particle physics
Higgs boson was discovered 10 years ago. What have we learned about it since then?
On July 4, we celebrate the tenth anniversary of the discovery of the Higgs boson, the missing piece of the Standard Model of particle physics.
Neutrinos: The “ghostly chameleons” of particle physics become even more mysterious
Experiments cannot confirm what theory predicts about neutrinos. And particle physicists have no idea why.
We need a bigger Big Bang machine: The case for a new particle accelerator
Giant particle accelerators aren't a waste of money. They are essential for understanding the Universe.
Why are there exactly 3 generations of particles?
The Standard Model of elementary particles has three nearly identical copies of particles: generations. And nobody knows why.
Please, don’t build another Large Hadron Collider
A next-generation LHC++ could cost $100 billion. Here's why such a machine could end up being a massive waste of money.
“Spooky” quantum biology might cause your DNA to mutate
The spooky world of quantum mechanics might reach out and touch you — by mutating your DNA. Welcome to the weird world of quantum biology.
No, particle physics on Earth won’t ever destroy the Universe
Smashing things together at unprecedented energies sounds dangerous. But it's nothing the Universe hasn't already seen, and survived.
Could quantum mechanics be responsible for the Mandela effect?
Humans who've lived through the same events often remember them differently. Could quantum physics be responsible?
Could an advanced civilization change the laws of physics?
Do the laws of physics place a hard limit on how far technology can advance, or can we re-write those laws?
Time travel could be possible, but only with parallel timelines
Equations that describe time travel are fully compatible and consistent with relativity — but physics is not mathematics.
Can the new-and-improved Large Hadron Collider save particle physics?
The Standard Model may or may not be in trouble, but particle physics definitely needs saving. Here's what the new LHC can do.
Physicists embark on a hunt for a long-sought quantum glow
Could we finally detect the elusive Unruh effect?
How general relativity could help predict volcano eruptions
Extremely precise atomic clocks are not just of theoretical interest; they could help detect impending volcanic eruptions or melting glaciers.
A clock beats inside the heart of every atom
Every timekeeping device works via a version of a pendulum — even the atomic clocks that are accurate to nanoseconds.
Realism in science needs to be more real
Realism in science cannot be completely unmoored from human experience. Otherwise, realism ends up tortured with unreal paradoxes.
Beyond solid, liquid, and gas: the 7 states of matter
At very high and very low temperatures, matter takes on properties that open up an entire Universe of remarkable new possibilities.
Quantum Steampunk: A new frontier in quantum physics
How efficiently could quantum engines operate?
Did Fermilab’s new result blow a hole in the Standard Model?
Fermilab's TeVatron just released the best mass measurement of the W-boson, ever. Here's what doesn't add up.
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.
See 25,000 supermassive black holes in one map of the sky
Astronomers used supercomputers and an international network of antennas to create the stunning map.
“More is different”: why reductionism fails at higher levels of complexity
We cannot deduce laws about a higher level of complexity by starting with a lower level of complexity. Here, reductionism meets a brick wall.
Why Chernobyl radiation is not a cause for concern
The rhetorical fallout is greater than the radioactive fallout.
The true meaning of Einstein’s most famous equation: E=mc²
More than any other of Einstein's equations, E = mc² is the most recognizable to people. But what does it all mean?
Why are comet heads green — but not their tails?
“When molecules misbehave, it can lead to great insight.”
We exist thanks to chirality and the asymmetry of life
Life is possible because of asymmetries, such as an imbalance between matter and antimatter and the "handedness" (chirality) of molecules.
Ask Ethan: What does “Grand Unified Theory” mean?
If the electromagnetic and weak forces unify to make the electroweak force, maybe, at even higher energies, something even greater happens?
The ten greatest ideas in the history of science
The ten greatest ideas in science form the bedrock of modern biology, chemistry, and physics. Everyone should be familiar with them.
Symmetry is beautiful, but asymmetry is why the Universe and life exist
The Universe has asymmetries, but that's a good thing. Imperfections are essential for the existence of stars and even life itself.