SpaceX said that a Falcon 9 upper stage that reentered over Europe earlier this week suffered a propellant leak that prevented a controlled reentry.

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HELSINKI — China launched a new communications satellite into geosynchronous transfer orbit Saturday to replace the aging ChinaSat-10 spacecraft. A Long March 3B rocket lifted off at 7:11 a.m. Eastern […]

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We’ve had the LEGO Large Hadron Collider, a LEGO-based quantum computer and even a LEGO Kibble balance. But now you can now add a LEGO interferometer to that list thanks to researchers from the University of Nottingham.

Working with “student LEGO enthusiasts”, they have developed a fully functional LEGO interferometer kit that consists of lasers, mirrors, beamsplitters and, of course, some LEGO bricks.

The set, designed as a teaching aid for secondary-school pupils and older, is aimed at making quantum science more accessible and engaging as well as demonstrating the basic principles of interferometry such as interference patterns.

“Developing this project made me realise just how incredibly similar my work as a quantum scientist is to the hands-on creativity of building with LEGO,” notes Nottingham quantum physicist Patrik Svancara. “It’s an absolute thrill to show the public that cutting-edge research isn’t just complex equations. It’s so much more about curiosity, problem-solving, and gradually bringing ideas to life, brick by brick!”

A team at Cardiff University will now work on the design and develop materials that can be used to train science teachers with the hope that the sets will eventually be made available throughout the UK.

“We are sharing our experiences, LEGO interferometer blueprints, and instruction manuals across various online platforms to ensure our activities have a lasting impact and reach their full potential,” adds Svancara.

If you want to see the LEGO interferometer in action for yourself then it is being showcased at the Cosmic Titans: Art, Science, and the Quantum Universe exhibition at Nottingham’s Djanogly Art Gallery, which runs until 27 April.

The post LEGO interferometer aims to put quantum science in the spotlight appeared first on Physics World.

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Either way, it sucks. But at least there’s some fun physics to ponder while you’re sitting in the repair shop.

1 Can you name the mascot for IYQ 2025?

2 In quantum cryptography, who eavesdrops on Alice and Bob?

3 Which artist made the Quantum Cloud sculpture in London?

4 IBM used which kind of atoms to create its Quantum Mirage image?

5 When Werner Heisenberg developed quantum mechanics on Helgoland in June 1925, he had travelled to the island to seek respite from what?
A His allergies
B His creditors
C His funders
D His lovers

6 According to the State of Quantum 2024 report, how many countries around the world had government initiatives in quantum technology at the time of writing?
A 6
B 17
C 24
D 33

7 The E91 quantum cryptography protocol was invented in 1991. What does the E stand for?
A Edison
B Ehrenfest
C Einstein
D Ekert

8 British multinational consumer-goods firm Reckitt sells a “Quantum” version of which of its household products?
A Air Wick freshener
B Finish dishwasher tablets
C Harpic toilet cleaner
D Vanish stain remover

9 John Bell’s famous theorem of 1964 provides a mathematical framework for understanding what quantum paradox?
A Einstein–Podolsky–Rosen
B Quantum indefinite causal order
C Schrödinger’s cat
D Wigner’s friend

10 Which celebrated writer popularized the notion of Schrödinger’s cat in the mid-1970s?
A Douglas Adams
B Margaret Atwood
C Arthur C Clarke
D Ursula K le Guin

11 Which of these isn’t an interpretation of quantum mechanics?
A Copenhagen
B Einsteinian
C Many worlds
D Pilot wave

12 Which of these companies is not a real quantum company?
A Qblox
B Qruise
C Qrypt
D Qtips

13 Which celebrity was spotted in the audience at a meeting about quantum computers and music in London in December 2022?
A Peter Andre
B Peter Capaldi
C Peter Gabriel
D Peter Schmeichel

14 What of the following birds has not yet been chosen by IBM as the name for different versions of its quantum hardware?
A Condor
B Eagle
C Flamingo
D Peregrine

15 When quantum theorist Erwin Schrödinger fled Nazi-controlled Vienna in 1938, where did he hide his Nobel-prize medal?
A In a filing cabinet
B Under a pot plant
C Behind a sofa
D In a desk drawer

16 Which of the following versions of the quantum Hall effect has not been observed so far in the lab?
A Fractional quantum Hall effect
B Anomalous fractional quantum Hall effect
C Anyonic fractional quantum Hall effect
D Excitonic fractional quantum Hall effect

17 What did Quantum Coffee on Front Street West in Toronto call its recently launched pastry, which is a superposition of a croissant and muffin?
A Croissin
B Cruffin
C Muffant
D Muffcro

18 What destroyed the Helgoland guest house where Heisenberg stayed in 1925 while developing quantum mechanics?
A A bomb
B A gas leak
C A rat infestation
D A storm

• This quiz is for fun and there are no prizes. Answers will be revealed on the Physics World website in April.

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HELSINKI — Researchers are examining how artificial intelligence technologies could support a planned Chinese mission to the boundaries of the solar system, according to a new paper. Artificial intelligence can […]

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German launch vehicle company Isar Aerospace has completed tests of its first Spectrum rocket and is ready to launch, pending a license.

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