Physics

  1. Physics

    A black hole made from pure light is impossible, thanks to quantum physics 

    A “kugelblitz” is a black hole made of concentrated electromagnetic energy. But it’s not possible to make one, according to new calculations.

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  2. Quantum Physics

    Physicists measured Earth’s rotation using quantum entanglement

    The experiment is a step toward testing how quantum physics interfaces with gravity.

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  3. Physics

    The second law of thermodynamics underlies nearly everything. But is it inviolable?

    Two centuries on, scientists are still seeking a proof of the Second Law and why heat always flows from hot to cold.

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  4. Particle Physics

    Scientists propose a hunt for never-before-seen ‘tauonium’ atoms 

    Made of heavy relatives of the electron, the exotic atoms could be used to test the theory of quantum electrodynamics.

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  5. Quantum Physics

    Two real-world tests of quantum memories bring a quantum internet closer to reality

    Scientists successfully entangled quantum memories linked by telecommunications fibers across two different urban environments.

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  6. Physics

    Here’s how ice may get so slippery 

    Ice’s weirdly slick exterior might originate from the boundaries between two different types of ice that form on the surface of frozen water.

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  7. Particle Physics

    The neutrino’s quantum fuzziness is beginning to come into focus

    An experiment studying the neutrino’s “wave packet” sets a limit on the uncertainty of the subatomic particle’s position.

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  8. Cosmology

    The universe may have a complex geometry — like a doughnut

    Physicists haven’t yet ruled out the possibility that the universe has a complicated topology in which space loops back around on itself.

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  9. Materials Science

    Scientists developed a sheet of gold that’s just one atom thick

    Ultrathin goldene sheets could reduce the amount of gold needed for electronics and certain chemical reactions.

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  10. Physics

    Newfound ‘altermagnets’ shatter the magnetic status quo 

    The newly discovered type of magnetic material could improve existing tech, including making better and faster hard drives.

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  11. Physics

    Separating science fact from fiction in Netflix’s ‘3 Body Problem’ 

    Real science underpins much of the action in the show — along with a hefty dose of artistic liberty.

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  12. Physics

    Physicists take a major step toward making a nuclear clock

    By tweaking the energy of a thorium nucleus with a laser, scientists demonstrated a key step to building clocks based on the physics of atomic nuclei.

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