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Physics

Magnetics

Animation shows woman lying on MRI platform that slides into the machine as proton icons wiggle around. Text reads: HDYMI? How MRI Machines Work.

How Does an MRI Machine Work?

The short answer

The body contains abundant amounts of particles known as protons that respond to an MRI machine’s magnetic fields and radio waves. During an MRI scan, the protons release signals that provide information about the inside of the body. This data can be converted into images and has the potential to provide additional information, such as the effectiveness of a cancer treatment.

Anyone for Anyons?

Researchers have demonstrated that a strange type of quantum particle called the anyon, believed to exist in only two dimensions, can also be created in one dimension. Further studies exploring different types of one-dimensional anyons could bring scientists one step closer to using the particles as a fundamental unit of memory in a quantum computer. A team led by Harvard scientists Joyce Kwan and

Cassie Stoffer smiles while wearing safety glasses and standing next to a large metal tank with many pipes and wires attached to it.

Spotlight: Cassie Stoffer Helps Run Calibration and Measurement Services Related to Magnetic Resonance

Tiny red cylinder probes are presented in front of a much larger ice cube.

Spotlight: Shape-Shifting Probes Will Help Improve MRI Imaging

NIST Researchers Use Cellphone Compass to Measure Tiny Concentrations of Compounds Important for Human Health

a small box with cable pairs of cable outlets coming out of either end. the box top is open and there is circuitry and a white nipple shaped piece in the center.

Working to Improve Small-Scale MRIs: My Summer as a SURF Student at NIST

I didn’t really know what to expect on the first day of my virtual Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) program at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). At 12:00 p.m., with my second cup of coffee in hand, I sat down at my desk and hopped on the first of many video calls. Brandi Toliver, the SURF director, kicked off the program with introductions of key NIST