Read the August 2025 Issue of Physics Today

Physics Today, the flagship publication of the American Institute of Physics (AIP), is the most influential and closely followed physics magazine in the world. With authoritative features, full news coverage and analysis, and fresh perspectives on technological advances and groundbreaking research, Physics Today informs readers about science and its role in society. Members of the AAS, an AIP Member Society, automatically receive free print and online subscriptions to the magazine. Physics Today Online, the magazine’s internet home, presents an enhanced digital edition and provides a valuable online archive.

Highlights from the August 2025 Issue

The Charm School: A summer Research Opportunity for Women Before REUs
Mathematician and physicist Dorothy Weeks brought female students into the laboratory almost two decades before NSF began funding a research program targeted at undergraduates. — Joanna Behrman

The Pursuit of Reliable Earthquake Forecasting
The elusive nature of earthquakes makes forecasting notoriously difficult. Researchers are increasingly turning to AI to help tackle the challenge. — S. Mostafa Mousavi, Camilla Cattania, and Gregory C. Beroza

The Moon’s Interior Is Surprisingly Irregular
Even though NASA’s gravity-mapping GRAIL mission ended 13 years ago, the data are still yielding new insights. — Alex Lopatka

Conference Organizers, Potential Participants Fault US Policies for Falling Attendance
Uncertainty about funding and visas takes a toll on networking. — Toni Feder

In the Great Lakes, Heat Waves and Cold Spells Are on the Rise
Modeling of climate data reveals an ongoing phase of longer, more frequent, and more intense lake temperature extremes that began with a record-breaking El Niño event in 1997–98. — Laura Fattaruso

The Enduring Puzzle of Static Electricity
Even though it lacks a complete explanation, the small-scale, everyday effect is being exploited for various applications. — Ignaas Jimidar and Joshua Méndez Harper

See the Complete Table of Contents