Physics
- Physics
The W boson might not be heavier than expected after all
A new and improved look at the mass of the W boson is in close alignment with theory, but it doesn’t negate an earlier, controversial measurement.
- Chemistry
Here’s why some Renaissance artists egged their oil paintings
Some Renaissance artists created eggs-quisite paintings by adding yolks to oil paints, which may have helped add texture and prevent yellowing.
- Animals
These transparent fish turn rainbow with white light. Now, we know why
Repeated structures in the ghost catfish’s muscles separate white light that passes through their bodies into different wavelengths.
- Math
Here’s a peek into the mathematics of black holes
The universe tells us slowly rotating black holes are stable. A nearly 1,000-page proof confirms it.
- Physics
Static electricity helps parasitic nematodes glom onto victims
The small electric charge generated by a moving insect is enough to affect the trajectory of a parasitic nematode’s leap so it lands right on its host.
- Particle Physics
‘Ghost Particle’ chronicles the neutrino’s discovery and what’s left to learn
Author James Riordon discusses his new book, why neutrinos are so important and how physicists are on the verge of making big discoveries about them.
- Physics
Is this the superconductor of scientists’ dreams? A new claim faces scrutiny
It’s big, if true: transmitting electricity with no resistance at room temperature and moderate pressure. But controversy dogs the team making the claim.
- Particle Physics
Muons unveiled new details about a void in Egypt’s Great Pyramid
The subatomic particles revealed the dimensions of the void, discovered in 2016, and helped researchers know where to stick a camera inside.
- Climate
An incendiary form of lightning may surge under climate change
Relatively long-lived lightning strikes are the most likely to spark wildfires and may become more common as the climate warms.
- Physics
The standard model of particle physics passed one of its strictest tests yet
An experiment with a single electron, trapped for months on end, produced one of the most precise tests yet of the standard model of particle physics.
- Quantum Physics
Google’s quantum computer reached an error-correcting milestone
A larger array of quantum bits outperformed a smaller one in tests performed by Google researchers, suggesting quantum computers could be scaled up.
- Animals
Glassy eyes may help young crustaceans hide from predators in plain sight
Nanospheres in the eye reflect light that matches the color of the surrounding water, possibly making the animals invisible to nearby predators.
