All Stories by Emily Conover
- Physics
Mass has different definitions. The moon’s orbit confirms two are equivalent
Laser measurements of the moon’s orbit square with Newton’s third law of motion and Einstein’s theory of gravity.
- Physics
Electrons are extremely round, a new measurement confirms
The near-perfect roundness deepens the mystery behind how the universe came to be filled with matter as opposed to antimatter.
- Astronomy
A newfound gravitational wave ‘hum’ may be from the universe’s biggest black holes
Scientists reported evidence for a new class of gravitational waves, likely created by merging supermassive black holes.
- Quantum Physics
Quantum computers could break the internet. Here’s how to save it
Today's encryption schemes will be vulnerable to future quantum computers, but new algorithms and a quantum internet could help.
- Physics
Julian Muñoz has a ‘ruler’ that could size up the early universe
The measurement tool could lay out a distance scale for cosmic dawn —and offer clues to the nature of dark matter.
- Chemistry
One photon is all it takes to kick off photosynthesis
A single particle of light is the spark that begins the process of turning light to chemical energy in photosynthetic bacteria, a new study confirms.
- Math
A ‘vampire einstein’ tile outdoes mathematicians’ latest feat
A newfound shape covers an infinite plane with a pattern that doesn’t repeat and without mirror images of the shape.
- Physics
Measurements of a key radioactive decay nudge a nuclear clock closer to reality
In a step toward building a nuclear clock, scientists measured light emitted when a special type of thorium nucleus decayed.
- Quantum Physics
Quantum computers braided ‘anyons,’ long-sought quasiparticles with memory
Particle-like quantum states called non-abelian anyons remember being swapped and could be useful for protecting information in quantum computers.
- Physics
Science explains why shouting into the wind seems futile
Sending a sound upwind, against the flow of air, makes the sound louder due to an acoustical effect called convective amplification. Sound sent downwind is quieter.
- Physics
These worms can escape tangled blobs in an instant. Here’s how
Tangled masses of California blackworms form over minutes but untangle in tens of milliseconds. Now scientists know how.
- Quantum Physics
A sapphire Schrödinger’s cat shows that quantum effects can scale up
The atoms in a piece of sapphire oscillate in two directions at once, a mimic of the hypothetically dead-and-alive feline.
