Optical fiber connected to the diluted refrigerator
The harsh lacy/Faculty of physics
The photographs that accompany most scientific papers may be politely referred to as “functional.” However, this collection of images from the Research Photography Competition at Imperial College London proves that research is beautiful.
The image above by the strict rasy of the Faculty of Physics shows optical fibers connected to a diluted refrigerator. This is a device that creates a temperature of one thousandth of a vacuum in space. By observing how light interacts with sound waves at this incredibly low temperature, researchers can explore the unique properties of matter at the quantum level.
Liquid gold
Anna Curran/Mathematics Bureau
The above entries are from Anna Curran from the Mathematics category who won the Jury Selection Award in the PhD Student category. Curran’s work focuses on mathematically modeling the effects of molecules called surfactants, reducing the surface tension of fluids. It is this phenomenon that allows the bubbles to retain shape within the ring. “Surfactants are all around us. Soaps and detergents are responsible for breaking down dirt and bacteria, but their effects also support many biological, medical and engineering processes, from inkjet printing to self-cleaning surfaces to treating premature lungs,” says Curran.
Brain organoids, or “mini brain”
Alex Kingston/Faculty of Life Sciences
The photo above is an image of Alex Kingston from the Life Sciences division. It depicts some brain organoids, also known as the “mini-brain.” These lab-grown collections of cells are epitomes of the early stages of human brain development.
topic:
