Feb 20 2020 39 mins 199
We often talk about “hot topics” in the podcast, but this week there’s a chill in the air as the Physics World team explores stories about cold stuff. First up is a discussion of what happens when cold lithium atoms collide with a cold ytterbium ion, as observed by a group of physicists in the Netherlands and described in a recent research paper. After that, we switch to discussing the “cold spot” in the cosmic microwave background, which was first observed by NASA’s Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) in 2004 and has been puzzling cosmologists ever since. We then take a detour into the early years of the Cold War, when the physicist-turned-spy Klaus Fuchs gave the Soviet Union crucial insights into the workings of the first atomic weapons. Fuchs’ story includes many of the trappings of a spy novel, and a new book about his life is a fascinating read – albeit one marred by some annoying editorial lapses. Finally, the podcast team comes in from the cold with a chat about the strange behaviour of Betelgeuse. The star in Orion’s right shoulder is usually one of the brightest objects in the night sky, but for the past few weeks it’s been much dimmer than usual. Could this dimming be the preamble to a spectacular supernova?
