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First Map Made of a Solid’s Secret Quantum Geometry
Physicists recently mapped the hidden shape that underlies the quantum behaviors of a crystal, using a new method that’s expected to become ubiquitous.
Will We Ever Prove String Theory?
Promise and controversy continues to surround string theory as a potential unified theory of everything. In the latest episode of The Joy of Why, Cumrun Vafa discusses his progress in trying to find good, testable models hidden among the ‘swampland’ of impossible universes.
Singularities in Space-Time Prove Hard to Kill
Black hole and Big Bang singularities break our best theory of gravity. A trilogy of theorems hints that physicists must go to the ends of space and time to find a fix.
How Did Geometry Create Modern Physics?
Geometry may have its origins thousands of years ago in ancient land surveying, but it has also had a surprising impact on modern physics. In the latest episode of The Joy of Why, Yang-Hui He explores geometry’s evolution and its future potential through AI.
How the Universe Differs From Its Mirror Image
From living matter to molecules to elementary particles, the world is made of “chiral” objects that differ from their reflected forms.
Finding Beauty and Truth in Mundane Occurrences
The physicist Sidney Nagel delights in solving mysteries of the universe that are hiding in plain sight.
The Strange Physics That Gave Birth to AI
Modern thinking machines owe their existence to insights from the physics of complex materials.
What’s Going On Inside Io, Jupiter’s Volcanic Moon?
Recent flybys of the fiery world refute a leading theory of its inner structure — and reveal how little is understood about geologically active moons.
Can Quantum Gravity Be Created in the Lab?
Quantum gravity could help physicists unite the currently incompatible worlds of quantum mechanics and gravity. In this episode, Monika Schleier-Smith discusses her pioneering experimental approach, using laser-cooled atoms to explore whether gravity could emerge from quantum entanglement.