Adam Frank
Astrophysicist
Adam Frank is a professor of astrophysics at the University of Rochester and a leading expert on the final stages of evolution for stars like the sun. Frank's computational research group at the University of Rochester has developed advanced supercomputer tools for studying how stars form and how they die. A self-described “evangelist of science," he is the author of four books and the co-founder of 13.8, where he explores the beauty and power of science in culture with physicist Marcelo Gleiser.
Moon Knight: Am I tired of the Marvel Cinematic Universe yet?
Time for a status check before watching "Moon Knight."
What does Buddhism offer physics?
The relationship between these two ways of thinking about the world deserves deeper exploration.
Cosmic dark ages: how astrophysicists will peek into the distant past
The James Webb Space Telescope could help scientists learn about the cosmic dark ages and how they ended.
Return of the old gods: why there is nothing delicate about Earth’s balance
Earth is not a benign mother. We have begun to witness what happens when it unleashes its fury.
Science as a personal journey: from an oasis to the mountains
From a desert oasis to the Rocky Mountains, being filled with awe makes me a better scientist.
Is the Multiverse real? Two astrophysicists debate
Is the multiverse real? It's one of the hottest questions in all of theoretical physics. We invited two astrophysicists to join the debate.
Humanity is not even a Type 1 civilization. What would a Type 3 be capable of?
The Kardashev scale ranks civilizations from Type 1 to Type 3 based on energy harvesting.
What is the “average star” like? Hint: It’s not like our Sun
Please stop calling our Sun an "average star." It is philosophically dubious and astronomically incorrect.
There is no empirical, scientific evidence for the Multiverse
In scientific theories, the Multiverse appears as a bug rather than as a feature. We should squash it.
Not rocket science: SpinLaunch hurls payloads into orbit
Besides offering an incredibly cool way to get stuff into space, SpinLaunch promises to reduce the cost of a launch by 20-fold.
Dawn of Everything: What if the arc of history isn’t inevitable?
We are generally taught that there is an arc of history — an inevitable path of progress that leads to modern society. Maybe it isn't true.
Will aliens look like us? The answer involves ergodicity and the predictability of evolution
In movies and TV shows, aliens look like pointy-eared humans. Is this realistic? If evolution is predictable, then it very well might be.
Why Earth is habitable but Venus looks like hell
Venus has far more carbon dioxide in its atmosphere than Earth, which turned our sister planet into an inferno. But how did it get there?
Exoplanets fill us with awesome wonder
Even if you or I will never actually visit these distant worlds, we now know they exist. They should fill us with wonder.
What is scientism, and why is it a mistake?
Science is a method of inquiry about nature, while scientism is philosophy. And scientism is no longer up to the challenge of meeting the most pressing issues of our day.
Be thankful for cosmic beauty
We should all pause to appreciate the awe-inspiring beauty of the Universe.
The technology we (or aliens) need for long-distance interstellar travel
There are a few possible solutions to the problem of interstellar travel, but they largely remain within the realm of science fiction.
Is “Dune” worth the hype?
Tighten your ‘thopter seatbelts and get those worm-hooks ready: we're going to unpack the hype surrounding Dune, both the book and the movie.
How Arthur C. Clarke’s three laws apply to alien technology
Technology has advanced at a blinding pace in the past 150 years. That won’t always happen.
Why did the Buddha invent baseball?
The book Buddha Takes the Mound delivers an engaging and sophisticated account of Buddhism’s worldview through the prism of baseball.
How a scientific consensus developed over beautiful nebulae
Nebulae are beautiful, but so is the process of science.
How Isaac Asimov’s “Foundation” highlights the value of science fiction
Isaac Asimov's "Foundation" series helped inspire the field of social physics, which uses math to understand crowd behavior.
Climate change is an existential threat not to humanity but to our project of civilization
Civilization is facing an existential threat from climate change. Will we humans make it? Does anyone in the universe make it?
The mystery of life cannot be solved by science
Reductionism is a successful way to explain the universe, but it cannot replace experience. This is part of the mystery of life.
HR diagram: how we learned that stars evolve
After 100 million nights of people asking, "What are those twinkly lights?" it is pretty remarkable that we happen to live in one of the first generations that actually knows the answer.
What is light? The limits and limitlessness of imagination
Philosophers and scientists spent millennia arguing about the nature of light. It turned out to be stranger than anyone imagined.
The Suicide Squad: why is Marvel excellent but DC is not?
The world is full of great mysteries. This is one of them.
Is it raining helium on Jupiter?
How can we understand mysterious planets like Jupiter? Use giant lasers!