Theoretical physics

Researchers have shown how to effectively transform one material into another using a finely shaped laser pulse.

It was an old idea of Stephen Hawking’s: Unseen “primordial” black holes might be the hidden dark matter. A new series of studies has shown how the theory can work.

Renormalization has become perhaps the single most important advance in theoretical physics in 50 years.

Physicists have identified an algebraic structure underlying the messy mathematics of particle collisions. Some hope it will lead to a more elegant theory of the natural world.

Claudia de Rham showed how theories of “massive gravity” could potentially get rid of the need for dark energy.

Detailed computer simulations have found that a cosmic contraction can generate features of the universe that we observe today.

New calculations show how hypothetical particles called gravitons would give rise to a special kind of noise.

Can we test speculations about how quantum physics affects black holes and the Big Bang?

We asked four physicists why gravity stands out among the forces of nature. We got four different answers.