PolicyAugust 28, 2018
The Power of Anomalies
Progress in science is sometimes propelled by the discovery of experimental oddities that inspire a fresh perspective on nature
Stories by Avi Loeb
Avi Loeb is the head of the Galileo Project, director of the Institute for Theory and Computation at the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian, founding director of Harvard University’s Black Hole Initiative, and the former chair of the Harvard astronomy department (2011-2020). He is a former member of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology and a former chair of the Board on Physics and Astronomy of the National Academies. He has published more than a thousand peer-reviewed papers and is the bestselling author of Extraterrestrial and Interstellar and a co-author of the textbooks Life in the Cosmos and The First Galaxies in the Universe.
OpinionAugust 10, 2018
Theoretical Physics Is Pointless without Experimental Tests
Our discipline is a dialogue with nature, not a monologue, as some theorists would prefer to believe
Space & PhysicsJuly 31, 2018
Science Is an Infinite-Sum Game
It’s a win–win endeavor with unlimited horizons for expanding our island of knowledge into the ocean of ignorance
The SciencesJuly 23, 2018
Where Do Ideas Come from?
They’re nurtured by informal dialogues in environments where mistakes are tolerated and critical thinking is encouraged
Space & PhysicsJune 26, 2018
Finding Fuel for Our Frigid Cosmic Future
As dark energy accelerates the expansion of the universe, civilizations will likely migrate into rich clusters of galaxies
PolicyJune 7, 2018
Testing Philosophy through Experiments
New technologies could shed light on old philosophical questions, such as the nature of the mind and whether moral values reflect universal truth
OpinionMay 22, 2018
Maybe We Could "See" a Singularity After All
When black holes collide, interactions between their cores might leave an imprint on the resulting gravitational waves
OpinionApril 16, 2018
Escape from Proxima b
A civilization in the habitable zone of a dwarf star like Proxima Centauri might find it hard to get into interstellar space with conventional rockets
Space & PhysicsMarch 13, 2018
For E.T. Civilizations, Location Could Be Everything
Their economies and their fate may depend on the abundance of gold and uranium, forged in relatively nearby neutron star mergers
PolicyFebruary 14, 2018
Renewing the Contract between Academia and Society
Universities owe the public a fresh look at their educational and research missions
Space & PhysicsJanuary 8, 2018
Are Alien Civilizations Technologically Advanced?
The answer may depend on exoplanet sociology
Space & PhysicsJune 28, 2017
The Case for Cosmic Modesty
If we want to find life elsewhere, we should search for it in all of its possible forms
Space & PhysicsFebruary 1, 2017
Cosmic Inflation Theory Faces Challenges
The latest astrophysical measurements, combined with theoretical problems, cast doubt on the long-cherished inflationary theory of the early cosmos and suggest we need new ideas
Space & PhysicsMay 21, 2013
Portrait of a Black Hole
By adapting a global network of telescopes, astronomers will soon get their first look ever at the dark silhouette of a black hole
Space & PhysicsDecember 1, 2009
Portrait of a Black Hole
By adapting a global network of telescopes, astronomers will soon get their first look ever at the dark silhouette of a black hole
Space & PhysicsNovember 1, 2006
The Dark Ages of the Universe
Astronomers are trying to fill in the blank pages in our photo album of the infant universe