Nature Physics

Nature Physics, Published online: 19 October 2020; doi:10.1038/s41567-020-1029-z

Recently, a framework was introduced to model three-dimensional physical networks, such as brain or vascular ones, in a way that does not allow link crossings. Here the authors combine concepts from knot theory and statistical mechanics to be able to distinguish between physical networks with identical wiring but different layouts.

Nature Physics, Published online: 12 October 2020; doi:10.1038/s41567-020-01042-w

Energy–momentum phase-matching enables strong interactions between free electrons and light waves. As a result, the wavefunction of the electron exhibits a comb structure, which was observed using photon-induced near-field electron microscopy.

Nature Physics, Published online: 12 October 2020; doi:10.1038/s41567-020-01055-5

Active matter particles self-propel but controlling their direction of motion can be challenging. Here the authors place motile bacteria inside microdroplets and control their propulsion by exploiting the asymmetric director structure of the surrounding liquid crystal.

Nature Physics, Published online: 12 October 2020; doi:10.1038/s41567-020-01062-6

Stacking a monolayer and bilayer of graphene, with a small twist angle between them, creates a tunable platform where the physics of both twisted bilayer graphene and twisted double bilayer graphene can be realized.

Nature Physics, Published online: 09 October 2020; doi:10.1038/s41567-020-01075-1

Author Correction: Spectroscopic fingerprint of charge order melting driven by quantum fluctuations in a cuprate

Nature Physics, Published online: 05 October 2020; doi:10.1038/s41567-020-01038-6

Very long baseline interferometry is used to compare two optical clocks located in Japan and Italy through the observation of extragalactic radio sources. This approach overcomes limitations of the performance of satellite transfer techniques.

Nature Physics, Published online: 05 October 2020; doi:10.1038/s41567-020-1028-0

Scale-invariant magnetic anisotropy in RuCl3 has been revealed through measurements of its magnetotropic coefficient, providing evidence for a high degree of exchange frustration that favours the formation of a spin liquid state.

Nature Physics, Published online: 05 October 2020; doi:10.1038/s41567-020-01036-8

Animal behaviour is characterized by repeated movements which can be difficult to analyse quantitatively. Here, the authors apply a data-driven framework based on theory of dynamical systems to characterize nematode behaviour and explain its complexity through deterministic chaotic dynamics.

Nature Physics, Published online: 05 October 2020; doi:10.1038/s41567-020-01058-2

Animals seem capable of an infinite variety of movement, yet also exhibit substantial stereotypy in repeated actions. A beautiful view of worm behaviour now shows that the worm’s state evolves deterministically but is bounced chaotically between unstable periodic orbits.

Nature Physics, Published online: 01 October 2020; doi:10.1038/s41567-020-01051-9

Over the last 15 years, the content of Nature Physics has covered an enormous breadth of subjects at the forefront of physics. The journal’s past and present editors recount their favourite papers and what made chaperoning them to publication special.

Nature Physics, Published online: 01 October 2020; doi:10.1038/s41567-020-01059-1

The assembly of the more than a million single parts of the ITER tokamak requires large-scale three-dimensional precision metrology. John Villanueva Jr gives us insights into the complexity of this project.

Nature Physics, Published online: 01 October 2020; doi:10.1038/s41567-020-01066-2

Across the city

Nature Physics, Published online: 01 October 2020; doi:10.1038/s41567-020-01064-4

A noisy orchestra

Nature Physics, Published online: 01 October 2020; doi:10.1038/s41567-020-01067-1

Mind the gap

Nature Physics, Published online: 01 October 2020; doi:10.1038/s41567-020-01065-3

Ising model for strings

Nature Physics, Published online: 01 October 2020; doi:10.1038/s41567-020-01072-4

Flattening the band

Nature Physics, Published online: 01 October 2020; doi:10.1038/s41567-020-01060-8

Perovskite fever

Nature Physics, Published online: 30 September 2020; doi:10.1038/s41567-020-01050-w

Populations of organisms can be regarded as clouds of genetic variants evolving passively in response to mutation and natural selection. Counterdiabatic driving — a tool borrowed from quantum control — now offers the possibility of actively controlling both the rate and route followed by an evolving population.

Nature Physics, Published online: 28 September 2020; doi:10.1038/s41567-020-01037-7

Spatiotemporal waves appear during collective cell migration and are affected by mechanical forces and biochemical signalling. Here the authors develop a biophysical model that can quantitatively account for complex mechanochemical patterns, and predict how they can be used for optimal collective migration.

Nature Physics, Published online: 28 September 2020; doi:10.1038/s41567-020-01040-y

Inertial dynamics are observed in a ferromagnet. Specifically, a nutation is seen on top of the usual spin precession that has a lifetime on the order of 10 picoseconds.