Explainers
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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The Evolutionary Argument Against Reality
Donald Hoffman explains how our perceptions have evolved to become like a computer interface.
Is That ‘Bump’ a New Particle?
David Kaplan reports on a potentially exciting new signal at the Large Hadron Collider.
David Deamer: How We’re Studying the Origins of Life
David Deamer explains how his laboratory mimics the extreme conditions found on volcanoes in the early Earth.
Michael Atiyah’s Imaginative State of Mind
Michael Atiyah discusses beauty in mathematics.
Are We Alone in the Universe?
David Kaplan explores the best ways to search for alien life on distant planets.
Leslie Valiant: Searching for the Algorithms Underlying Life
Leslie Valiant explains the term “ecorithm.”
Richard Dawid: Why Trust a Theory?
Richard Dawid discusses the fine line between science and speculation.
Christoph Adami: The Information Theory of Life
Christoph Adami explains how information theory can explain the persistence of life.
Joan Strassmann: The Woman Who Stared at Wasps
Joan Strassmann explains the benefits of studying social amoebas.