quantum
Joseph Polchinski explores the battle in physics: either quantum mechanics must break down, or our understanding of spacetime must be wrong. The latest is the ‘firewall’ paradox: if quantum mechanics is to be saved, then an astronaut falling into a black hole will have an experience very different from what Einstein’s theory predicts. This has led to many new ideas that may lead to the unification
The International Year of the Light Symposium: Session 3
We are visual beings, and qualities such as “insight” and “vision” describe our understanding well beyond sensory input. Light and more generally, electromagnetic radiation, has dramatically changed our knowledge of the physical world. It is also the source of the oxygen we breathe, the food we eat, and the energy that has powered the world since the beginning of the industrial revolution. Nobel L
The International Year of the Light Symposium: Session 2
Blue LED and Prospects for the Lighting Industry with Shuji Nakamura. Energy Savings and Future Directions in Solid State Lighting with Steve DenBaars. Semiconductor Lasers: Vertical, Tunable, Enabling Photonic ICs with Larry Coldren. Lightwave Technologies Are Key To: Good Health, Good Communications & Good Entertainment with Waguih Ishak. Quantum Sensing and Imaging with Photoluminescent Single
The International Year of the Light Symposium: Session 1
The Double-Heterostructure Concept: How it Got Started with Herbert Kroemer. Silicon Photonic Integrated Circuits with John Bowers. Light, Noise, and Darkness with Amnon Yariv. “Plastic” Solar Cells with Alan Heeger. First Light: the Cosmic Microwave Background and Early Universe Physics with Eva Silverstein. Energy Awareness: Seeing Energy to Save Energy with Bill Parrish. Series: "Scientific Ho
Tiger Math
Patrick Sanan, who studied mathematics at UC San Diego, explains how he combined geometry and physics to devise the mathematics that made possible the visualization of the virtual tiger Richard in the Oscar award-winning motion picture, “Life of Pi.” Series: "STEAM: Adding Arts to STEM Education" [Humanities] [Science] [Arts and Music] [Show ID: 25933]
Space-Time Versus the Quantum
UCSB’s Joseph Polchinski speaks about the search for a unified theory of the laws of physics, and the difficulty of reconciling two of the main pieces: quantum mechanics, which governs the very small, and general relativity, which governs the very large. A professor of physics and a permanent member of the Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics, Polchinski was named UC Santa Barbara’s 2014 Facul
Smart Puppy and TeenyTiny Dots
Holy hairball! Smart Puppy shows how small a nanodot is! Series: "UCTV Prime" [Science] [Show ID: 30081]
Smart Puppy and The Fantastic Frozen Flying Saucer
Hang on to your frozen butts! Smart Puppy’s kitty buds take a wild-ride on Boaz Almog’s fantastic frozen flying saucer! Series: "UCTV Prime" [Science] [Show ID: 30079]
Smart Puppy and Super Conductors
Smart Puppy shows why a super conductor is super! Series: "UCTV Prime" [Science] [Show ID: 30080]
Invention of Blue LED Laser and Solid State Light with Shuji Nakamura
Shuji Nakamura discusses the way in which his invention grew to be what it is by starting with the work of growing high-quality gallium nitride (GaN) crystals in 1991 to demonstrating highly luminescent, blue light-emitting diodes (LEDs) in 1994. The resulting revolution in generating white light has had a tremendous impact on society by providing highly efficient, robust, portable, non-toxic, bat
Smart Puppy and Teensy-Weensy Magnets!
Smart Puppy’s furry friends discover teensy-weensy magnets! Series: "Not Too Serious Labs" [Science] [Education] [Show ID: 28714]
Celebrating Nobel Prize Laser Inventor Charles Townes
Charles Hard Townes, a professor emeritus of physics at the University of California, Berkeley, who shared the 1964 Nobel Prize in Physics for invention of the laser and subsequently pioneered the use of lasers in astronomy, died at the age of 99 on January 27, 2015. This video was produced on the occasion of his 99th birthday on July 28, 2014. Series: "UC Berkeley News" [Science] [Show ID: 29299]
Smart Puppy and The Tiniest Magnet!
Smart Puppy and friends find the tiniest magnet! Series: "Not Too Serious Labs" [Science] [Education] [Show ID: 28917]
Smart Puppy and Super-what?!
Smart Puppy shows his pals when a magnet is not a magnet. Series: "Not Too Serious Labs" [Science] [Education] [Show ID: 28916]
Smart Puppy and an Amazing Tennis Ball Trick!
Smart Puppy and friends do an amazing trick with a really teeny-tiny tennis ball! Series: "Not Too Serious Labs" [Science] [Education] [Show ID: 28715]
Smart Puppy and Friends Play with Peanuts!
Smart Puppy and friends play with peanuts! Series: "Not Too Serious Labs" [Science] [Education] [Show ID: 28915]
The Universe and Computers with George Smoot
George Smoot, Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, describes the research that led to his Nobel Prize in physics in 2006. Series: "Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory " [Science] [Show ID: 28608]
Leo Szilard: The Man Behind the Bomb with William Lanouette -- The Library Channel
The UC San Diego Library Channel presents a talk by William Lanouette, author of “Genius in the Shadows: A Biography of Leo Szilard.” Lanouette explains how Szilard’s fear of German dominance of nuclear research in the 1930’s inspired the Manhattan Project, which led to the creation of the atomic bomb used by the United States in World War II. Szilard could see its potential for mass destruction
Cleaning Up Construction Runoff
Soil scientists are using a non-toxic chemical at construction sites to remove dirt from muddy stormwater before it reaches streams. From Inside Science TV, supported by the American Institute of Physics and a group of science, technology, engineering and mathematics societies.
Series: "Inside Science TV" [Science] [Show ID: 25567]
Behind the Scenes at Berkeley Lab - The Mechanical Fabrication Facility
Part of the Behind the Scenes series at Berkeley Lab, this video highlights the lab's mechanical fabrication facility and its exceptional ability to produce unique tools essential to the lab's scientific mission. Through a combination of skilled craftsmanship and precision equipment, machinists and engineers work with scientists to create exactly what's needed -- whether it's measured in microns o
SudoGlove Points Remote Controls Towards a More Natural Future
Electrical engineering students designed a special glove that can act as a simpler, more natural remote control for a variety of different devices. From Inside Science TV, supported by the American Institute of Physics and a group of science, technology, engineering and mathematics societies.
Series: "Inside Science TV" [Science] [Show ID: 25565]
Albert Fert: The Rugby Player Who Got the Nobel Prize
A lively and wide-ranging visit with Albert Fert, life-long rugby player and recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physics for his discovery of an effect that revolutionized electronics forever. Series: "Not Too Serious Labs" [Science] [Show ID: 25570]
Herbert Kroemer Retirement
Friends and colleagues gather to discuss the life and work of Nobel Prize recipient Herbert Kroemer. Series: "Voices" [Science] [Show ID: 25308]
StarCAVE Pushes Virtual Reality to New Frontiers
A virtual reality room called StarCAVE takes scientific exploration, and potentially home entertainment, to a whole new level. From Inside Science TV, supported by the American Institute of Physics and a group of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics societies. Series: "Inside Science TV" [Science] [Show ID: 25569]
Astronomy Tool Detects Eye Diseases Earlier
Retinal-imaging method uses adaptive optics. From Inside Science TV, supported by the American Institute of Physics and a group of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics societies. Series: "Inside Science TV" [Science] [Show ID: 25568]
The Beginning and End of the Universe: What Physics Says
Berkeley Lab's Science at the Theater traveled across the Bay to San Francisco's Herbst Theater for a star turn by two of the Lab's Nobel laureates. George Smoot received the 2006 Nobel Prize in Physics for the "discovery of the blackbody form and anisotropy of the cosmic microwave background radiation." Saul Perlmutter received the 2011 Nobel Prize in Physics for "for the discovery of the acceler
Cold Atom Quantum Simulation
Quantum simulation seeks to use the precision and control of ultracold atomic physics to address questions regarding the many-body quantum mechanics of condensed matter systems. Presented by David Weld, Assistant Professor of Physics at UC Santa Barbara. Series: "Scientific Horizons" [Science] [Show ID: 24683]
Quantum Cascade Lasers: From Lab Curiosity to Tools (Or How to Convert Ideas into Products) with Kumar Patel
Kumar Patel came to UCLA from a successful career at Bell Labs. He invented the carbon dioxide laser and has been nominated for a Nobel Prize multiple times. Patel is a professor of physics with a joint appointment in electrical engineering at UCLA. He served as UCLA's vice chancellor for research through 1999. Series: "UC Davis Chancellor's Colloquium Distinguished Speaker Series" [Science] [Busi
