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Graphene Superconductors May Be Less Exotic Than Physicists Hoped

June 14, 2021

Superconductivity has been discovered in graphene devices without any twists, suggesting the form of superconductivity in the material might be mundane after all.

The Mystery at the Heart of Physics That Only Math Can Solve

June 10, 2021

The accelerating effort to understand the mathematics of quantum field theory will have profound consequences for both math and physics.

What Makes Quantum Computing So Hard to Explain?

June 8, 2021

To understand what quantum computers can do — and what they can’t — avoid falling for overly simple explanations.

Astronomers Find Secret Planet-Making Ingredient: Magnetic Fields

June 7, 2021

Scientists have long struggled to understand how common planets form. A new supercomputer simulation shows that the missing ingredient may be magnetism.

Mathematicians Identify Threshold at Which Shapes Give Way

June 3, 2021

A new proof establishes the boundary at which a shape becomes so corrugated, it can be crushed.

A Burp or a Blast? Seismic Signals Reveal the Volcanic Eruption to Come

June 1, 2021

Scientists have begun to decipher the subtle signs that reveal how explosive a volcanic eruption is going to be.

Squishy Neutron Star Setback Dampens Hopes of Exotic Matter

May 26, 2021

Groundbreaking results show that neutron stars of different masses may have the same size — upending astrophysical models.

Physicists Identify the Engine Powering Black Hole Energy Beams

May 20, 2021

Supermassive black holes emit jets of white-hot plasma that stretch thousands of light-years across the cosmos. For the first time, researchers have identified what’s creating these jets.

New Black Hole Math Closes Cosmic Blind Spot

May 13, 2021

A mathematical shortcut for analyzing black hole collisions works even in cases where it shouldn’t. As astronomers use it to search for new classes of hidden black holes, others wonder: Why?

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