Quantum Physics
Quantum Physics Isn’t as Weird as You Think. It’s Weirder
Quantum physics’ oddities seem less surprising if you stop thinking of atoms as tennis balls, and instead more like waves pushing through water
Quantum Physics101 articles archived since 1845
Quantum Physics
Entangled Light from Multitasking Atoms Could Spark Quantum Breakthroughs
A colorful quirk of quantum optics could lead to significant advances in quantum communication and computing
Quantum Physics
To Move Fast, Quantum Maze Solvers Must Forget the Past
Quantum algorithms can find their way out of mazes exponentially faster than classical ones, at the cost of forgetting the paths they took
Quantum Physics
Bizarre Quantum Theory Explains Why Your Coffee Takes So Long to Drip through a Narrow Filter
Physicist John Cardy and his colleague just won the 2024 Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics. We spoke with Cardy about conformal field theory, 2D black holes and coffee filters
Quantum Physics
Scientists Find a New Spin on Winning the ‘Bottle Flip’ Challenge
Do try this at home
Medicine
Life-Changing Cystic Fibrosis Treatment Wins $3-Million Breakthrough Prize
A trio of scientists who developed the combination drug Trikafta are among the winners of five major awards in life sciences, physics and mathematics
Quantum Physics
To Get Kids Interested in Science, We Have to Let Them Do Science
A pilot program for high schoolers offers a blueprint in getting students involved in cutting-edge particle physics research
Quantum Physics
Quantum Physics Can Explain Earth’s Weather
By treating Earth as a topological insulator—a state of quantum matter—physicists found a powerful explanation for the twisting movements of the planet’s air and seas
Quantum Physics
Will Scientists Ever Find a Theory of Everything?
Physicists are on an ever urgent quest to find a fuller understanding of what makes the cosmos tick, which they call a theory of everything
Basic Chemistry
‘Quantum Superchemistry’ Observed for the First Time Ever
A new type of chemistry performed at very cold temperatures on very small particles enables quick, precise reactions
Quantum Physics
This Quantum Fluid Freezes When Heated
Physicists finally understand why heating a supercold quantum fluid freezes it into a solid
Astronomy
The Most Surprising Discoveries in Physics
Experts weigh in on the most shocking, paradigm-shifting and delightful findings in the history of physics
Black Holes
Black Holes Evaporate—Now Physicists Think Everything Else Does, Too
Particle by particle, all matter may eventually disappear, according to new calculations
Plants
Quantum Light Experiment Proves Photosynthesis Starts with a Single Photon
Scientists have used quantum technology to track individual particles of light as they begin the process of photosynthesis
Particle Physics
The Weirdest Particles in the Universe
Neutrinos are bizarre and ubiquitous and may just break the rules of physics
Quantum Physics
The Universe Began with a Bang, Not a Bounce, New Studies Find
New research pokes holes in the idea that the cosmos expanded and then contracted before beginning again
Quantum Physics
Quantum Theory’s ‘Measurement Problem’ May Be a Poison Pill for Objective Reality
Solving a notorious quantum quandary could require abandoning some of science’s most cherished assumptions about the physical world
Quantum Physics
Physicists Create Biggest-Ever Schrödinger’s Cat
Physicists have put the largest-ever object into a quantum superposition
Quantum Physics
Physicists Create Long-Sought Topological Quantum States
Exotic particles called nonabelions could fix quantum computers’ error problem
Astrophysics
Is Time Travel Possible?
The laws of physics allow time travel. So why haven’t people become chronological hoppers?
