Physics
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Particle Physics
Electrons surf protons’ waves in a new kind of particle accelerator
For the first time, scientists accelerated electrons using plasma waves from proton beams.
- Physics
The strength of gravity has been measured to new precision
Researchers have measured Newton’s gravitational constant, known as Big G, with the greatest precision yet.
- Particle Physics
An elusive Higgs boson decay has finally been spotted
Two experiments at the Large Hadron Collider confirm that the Higgs boson decays into bottom quark pairs.
- Quantum Physics
Quantum computer simulates two types of bizarre materials
In calculations involving about 2,000 quantum bits, a D-Wave machine reproduced the behavior of exotic substances.
- Physics
Here’s how to bend spaghetti to your will
Researchers have discovered how to snap spaghetti sticks without sending bits of pasta flying.
- Chemistry
See the ‘periodic table’ of molecular knots
A new table of knots points the way to twisting molecules in increasingly complex pretzels.
- Astronomy
Strange gamma rays from the sun may help decipher its magnetic fields
The sun spits out more and weirder gamma rays than anyone expected, which could give a new view of the sun’s magnetic fields.
- Quantum Physics
A new quantum device defies the concepts of ‘before’ and ‘after’
Two events can happen in different orders at the same time, thanks to quantum physics.
- Particle Physics
Ghostly antineutrinos could help ferret out nuclear tests
Antineutrino detectors could one day help reveal stealthy nuclear blasts.
- Materials Science
A filter that turns saltwater into freshwater just got an upgrade
Smoothing out a material used in desalination filters could help combat worldwide water shortages.
- Astronomy
A faint glow found between galaxies could be a beacon for dark matter
Intracluster light may help reveal where dark matter resides within galaxy clusters.
- Climate
Readers question dark fusion, Antarctic ice melting and more
Readers had questions about Antarctic ice melting, dark fusion and greenhouse gas emissions.
