Physics and Astronomy

Obituary

Donald D. Clayton, Professor Emeritus of Physics and Astronomy (March 18, 1935—January 3, 2024).   Donald Clayton was born in Shenandoah, Iowa and grew up Dallas, TX. He earned a B.S. in Physics in 1956 from Southern Methodist University, where he also played on the golf team. He then attended the California Institute of Technology, where he […]

Studying a bright gamma-ray burst from neutron star merger, astronomers discover heavy elements.

Illustration courtesy of Luciano Rezzolla, University of Frankfurt, Germany Dieter Hartmann and an international team of astronomers “obtained observational evidence for the creation of rare heavy elements in the aftermath of a cataclysmic explosion triggered by the merger of two neutron stars.” They were studying a massive gamma-ray burst named GRB230307A, which was first detected on March 7, […]

Self-extinguishing batteries could reduce the risk of deadly and costly battery fires

Apparao Rao, Clemson University and Bingan Lu, Hunan University “In a newly published study, we describe our design for a self-extinguishing rechargeable battery. It replaces the most commonly used electrolyte, which is highly combustible – a medium composed of a lithium salt and an organic solvent – with materials found in a commercial fire extinguisher. An electrolyte allows lithium ions […]

Physics Major Channels Michael Jackson at Clemson’s National Pan-Hellenic Council Fall Fest Step Show

Physics and Astronomy junior, VJ Mattison, joined his brothers in the Kappa Lambda Chapter of the Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity to compete in last fall’s NPHC Fall Fest Step Show. The group performed a Michael Jackson-themed routine, which featured different members portraying Jackson throughout different stages of his career. Mattison portrayed a mid-career Jackson, performing […]

Clemson Astrophysics Alum Featured in NASA’s Early Career Scientist Spotlight

Dr. Ross Silver (Ph.D., 2023) was recently featured in NASA’s “Early Career Scientist Spotlight” series. After graduating with his Ph.D. in 2023, Dr. Silver accepted a position as a postdoctoral fellow at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center. His research is centered on active galactic nuclei (AGN), and since joining NASA, he has contributed to three […]