From quantum science to galactic discoveries, our Department of Physics is at the forefront of breakthroughs in the field.
We are a world-leading hub for physics research.
Four Durham physicists were named in Clarivate’s Highly Cited Researchers list for 2024, in recognition of their global impact on the field.
In just the past few months, members of the Department have made incredible strides, releasing findings that could have wide-ranging applications.
In a paper published in Nature, four of our physicists announced that they had achieved quantum entanglement of individual molecules using cutting-edge magic-wavelength optical tweezers. This project opens up new possibilities in quantum computing, high-precision measurements, and physics research.
Our Institute for Computational Cosmology led the development of a new model that could estimate how likely it is for intelligent life to emerge in our universe and beyond, in a project funded by a highly prestigious European Research Council (ERC) grant.
Our international partnerships have helped us yield other impressive results in the fields of cosmology and astronomy. Members of our Physics Department worked with NASA to use supercomputer simulations that revealed that Mars’ moons may have been formed from destroyed asteroid fragments. They also collaborated on a project that used the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) to map how nearly six million galaxies clustered across 11 billion years of time.
Our Centre for Extragalactic Astronomy led a global effort — including 45 international partners — to discover 44 new stars while studying the distant Dragon Arc galaxy. And they are collaborating on the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Euclid space telescope project, including recently releasing five brand new images of the universe.
What will our physicists come up with next? Stay tuned for more big discoveries, both on earth and in outer space.
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