Physics
Long-Awaited Muon Physics Experiment Nears Moment of Truth
A result that has been 20 years in the making could reveal the existence of new particles and upend fundamental physics
Stories by Davide Castelvecchi
Physics
Quantum Network Is Step Toward Ultrasecure Internet
The experiment connects three devices with entangled photons, demonstrating a key technique that could enable a future quantum Internet
Physics
This Is the Fastest Random-Number Generator Ever Built
A laser generates quantum randomness at a rate of 250 trillion bits per second and could lead to devices small enough to fit on a single chip
Space
Hints of Twisted Light Offer Clues to Dark Energy’s Nature
Cosmologists suggest that an exotic substance called quintessence could be accelerating the Universe’s expansion—but the evidence is still tentative
Physics
What 50 Gravitational-Wave Events Reveal about the Universe
Astrophysicists now have enough black-hole mergers to map their frequency over the cosmos’s history
Evolution
This Beetle's Stab-Proof Exoskeleton Makes It Almost Indestructible
Jigsaw-puzzle-shaped seams that hold a notoriously tough insect’s wing cases together could inspire engineers
Physics
First Room-Temperature Superconductor Excites and Baffles Scientists
A compound of hydrogen, carbon and sulfur has broken a symbolic barrier—but its high-pressure conditions make it difficult to analyze
Space
The First Ever Image of a Black Hole Is Now a Movie
Pictures created from old observations show the void’s stormy evolution over the past decade
Space
Mystery over Universe’s Expansion Deepens with Fresh Data
A long-awaited map of the big bang’s afterglow fails to settle a debate over how fast the universe is expanding
Physics
Welcome Anyons! Physicists Find Best Evidence Yet for Long-Sought 2D Structures
The ‘quasiparticles’ defy the categories of ordinary particles and herald a potential way to build quantum computers
Physics
Neutrinos Reveal Final Secret of Sun’s Nuclear Fusion
The detection of particles produced in the sun’s core supports long-held theory about how our star is powered
Physics
CERN Makes Bold Push to Build $23-Billion Super Collider
European particle-physics lab will pursue a 100-kilometer machine to uncover the Higgs boson’s secrets — but it doesn’t yet have the funds
Space
Pluto Probe Offers Eye-Popping View of Neighboring Star Proxima Centauri
NASA’s New Horizons mission measures the distances of two stars from the outer reaches of the Solar System
Space
This Black-Hole Collision Just Made Gravitational Waves Even More Interesting
An unprecedented signal from unevenly sized objects gives astronomers rare insight into how black holes spin
Math
Mathematical Proof That Rocked Number Theory Will Be Published
But some experts say author Shinichi Mochizuki failed to fix a fatal flaw in the solution of a major arithmetic problem
Physics
Coronavirus Fears Cancel World’s Biggest Physics Meeting
Physicists who were set to attend the American Physical Society’s Denver conference are using virtual platforms to share their talks
Space
Mysterious Faded Star Betelgeuse Has Started to Brighten Again
“Orion’s shoulder” had reached unprecedented dimness in mid-February, leaving astronomers befuddled
Engineering
How Quickly Can Iran Make a Nuclear Bomb?
With an international deal in serious jeopardy, Iran is not racing to build nuclear weapons—but its capabilities are growing
Engineering
Watch Out for These Science Events in 2020
A Mars invasion, a climate meeting and human–animal hybrids are set to shape the research agenda
Physics
Japan Will Build the World’s Largest Neutrino Detector
Cabinet greenlights $600-million Hyper-Kamiokande experiment, which scientists hope will bring revolutionary discoveries
