Physics
Theoretical physicist Werner Heisenberg said, "not only is the Universe stranger than we think, it is stranger than we can think." That doesn't mean some very smart men and women will stop seeking answers as to how the Universe behaves. Here is where we try to make sense of their discoveries.
Latest News
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Tiny quantum fluctuations observed moving 40-kg mirror
Classical physics describes how large objects and systems work on an everyday scale, while quantum physics describes the “spooky” subatomic world. Now scientists have observed a rare crossover where a quantum fluctuation affected a macroscale object. -
Dark matter: What is it, how do we know it's there and will we find it?
There’s invisible, undetectable stuff all around us, and we call it dark matter. There’s plenty of evidence that this stuff is very real, but what exactly is dark matter? How do we know it’s there? And how are scientists looking for it? -
"Supernova machine" recreates cosmic blasts in the lab
Supernovae are some of the most energetic events in the universe, and the resulting nebulas are a favorite for stargazers. To better understand the physics behind them, researchers at Georgia Tech have created a “supernova machine” in the lab. -
Exciting signals from dark matter experiment could herald new physics
An experiment designed to hunt for ever elusive dark matter has returned some strange and exciting signals. Out of the three possible explanations, one is unwanted interference – while the other two would herald new physics. -
Nano-motor of just 16 atoms runs at the boundary of quantum physics
Researchers at Empa and EPFL have created one of the smallest motors ever made. It’s composed of just 16 atoms, and at that tiny size it seems to function right on the boundary between classical physics and the spooky quantum realm. -
New explanation for Antarctic mystery doesn't need "parallel universe"
Headlines lately have been screaming about how scientists in Antarctica have discovered evidence of a parallel universe where time runs backwards. While we seriously wish that was true, a new study has put forward a more realistic explanation. -
Evidence of universe's oldest state of matter lurking inside neutron stars
Astrophysicists have found evidence of quark matter at the heart of compact stars. Combining recent theoretical calculations with astrophysical observations, the researchers found that the most massive neutron stars most likely have “quark cores.” -
Whirling, glassy magnets found to be new state of matter
Most of us know the four classical states of matter – solid, liquid, gas and plasma – but there’s a whole world of exotic states out there. Now, physicists have identified a new one named “self-induced spin glass,” which could be used in AI platforms. -
15 trillion quantum entangled atoms make a record-breaking hot mess
In quantum entanglement, particle links are thought to be fragile. But now, physicists have managed to produce hot clouds of trillions of entangled atoms, breaking quantity records and showing that entanglement isn’t as fragile as previously thought. -
High-energy cosmic neutrinos traced back to their home quasars
There are billions of tiny particles called neutrinos streaming through your body right now. But where did they come from? Researchers have now traced back some ultra-high energy neutrinos to their points of origin – radio flares from raging quasars. -
"Quantum radar" uses entangled photons to detect objects
Physicists have harnessed the weird world of quantum physics to develop a “quantum radar” prototype. The system uses the quantum entanglement phenomenon to detect objects, and it could eventually outperform conventional radar in some circumstances. -
Higgs boson examined as source of dark matter at the LHC
It’s been calculated that dark matter is around five times more common than regular matter – and yet, we still haven’t directly detected it. Now CERN has joined the hunt, testing whether the famous Higgs boson could decay into dark matter.
