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Black Hole Echoes Would Reveal Break With Einstein’s Theory

March 22, 2018

Gravitational waves have opened up new ways to test the properties of black holes — and Einstein’s theory of gravity along with them.

Why Stephen Hawking’s Black Hole Puzzle Keeps Puzzling

March 14, 2018

The renowned British physicist, who died at 76, left behind a riddle that could eventually lead his successors to the theory of quantum gravity.

How Einstein Lost His Bearings, and With Them, General Relativity

March 14, 2018

By 1913, Albert Einstein had nearly completed general relativity. But a simple mistake set him on a tortured, two-year reconsideration of his theory. Today, mathematicians still grapple with the issues he confronted.

Why the Tiny Weight of Empty Space Is Such a Huge Mystery

March 12, 2018

The amount of energy infusing empty space seems too small to explain without a multiverse. But physicists have at least one alternative left to explore.

Physicists Find a Way to See the ‘Grin’ of Quantum Gravity

March 6, 2018

A recently proposed experiment would confirm that gravity is a quantum force.

Elusive Higgs-Like State Created in Exotic Materials

February 28, 2018

Two teams of physicists have created the "Higgs mode" – a link between particle physics and the physics of matter. The work could help researchers understand the strange behavior of deeply quantum systems.

Physicists Mourn Joe Polchinski, Developer of Deep Ideas and Paradoxes

February 20, 2018

The theoretical physicist Joe Polchinski, who died February 2, left a tremendous professional and personal legacy, says a friend and collaborator.

Scant Evidence of Power Laws Found in Real-World Networks

February 15, 2018

A new study challenges one of the most celebrated and controversial ideas in network science.

Neutron Lifetime Puzzle Deepens, but No Dark Matter Seen

February 13, 2018

Two methods of measuring the neutron's longevity give different answers, creating uncertainty in cosmological models. But no one has a clue what the problem is.

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