Physics
Here’s what would happen if you tried to break a photon in half
A mathematical model shows that attempting to sever a fundamental particle of light could conjure new ones out of thin air.
Physics
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
More Stories in Physics
- Physics
Physics explains why gold stays pristine
Metals like copper oxidize — reacting with oxygen in the air — but gold doesn’t, thanks to a quick switch in atom arrangement on its surface.
- Earth
Never-ending storms make for good plot twists. Could they plague Earth?
While the thunderstorms in The Legend of Zelda defy physics, plenty of places on Earth experience extreme weather.
- Physics
Water drops on soap bubble films act like merging galaxies
Water droplets on soap films orbited and merged like colliding galaxies, a technique that could help scientists study the cosmos.
- Physics
To get string theory, you need only four physics assumptions
Tenets of quantum mechanics and special relativity, among other theoretical ideas, lead inexorably to string theory.
- Particle Physics
To understand black holes, physicists turn to a mathematical ‘Rosetta stone’
A link between particle physics and gravity equations, called the double copy, applies to Hawking radiation, creating a new way into black hole puzzles.
- Quantum Physics
A grapefruit-sized quantum device mapped Earth’s magnetic field from space
On the International Space Station, a cube holding a diamond-based sensor revealed the potential for quantum magnetometers.
- Physics
The secret to perfect espresso? It’s physics
Inspired by gas and liquid flow in earth science, researchers brewed an equation to calculate the speed of water percolation through ground coffee.
- Particle Physics
A strange ‘neutrino force’ helped heal a crack in particle physics
A neglected force produced by neutrinos and other particles helps atomic physics measurements align with predictions of the standard model.
- Physics
A new measurement reveals gravity is still hard to pin down
After a 10-year effort, physicists got a value for “Big G” that does not settle the debate over one of nature’s hardest numbers to nail down.
