PHYSICS: Meet the Swirlon
Fish school, insects swarm and birds fly in murmurations. Now, new research finds that on the most basic level, this kind of group behavior forms a new kind of active … Read more
physics
SPACE: Turns Out Dark Matter is Way Lighter Than We Thought…
Scientists are finally figuring out how much dark matter — the almost imperceptible material said to tug on everything, yet emit no light — really weighs. The new estimate helps … Read more
Is the Universe Expanding So Quickly Because of “Bumblebee Gravity”?
Physicists have long assumed that the universe is pretty much the same in any direction, and now they’ve found a new way to test that hypothesis: by examining the shadow … Read more
Where are all the squarks and gluinos?
Supersymmetry is the idea that the fundamental particles of nature are connected through a deep relationship. This theory predicts the existence of brand-new particles in the world’s largest collider experiments. … Read more
PHYSICS: Schrodinger’s Cat Gets a Cheshire Grin
“I’ve often seen a cat without a grin,” thought Alice. “But a grin without a cat! It’s the most curious thing I ever saw in all my life!” It’s an … Read more
SPACE: Is Dark Matter Really A Bunch of Tiny Black Holes?
The universe might be full of tiny, ancient black holes. And researchers might be able to prove it. These mini black holes from the beginning of time, or primordial black … Read more
World’s Largest Atom Smasher Might Be Seeding Tiny Black Holes. And That’s a Good Thing?
The cosmos may be studded with black holes so tiny they could slip in between atoms, a wild new theory suggests. And we could be making these teensy singularities all … Read more
Is Reality Real? new Paradox Throws It Into Question
If a tree falls in a forest and no one is there to hear it, does it make a sound? Perhaps not, some say. And if someone is there to … Read more
Is There a Mirror Universe? And Does My Hair Look Better There?
A series of viral articles claimed that NASA had discovered particles from another parallel universe in which time runs backward. These claims were incorrect. The true story is far more … Read more
You’ve Heard of the Big Bang? What About the “Big Bounce”?
In the beginning, there was an infinitely dense, tiny ball of matter. Then, it all went bang, giving rise to the atoms, molecules, stars and galaxies we see today. Or … Read more