Physics

A digital, wireframe illustration of a DNA double helix strand is displayed against a black background, evoking concepts from quantum biology.
Are physicists about to decode a mysterious field of science that could have huge implications for your health?
John Templeton Foundation
Illustration of a nude male figure with arms and legs extended in two positions, inscribed in a circle and square, known as the Vitruvian Man by Leonardo da Vinci, exemplifying the law of symmetry in human anatomy.
Basic and breath-taking – Dr. Frank Wilczek addresses symmetry’s critical role in nature’s laws and what we consider to be beautiful.
John Templeton Foundation
Silhouette of a person standing on a field at night, gazing at a clear sky filled with stars and glowing celestial objects, evoking the wonder described by Jim Al-Khalili.
Popular media often frame scientists as having a cold, sterile view of the world. That couldn’t be further from the truth.
John Templeton Foundation
A black and white painting of a man with wavy hair, a mustache, and a suit, depicted in a semi-realistic style, evokes the thoughtful air of someone pondering an interpretation of quantum mechanics.
4mins
Our world would be impossible without quantum mechanics — but we still don’t have a narrative of how it works.
John Templeton Foundation
standard model structure
The Standard Model may or may not be in trouble, but particle physics definitely needs saving. Here's what the new LHC can do.
Close-up of a pencil and charcoal drawing showing a detailed human eye on the left side, with textured shading and geometric shapes in the background—capturing the beauty found where science fails to explain human perception.
5mins
Why are we here? What is everything made of? This theoretical physicist says science isn’t the right way to answer these questions.
John Templeton Foundation
science
Nature is a whole. The sciences should be, too.
gravity time
Extremely precise atomic clocks are not just of theoretical interest; they could help detect impending volcanic eruptions or melting glaciers.
heavy neutral atom
Every timekeeping device works via a version of a pendulum — even the atomic clocks that are accurate to nanoseconds.
quantum steampunk
How efficiently could quantum engines operate?
The European Space Agency’s Solar Orbiter recently captured images that could help scientists better under the mysterious physics of our Sun.
Dr. Tyson explains where we might find aliens, why "dark matter" is a misleading term, and why you can blame physics for your favorite team's loss.
cosmic rays
Our Universe requires dark matter in order to make sense of things, astrophysically. Could massive photons do the trick?
tevatron standard model
Fermilab's TeVatron just released the best mass measurement of the W-boson, ever. Here's what doesn't add up.
Illustration of two hands touching or aligning a series of parallel lines and chevron patterns, all overlaid with a blue filter, evoking the precision and symmetry often found in mathematics.
5mins
Michio Kaku believes math is the mind of God.
John Templeton Foundation
mercury diamonds
Due to a crust of carbon, the absence of oxygen, and constant bombardment from meteorites, the planet Mercury may be littered with diamonds.
buddhism physics
The relationship between these two ways of thinking about the world deserves deeper exploration.
james webb spikes
When we started imaging the Universe with Hubble, every star had four "spikes" coming from it. Here's why Webb will have more.
el gordo colliding galaxy cluster
The laws of physics state that you can't create or destroy matter without also creating or destroying an equal amount of antimatter. So how are we here?
reductionism
We cannot deduce laws about a higher level of complexity by starting with a lower level of complexity. Here, reductionism meets a brick wall.
chirality
Life is possible because of asymmetries, such as an imbalance between matter and antimatter and the "handedness" (chirality) of molecules.
A luge athlete at the Olympics.
The big-picture physics is simple – let gravity do its job.
einstein critics
Einstein's theories of relativity faced fierce opposition. One critic claimed he was attempting to subvert the scientific method.
foamy beer
If you want to have foamy beer inside the comfort of your own home, you need to invest in a special nucleated glass.
travel straight line
Is the Universe finite or infinite? Does it go on forever or loop back on itself? Here's what would happen if you traveled forever.
big bang
There are an estimated two trillion galaxies within the observable Universe. Most are already unreachable, and the situation only gets worse.
astrophysics ALMA
If you want to understand what the Universe is, how it began, evolved, and will eventually end, astrophysics is the only way to go.
Standard Model
Particle physics needs a new collider to supersede the Large Hadron Collider. Muons, not electrons or protons, might hold the key.
If you put very fine black powder powder in a confined space it explodes in a cloud of heat, gas and noise.