Physics
- Physics
Tiny, sunlight-powered aircraft could soar beyond airplanes’ reach
Microfliers levitate when hit with light, in conditions like those high in Earth’s atmosphere.
- Physics
50 years ago, scientists were on a quest for quarks
In the 1970s, physicists confirmed particles called quarks existed. Fifty years later, many kinds of quarks in many combinations have been discovered.
- Quantum Physics
‘Designer molecules’ could create tailor-made quantum devices
Scientists are making molecules suited to a variety of quantum tasks by building them up, atom by atom.
- Physics
The Milky Way’s newfound high-energy glow hints at the secrets of cosmic rays
Gamma rays with energies approaching a quadrillion electron volts emanate from the disk of the Milky Way.
- Physics
Diamond holds up at pressures more than five times those in Earth’s core
Even when pummeled with lasers, diamond retains its structure, which could reveal how carbon behaves in the cores of some exoplanets.
- Physics
‘Fundamentals’ shows how reality is built from a few basic ingredients
In ‘Fundamentals,’ physics Nobel laureate Frank Wilczek shares essential lessons from physics.
- Math
How one physicist is unraveling the mathematics of knitting
Understanding how knots influence textile properties could lead to bespoke materials.
- Tech
A robot arm toting a Venus flytrap can grab delicate objects
By attaching electrodes to the plant’s leaves, researchers found a way to snap its traps shut on command.
- Physics
50 years ago, scientists poked holes in the existence of polywater
In 1971, scientists were casting doubt on an anomalous form of water. Fifty years later, water’s odd properties are still mysterious.
- Physics
Explore every gravitational wave event spotted so far
This interactive visualization reveals the diversity of smashups that generate gravitational waves.
- Quantum Physics
Drones could help create a quantum internet
Flying drones sent entangled particles of light to two locations a kilometer apart.
- Chemistry
This weird chemical bond acts like a mash-up of hydrogen and covalent bonds
Chemistry students are taught that hydrogen bonds and covalent bonds are distinct, but a new study shows they exist on a continuum.
