Nature Physics

Nature Physics, Published online: 15 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41567-026-03326-z The International System of Units is defined in terms of seven physical constants. Ensuring that computers can understand their values exactly as we do is not as trivial as it might seem, say Cristhian Paredes and Juris Meija.

Nature Physics, Published online: 15 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41567-026-03351-y High-temperature superconductivity continues to be a crucial research topic in condensed matter physics. We consider the advances that it has inspired.

Nature Physics, Published online: 15 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41567-026-03346-9 Bigger and faster computation with photons

Nature Physics, Published online: 15 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41567-026-03329-w A matter of definition

Nature Physics, Published online: 15 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41567-026-03298-0 A strange metal is a strongly correlated quantum state that occurs in many different materials. Now, quantum Fisher information is shown to increase as the strange metal forms, indicating that the state has high multipartite entanglement.

Nature Physics, Published online: 15 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41567-026-03347-8 Tiny thermometers

Nature Physics, Published online: 15 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41567-026-03328-x A problem of distance and time

Nature Physics, Published online: 15 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41567-026-03334-z The role of disorder in orbital angular momentum transport induced by electric fields is not well understood. Now orbital Hall conductivity and orbital relaxation are shown to be robust even in strongly disordered thin films.

Nature Physics, Published online: 15 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41567-026-03342-z Individual electrons on superfluid helium can be used as qubits. Strong coupling between the motional state of a single superfluid helium-bound electron and a single cavity photon has now been demonstrated, enabling qubit readout schemes.

Nature Physics, Published online: 15 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41567-026-03289-1 As physics departments continue to grapple with how growing interdisciplinarity fits the disciplinary departmental model, we argue for the mutual benefits that incorporating physics education researchers within physics departments can bring.

Nature Physics, Published online: 15 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41567-026-03331-2 Time-reversal symmetry breaking in kagome metals remains an open problem. Now, a circulating phase called the loop-current order is shown to break time-reversal symmetry at a temperature well above the charge order transition in CsV3Sb5.

Nature Physics, Published online: 12 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41567-026-03309-0 Qubits with detectable erasure errors can support more efficient error correction than qubits with unlocated errors. Improved logical qubit performance using erasure conversion has now been demonstrated using ytterbium-171 atoms.

Nature Physics, Published online: 12 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41567-026-03258-8 Ytterbium-171 atoms can store quantum information in different ways, with their own applications and advantages. Now the ability to coherently transfer entangled states between these different qubit types has been demonstrated.

Nature Physics, Published online: 04 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41567-026-03327-y DNA methylation regulates cell differentiation. It is now shown that methylation dynamics in the early embryo follow a universal scaling law, suggesting that physical constraints rather than molecular specifics shape cell fate.

Nature Physics, Published online: 04 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41567-026-03301-8 A two-state regime in deeply undercooled water has long been predicted. Now the existence of two local structures that undergo interconvertible reactions is suggested by simulations, corroborating the two-state picture.

Nature Physics, Published online: 02 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41567-026-03276-6 Tissue phase transitions are key to morphogenesis. Now adhesion-driven rigidification is identified as key to epithelial organization but only if uncoupled from density-driven jamming.

Nature Physics, Published online: 02 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41567-026-03300-9 Periodic atomic arrays can modify collective light scattering, but most studies have focused on one- and two-dimensional systems. Now experiments with a three-dimensional array show strong omnidirectional suppression of coherent light scattering.

Nature Physics, Published online: 02 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41567-026-03282-8 Phase transitions in cellular collectives are triggered by multiple control parameters. Independently tuning cell density and adhesion, both in silico and in vivo, reveals that adhesion dictates the tissue material state. Adhesion-driven solidification in unjammed pluripotent tissues is shown to drive epithelial organi…

Nature Physics, Published online: 01 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41567-026-03302-7 Hong–Ou–Mandel interference has been difficult to extend to ensembles of many massive particles. Measurements on up to 12 neutral atoms now exhibit characteristic multiparticle interference pattern with single-atom resolution and negligible loss.

Nature Physics, Published online: 01 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41567-026-03294-4 Obtaining squeezed states in magnets are a key challenge for future spin-based sensing and information technology. Now thermal squeezing of magnons, where noise drops below thermal levels, is shown in a ferrimagnetic insulator device.