The 2013 Nobel Prize for Physics was shared by François Englert and Peter Higgs. These papers are the text of the address given in conjunction with the award.

The 2013 Nobel Prize for Physics was shared by François Englert and Peter Higgs. These papers are the text of the address given in conjunction with the award.

The transition-metal doped ferromagnetic semiconductor (Ga,Mn)As is known as the prototypical test-bed material for research and implementation of phenomena manifesting a strong interaction between spin and charge. This review provides an overview of both the electronic structure and magnetism of (Ga,Mn)As, which together allow this material to be such a favorable model system for spintronics research. The focus on spin-dependent phenomena embraces detailed descriptions of the interaction of spins with electric currents, light, and heat, thereby revealing the promise of (Ga,Mn)As as a unique ferromagnetic system well suited for use in experimental device configurations.

Lasers can be used to modify both the overall and internal structure of electron beams. This paper reviews the use of lasers for creating beams tailored to a number of different purposes, including synchrotron light sources and free electron lasers. In addition, beams can be conditioned, heated, and diagnosed with lasers.

Motion is a distinctive feature of life at every scale, ranging from the microscopic scale of molecular motors to the macroscopic scale of animals. The study of animal locomotion such as swimming and flying raises many natural physics questions, since the mechanics of the fluid medium determines the best strategies for motion. These questions become more difficult for granular media, since our understanding of the basic physics of granular media is still emerging. This Colloquium reviews recent progress in understanding the physics underlying a locomotion strategy of a desert dwelling lizard, the sandfish.

Graphene has become one of the largest fields in condensed matter research and is having a large impact on technological applications. This Colloquium summarizes the experimental knowledge on the spectroscopic properties of graphene, from angle-resolved photoemission, and Raman scattering, to scanning tunneling microscopy and optics. It is a fundamental text for a novice in this field or a graphene aficionado who wants to be updated on the latest developments.

Assemblies of semiflexible polymers form the backbone of biological matter. Much stiffer than most synthetic polymers, they form structures with unique mechanical properties and serve as inspiration for new synthetic materials. This review provides an overview of current theories of semiflexible polymers and their networks.

Complex systems of hadrons are produced in electron-proton collisions at high energy when a photon emitted from an electron collides with a quark in the proton. This article reviews measurements by the H1 and ZEUS Collaborations, made at the only electron-proton collider HERA over its 15 year operation at center-of-mass energies up to 300 GeV. The results test many aspects of quantum chromodynamics, the theory of the strong force, and extend our understanding in completely new kinematic regime.

Metamaterials became one of the fastest growing fields of research, not only because of its basic aspects, but also because of the large number of possible applications that can be harnessed from them. This Colloquium covers the experimental and theoretical work on nonlinear metamaterials and will be of considerable use to newcomers and experts alike.