<p>Physics students at Rhodes have done research on NASA’s vomit comet as well as all kinds of other research - use of ultrasonic waves as a treatment for bone maladies, the effects of microscopic decomposition of polymers used in artificial joints, the characteristics of magnetic vs. gravitational orbital systems, etc. There are two observatories on top of the physics building, one with a 14" cassegraine (sp?) and I don’t know what’s in the other; some sort of IR instrument. The department claims that it is 17th in the nation in producing physics Ph.D.s, but I haven’t personally confirmed that number.</p>