What Are Some Hot Research Topics In Physics?

There are many physics research topics to choose from. We may think that science has advanced very far in recent decades, but when it comes to the world of physics, we are nowhere near done.

The students who want to carry out research in physics can do so in many different areas of interest, such as astrophysics, atomic and molecular physics, biophysics, computational physics, condensed matter physics, thermal physics, and many more.

No matter which area you end up choosing, you will be contributing to the development of humankind as your research will help us unravel the secrets of the universe. 

Finding answers to the questions given below is the next big thing physics students have to tackle in the 21st century. 

1. Dark Matter studies. 

According to the evidence, the majority of the mass of the universe consists of the so-called Dark Matter (which is non-baryonic and non-luminous).

One of the main quests in modern physics is the search for dark matter. It is presumed that it can explain the effect of gravity and the motion of stars.

The Dark Matter's interaction with the normal matter is rather weak even though the scientists estimate that it is five times more abundant. This is definitely one of the research topics that interest the scientists in this field. 

2. How were the planets formed?

Scientists have figured out a lot of things about how the universe works, but to this day, they still can’t definitively say how the planets were formed.

In order to understand this process better, the scientific community needs to directly observe the formation processes that are happening out there in space. 

3. Why did dinosaurs go extinct?

Today the majority of physicists believe that 66 million years ago, the dinosaurs went extinct because of the massive impact that the earth experienced at that time.

The debate is whether it was an asteroid, a comet, or a supernova-explosion. Scientists are hoping to get a definitive answer to this age-long question by analyzing the sample from that time period. 

4. How are elements formed in stars?

Why does the earth have this abundance of the elements? How were they formed? These are the questions physicists are searching the answers to. They are hoping to find the answers by conducting nucleosynthesis in the laboratory. 

5. How are positrons applied in medical physics?

Positrons have been used in the PET scans for a long time, but the study of their effect on the human body is far from over.

Biophysicists still need to find out what is the exact dose of radiation the human being receives during the scan. This study will help us understand the extent of the radiation damage and possibly use the information to improve the machine. 

6. What is the Auger yield per nuclear decay?

Nuclear decay triggers the emission of Auger electrons.

These electrons are used for medical purposes, so it is necessary to know how many are generated during nuclear decay. At the moment, the exact number is unknown, which hinders the medical application of the electrons. 

7. Enhancing plant growth with plasma nitrogen fixation. 

One of the recent innovations in physics is the use of plasma in farming, food production, food processing, as well as food preservation.

Plasmas may be used in agriculture to eradicate harmful microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, and viral particles in vegetables and fruit.

Needless to say, comprehensive research in this field would be immensely beneficial to agriculture and subsequently, to humanity. 

8. Generating solar fuels.

Ecological problems are at the forefront in modern times. One of the ways to alleviate these problems is by replacing ecologically damaging fossil fuels with solar fuels (they have the biggest potential to do so).

Electricity only accounts for one-third of the total energy consumption in the world, so to replace the other two-thirds of energy with solar fuel physicists have to make a significant breakthrough in the study of this renewable energy source. 

9. Using lasers and ultrashort pulses in the maintenance of large infrastructure.

Lasers have been used to clean and preserve large buildings for a while now, but the research suggests that the use of ultrashort pulses has some advantages over lasers as they are far less damaging to the old and historically significant infrastructure.

This process could be used to remove paint, rust, and other contaminants from various objects that require care due to their age.

Further development of this technology would enable us to preserve various important monuments that are important to the world’s heritage. 

10. Nanotechnology and nanoscience. 

When the physical systems are confined to a near-atomic scale (nanoscale), they are studied by the nanoscience.

Currently, nanoscience is one of the fastest developing branches of applied physics.

Nanotechnology can be used to treat and prevent various diseases and prevent local or global pandemics (this is called nanomedicine).

Nanotechnology also has many uses in purification processes, as well as various industrial uses.

With so many real-life and life-changing applications, it is easy to see why nanoscience occupies such an important part in physics.

In addition to the aforementioned hot research topics you may be interested in the following: the effectiveness of thermal materials in thermal insulation, analyzing the thermodynamics of the black hole, using Zener Diode for voltage regulation, measuring the temperature with the use of sound, demonstrating the phenomenon of total internal reflection, studying how solids diffuse in liquids, what is the relationship between the output and input voltage, what is the effect of the spacetime curvature, the fiber gyroscope and the Doppler effect and many more. 

Need more ideas? Ask some of our qualified physics teachers and lecturers from top universities.