Physicists use mathematics and the scientific method to study the material universe.
Their focus ranges from subatomic particles to the motion of stars and galaxies. Progress in physics, like most other forms of success, is the result of careful, creative work. The first transistor, the first laser, liquid crystals, and most other physics discoveries were not made through sudden flashes of inspiration, but through a thoughtful balancing of facts and intuition, involving both teamwork and individual persistence. Physics has emerged as a major force for economic and political change. Nuclear energy, space satellites, microelectronics, and many other advances have profoundly changed the way we live.