Physics
We summarize the week's science breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Physics
How to run a marathon in under two hours
Running between other people reduces air resistance. A new study identifies optimal positioning of such drafting formations. Watch out, marathon records.
- Particle Physics
There’s a new measurement of muon magnetism. What it means isn’t clear
The measurement, from the Muon g−2 experiment, is the most precise yet. But recent theoretical predictions are a bit muddled.
- Physics
Centuries on, Newton’s gravitational constant still can’t be pinned down
A new experiment could finally answer the question 'What is the strength of gravity?' But it's a hard test to do.
- 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.
- Materials Science
This ‘thermal cloak’ keeps spaces from getting either too hot or cold
A new thermal fabric prototype could help keep cars, buildings and other spaces a comfortable temperature during heat waves while reducing CO₂ emissions.
- Chemistry
Tear-resistant rubbery materials could pave the way for tougher tires
Adding easy-to-break molecular connectors surprisingly makes materials harder to tear and could one day reduce microplastic pollution from car tires.
- 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.
- Physics
Neutrinos offer a new view of the Milky Way
Physicists turned to AI to help map out the newfound origins of ghostly neutrino particles coming from deep in the Milky Way.
- 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.
- Physics
Physicists split bits of sound using quantum mechanics
New experiments put phonons — the tiniest bits of sound — into quantum mechanical superpositions and show they are as weird as other quantum entities.
