Today’s physics news: Nasa’s Curiosity rover successfully lands on Mars, and more…

Today’s physics news: Nasa’s Curiosity rover successfully lands on Mars, and more…

Nasa’s Curiosity rover successfully lands on Mars

Nasa have reported that their one-tonne vehicle, known as Curiosity, has landed in a deep crater near Mars’ equator.  It will now embark on a mission of at least two years to look for evidence that Mars may once have supported life.

BBC

Fury as A-level and GCSE examiners told to ‘fix’ results

Teachers fear talented children will be held back by plans to limit the number of pupils able to get a top A-Level or GCSE grade. The system, known as ‘comparable outcomes’, means examiners can change marking boundaries to ensure the same number of pupils get the top grades every year.

Telegraph

Quantum key distribution with single photons

German researchers have improved a method to make secure codes called quantum key distribution (QKD) by using the smallest possible packets of light. The work outlined in the Institute of Physics’ New Journal of Physics solves this issue by using electricity to generate single photons.

BBC

And the gold for making woman welcome goes to…

The University of Edinburgh’s department of chemistry has become only the second department to win the UK’s top accolade for addressing the under-representation of women in science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine. The Athena SWAN Charter awards, funded by the Equality Challenge Unit, recognise three levels of achievement – gold, silver and bronze – at both departmental and university level.

Times Higher Education