US physics

Economist Adam Tooze has published a new edition of his regular links roundup, Top Links 1243. The collection highlights gridlock in the US housing market, an exploration of construction physics, a reassessment of Fredrick Taylor's real revolution in management, and reporting on how US police are becoming involved in deportation efforts. The mix ties together housing affordability, industrial productivity and immigration enforcement as themes drawing attention.

A commentary published in Physics Today argues that US physics is facing what it calls its last crisis. Beyond the headline, no further details of the argument are available, so the specific nature of the crisis and the responses to it remain unknown.

Economist Adam Tooze's latest Chartbook essay examines why the US housing market is gridlocked, connecting the problem to the physical realities of construction. The piece also revisits Frederick Taylor's real contribution to industrial management and reports that US police forces are increasingly participating in deportation efforts. Readers are weighing the links between housing scarcity, productivity history and immigration enforcement.

The US Department of Health and Human Services has announced a $10 million Presidential Fitness School Innovation Challenge, a federal competition aimed at spurring new approaches to youth fitness and physical education in schools. The announcement was published on the department's official site. Details on eligibility, timelines and judging criteria were not included in the initial announcement, and reaction from schools, educators and health advocates has not yet emerged.

Under New York law, rape charges generally require evidence of force or a clear refusal of sex, unless the victim was physically helpless through unconsciousness or mentally incapacitated after being drugged without consent. New York is one of 19 US states with such legal definitions, which critics say leaves many victims without effective protection under the criminal code.

The US Department of Energy has announced up to $400 million in funding for its Office of Science under a fiscal year 2027 funding call. The allocation is directed toward the office's research programs, which support national laboratories and fundamental scientific work including physics, computing, and energy research. The announcement gives researchers and institutions advance notice of upcoming funding opportunities.

People have started placing 'ghost chairs' outside a Smyths toy store in Greenford, west London, to hold their place in the queue for a product release tomorrow. The practice, long associated with US product launches, involves leaving chairs or placeholders to claim spots without physically waiting. The scenes were shared by a toy collector, drawing surprise that queue-saving culture has now reached the UK.

The US Air Force ties its fitness assessment to promotion outcomes, making physical readiness scores a factor in whether airmen advance in rank. The policy has drawn attention among service members and fitness observers, with debate over how heavily test results should weigh in careers and what exemptions or retake options are available to those who fall short.

A Nobel laureate has called for open, unrestricted scientific exchange between nations, warning that growing geopolitical tensions are threatening international collaboration in research. The appeal underscores concern among scientists that political rivalries, export controls and visa restrictions could slow progress in fields like physics that depend on cross-border cooperation and shared data.

A study published in Nature examined how genetic vulnerability and physical activity interact in relation to major depressive disorder, using data from the All of Us Research Program, a large US biomedical database. The findings add to ongoing discussion about how lifestyle factors such as exercise may influence depression risk in people with genetic predisposition.

Marines from Bravo Company completed a Combat Fitness Test, documented in a series of photos released through the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service. The test, introduced to replace the old physical fitness test, measures combat-readiness through events such as ammunition can lifts, maneuver-under-fire and a three-mile run under load. The release highlights routine training across US Marine Corps units.

The 169th Force Support Squadron, part of the US Air National Guard's South Carolina-based 169th Fighter Wing, hosted a class to help airmen prepare for their physical fitness assessments. The session reportedly covered training and readiness ahead of official testing, part of ongoing military fitness preparation efforts.

Anthropic has published an analysis of robotics in the US labor market, finding that robots could technically perform 74% of American physical work tasks. However, the same study concludes robots are currently cost-competitive with human workers for only 0.3% of that work. The gap highlights how far robotics must advance economically before widespread automation of manual jobs becomes practical.

The most powerful laser in the United States has secured funding for another five years, extending its operation for research in physics and related fields. The announcement is being reported in science and technology outlets, though details of the funding amount and institution were not specified in the available coverage.

AdvaMed, the US-based Advanced Medical Technology Association, has published an argument on physical AI in medical technology, contending that hard questions deserve more attention than hype. The piece signals the industry's push to focus regulators, investors and providers on safety, evidence and governance as AI-driven devices and robotics move into clinical settings.