Are We Living in a Computer Simulation?
High-profile physicists and philosophers gathered to debate whether we are real or virtual—and what it means either way
Stories by Clara Moskowitz
Physics Fiction: Quantum Shorts 2015 Winner
Scientific American partnered on a writing contest for science fiction short stories inspired by the realm of quantum physics
Twin Birth Proposed for Colliding Black Holes That Produced Gravitational Waves
A flash of light shortly after the detection of gravitational waves could mean that that historic event has an added wrinkle—the black holes that collided may have been born in the same collapsing massive star. ...
Book Review: The Right Kind of Crazy
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New Tetraquark Particle Sparks Doubts
The Large Hadron Collider particle accelerator failed to confirm the Tevatron accelerator’s discovery of a new arrangement of quarks
Physicists May Have Discovered a New "Tetraquark" Particle
Data from the DZero experiment shows evidence of a particle containing four different types of quarks
Quantum Cuteness: Neutron Beta Decay
This toy is radioactively cute—and able to explain how a neutral-faced neutron turns into a proton with a positive expression.
Last Call: Will WIMPs Show Their Faces in the Latest Dark Matter Experiment
The most sensitive detector yet revs up in March—and there’s a lot on the line
Book Review: Home
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"Einstein Would Be Beaming": Scientists React to Gravitational Waves
Physicists at gatherings around the world exulted at the news that a long-sought prediction of general relativity had finally been found
Gravitational Waves Discovered from Colliding Black Holes
The LIGO experiment has confirmed Albert Einstein’s prediction of ripples in spacetime and promises to open a new era of astrophysics
Book Review: The Last Volcano
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![Strange, Dense Matter: The Power of Neutron Stars [Video]](https://static.scientificamerican.com/sciam/cache/file/BE685A3E-A1E8-4282-89C767EB7E300AA0_agenda.png?w=275&h=154&fit=crop)
Strange, Dense Matter: The Power of Neutron Stars [Video]
A live Webcast Wednesday evening will discuss the latest science of neutron stars—some of the densest and weirdest objects in space
Book Review: Contact Sport
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Book Review: Tunnel Visions
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Not All Gravitational Waves Are Created Equal
The LIGO experiment hunts for gravitational waves that are different from those sought by BICEP2. Although both types are elusive, they differ in age and strength—and come from very different places...
Scientists Pick the Most Beautiful Equations
Mathematicians often see more than cold logic in symbols and numbers. They see the sublime
Book Review: A Brief History of Creation
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Astronomers Struggle to Translate Anger into Action on Sexual Harassment
Scientists discuss the plight of women and minorities in the wake of a scandal over harassment by a prominent researcher
Book Review: Political Animals
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