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Space-Time: The Biggest Problem in Physics

What is the deepest level of reality? In this Quanta explainer, Vijay Balasubramanian, a physicist at the University of Pennsylvania, takes us on a journey through space-time to investigate what it’s made of, why it’s failing us, and where physics can go next.


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Black Hole Jets: Unraveling One of the Biggest Mysteries in the Universe

May 20, 2021

At the heart of every galaxy lies one of the most mysterious objects in the universe: a supermassive black hole. Millions to billions of times the mass of our sun, these giants power astrophysical jets, one of the most energetic processes known to physics.

The Theory That Could Rewrite the Laws of Physics

April 29, 2021

Marletto explains why traditional approaches to physics fail in important cases such as information theory, and how constructor theory might succeed.

Plate Tectonics: The Mystery of Earth’s Many Faces

April 14, 2021

Lucía Pérez-Díaz explores the mysteries of plate tectonics.

Iceland Is a Portal to Mars

April 6, 2021

Volcanic eruptions are intimately connected with life. Scientists are using the current eruptions in Iceland to understand the possible history of life on Mars.

Fighting for Equality in Computer Science and Beyond

April 1, 2021

Abebe switched fields from math to computer science in order to learn tools she could apply to social problems like poverty and educational inequality.

Why Extraterrestrial Life Might Not Be So Alien

March 18, 2021

The zoologist Arik Kershenbaum of the University of Cambridge discusses convergent evolution, animal communications and why life throughout the universe may have certain common features.

This U.S. Olympiad Coach Has a Unique Approach to Math

February 18, 2021

Po-Shen Loh discusses his approach to coaching the United States International Mathematical Olympiad team and reveals what he believes to be the major problem with math education.

Why COVID-19 Models Don’t Predict the Future

February 12, 2021

To understand what epidemiological models can tell us, it helps to first understand what they can’t. In this comprehensive explainer, we break down how epidemiological models are built and dispel some of the common misunderstandings about their applications.

How Cosmic Dust Reveals the Secrets of the Universe

February 4, 2021

Matthew Genge shows explains to read the history of our solar system in the language of cosmic dust.