Physics(Page 3)

Learn how physics rule the world (and everything beyond it) with explainers on Earth's geological processes, quantum and particle physics, robotics, and more.

Latest in Physics

cryostat infrastructure of a quantum computer

Quantum computers are starting to become more useful Quantum computers are starting to become more useful

By Charlotte Hu

Agent Smith clones from The Matrix to show the concept of singularity in AI and AGI

What happens if AI grows smarter than humans? The answer worries scientists. What happens if AI grows smarter than humans? The answer worries scientists.

Computer illustration of ISS with docket spacecraft

The ISS’s latest delivery includes space plants and atmospheric lightning monitors The ISS’s latest delivery includes space plants and atmospheric lightning monitors

Argonne National Laboratory's Advanced Photon Source.

Physicists take first-ever X-rays of single atoms Physicists take first-ever X-rays of single atoms

Danish painters used beer to create masterpieces, but not the way you think

Danish painters used beer to create masterpieces, but not the way you think Danish painters used beer to create masterpieces, but not the way you think

Link falls based on a version of physics in Tears of the Kingdom.

How ‘The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom’ plays with the rules of physics How ‘The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom’ plays with the rules of physics

By Shannon Liao

Taylor Wilson, the boy who built a nuclear reactor as a kid, in his kitchen with his family

How a 14-year-old kid became the youngest person to achieve nuclear fusion How a 14-year-old kid became the youngest person to achieve nuclear fusion

Champagne being poured into two glasses.

The physics of champagne’s fascinating fizz The physics of champagne’s fascinating fizz

By Laura Baisas

Closeup of vent horizon around M87, a supermassive black hole and the first black hole image

This supermassive black hole sucks big time This supermassive black hole sucks big time

NASA Deep Space Network radiotelescope sending radio waves to spacecraft, stars, and maybe aliens

Alien civilizations could send us messages by 2029 Alien civilizations could send us messages by 2029

By Briley Lewis

Ancient Maya idol in Copán, Guatemala

Ancient Maya masons had a smart way to make plaster stronger Ancient Maya masons had a smart way to make plaster stronger

Exoplanet KMT-2021-BLG-1898L b is a gas giant that looks like Jupiter but orbits a separate star. Illustration.

An Einstein-backed method could help us find smaller exoplanets than ever before An Einstein-backed method could help us find smaller exoplanets than ever before

By Briley Lewis

Satellite image of the powerful eruption.

How the Tonga eruption rang Earth ‘like a bell’ How the Tonga eruption rang Earth ‘like a bell’

M87 black hole Event Horizon Telescope image sharpened by AI with PRIMO algorithm. The glowing event horizon is now clearer and thinner and the black hole at the center darker.

You saw the first image of a black hole. Now see it better with AI. You saw the first image of a black hole. Now see it better with AI.

By Purbita Saha

Google Sycamore processor for quantum computer hanging from a server room with gold and blue wires

Quantum computers can’t teleport things—yet Quantum computers can’t teleport things—yet

Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees hits a home run against the Boston Red Sox during the eighth inning at Fenway Park on September 13, 2022 in Boston, Massachusetts.

Hotter weather could be changing baseball Hotter weather could be changing baseball

By Laura Baisas

Pincushion cactus with pink flowers on a sunny windowsill

Dying plants are ‘screaming’ at you Dying plants are ‘screaming’ at you

Superconductor cuprate rings lit up in blue and green on a black grid

Room-temperature superconductors could zap us into the future Room-temperature superconductors could zap us into the future

Dark energy fills the cosmos. But what is it?

Dark energy fills the cosmos. But what is it? Dark energy fills the cosmos. But what is it?

By Briley Lewis

Protoplanetary disk and water formation around star V883 Orionis in the Orion constellation. Illustrated in gold, white, and black.

Clouds of ancient space water might have filled Earth’s oceans Clouds of ancient space water might have filled Earth’s oceans

Surrealist digital painting inspired by Dali of flying clocks and chess pieces upside down over sand and the Earth. The motifs symbolize the leap second.

We might soon lose a full second of our lives We might soon lose a full second of our lives

Heat of sun radiating through cold of space

Why is space cold if the sun is hot? Why is space cold if the sun is hot?

By Donavyn Coffey

An airplane taking off toward the camera at dusk, with lights along the runway and on the front of the plane, against a cloudy reddish sunset.

Let’s talk about how planes fly Let’s talk about how planes fly

Super Bowl-qualifying Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts throws a perfect football spiral

Throwing the perfect football spiral is a feat in science Throwing the perfect football spiral is a feat in science

By Jocelyn Solis-Moreira

Marcoule Nuclear Power Plant in France. Workers in protective gear heating glowing nuclear reactor.

Why shooting cosmic rays at nuclear reactors is actually a good idea Why shooting cosmic rays at nuclear reactors is actually a good idea

Two giant, circular ground telescopes with an overlay of a starry night sky.

Cosmic cartographers release a more accurate map of the universe’s matter Cosmic cartographers release a more accurate map of the universe’s matter

By Laura Baisas

Lego man liquid-metal model standing in mock jail cell

Watch this metallic material move like the T-1000 from ‘Terminator 2’ Watch this metallic material move like the T-1000 from ‘Terminator 2’

The Earth’s inner core could be slowing its spin—but don’t panic

The Earth’s inner core could be slowing its spin—but don’t panic The Earth’s inner core could be slowing its spin—but don’t panic

By Laura Baisas

Nuclear shelter basement sign on brick building to represent survival tips for a nuclear blast

The best—and worst—places to shelter after a nuclear blast The best—and worst—places to shelter after a nuclear blast

Cosmic dust on display in Messier 98 galaxy.

Physicists figured out a recipe to make titanium stardust on Earth Physicists figured out a recipe to make titanium stardust on Earth

Robot putting golf ball across indoor field into hole

Meet Golfi, the robot that plays putt-putt Meet Golfi, the robot that plays putt-putt

ISS astronauts are building objects that couldn’t exist on Earth

ISS astronauts are building objects that couldn’t exist on Earth ISS astronauts are building objects that couldn’t exist on Earth

Gold clock with blue arms for minutes and seconds

Time doesn’t have to be exact—here’s why Time doesn’t have to be exact—here’s why

Target fusion chamber of the National Ignition Facility

What the Energy Department’s laser breakthrough means for nuclear fusion What the Energy Department’s laser breakthrough means for nuclear fusion

Earth against moon and spun to show fast the planet spins. Realistic illustration.

What would happen if the Earth started to spin faster? What would happen if the Earth started to spin faster?

Japanese woman holding gold Sharp calculator with transistor

The small, mighty, world-changing transistor turns 75 The small, mighty, world-changing transistor turns 75

traversable wormhole illustration

Scientists modeled a tiny wormhole on a quantum computer Scientists modeled a tiny wormhole on a quantum computer

By Charlotte Hu

Toilet paper rolls on a yellow background to represent IBS causes

Gravity could be bringing you down with IBS Gravity could be bringing you down with IBS

By Jocelyn Solis-Moreira

A jellyfish-like sea creature that's classified as a siphonophore

What this jellyfish-like sea creature can teach us about underwater vehicles of the future What this jellyfish-like sea creature can teach us about underwater vehicles of the future

By Charlotte Hu

people walking in front of clock

The leap second’s time will be up in 2035—and tech companies are thrilled The leap second’s time will be up in 2035—and tech companies are thrilled

By Harry Guinness

Black hole shooting beam of energy out speed of light and being caught by a space telescope in an illustration. There's an inset showing blue and purple electromagnetic waves,

Astronomers now know how supermassive black holes blast us with energy Astronomers now know how supermassive black holes blast us with energy

A hohlraum at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.

Magnets might be the future of nuclear fusion Magnets might be the future of nuclear fusion

a fuzzy bumblebee settles on a pink flower

Bees can sense a flower’s electric field—unless fertilizer messes with the buzz Bees can sense a flower’s electric field—unless fertilizer messes with the buzz

By Lauren J. Young

The center of Messier 77's spiral galaxy.

This far-off galaxy is probably shooting us with oodles of ghostly particles This far-off galaxy is probably shooting us with oodles of ghostly particles

Earth's magnetic field in a black, red, and white illustration

Here’s what the Earth’s magnetic field would sound like if we could hear it Here’s what the Earth’s magnetic field would sound like if we could hear it

By Laura Baisas

Gamma-ray burst from exploding galaxy in NASA Hubble telescope rendition

To set the record straight: Nothing can break the speed of light To set the record straight: Nothing can break the speed of light

illustrations of a person being teleported in a 1960s style

Could quantum physics unlock teleportation? Could quantum physics unlock teleportation?

By Bill Gourgey

Gold pocket watch and hourglass

Refining the clock’s second takes time—and lasers Refining the clock’s second takes time—and lasers

Volcano belching lava and gas above ocean to represent Great Oxygenation Event

Geologists are searching for when the Earth took its first breath Geologists are searching for when the Earth took its first breath

People taking photos of glowing lava on Cape Verde

These islanders live and thrive alongside lava These islanders live and thrive alongside lava

By Cris Toala Olivares

Nobel Prize Physics 2022 winners Alain Aspect, John F. Clauser and Anton Zeilinger in gold and black illustration

Quantum entanglement theorists win Nobel Prize for loophole-busting experiments Quantum entanglement theorists win Nobel Prize for loophole-busting experiments

By Purbita Saha

Water droplets rising from Iceland's Skogafoss waterfall.

Here’s how life on Earth might have formed out of thin air and water Here’s how life on Earth might have formed out of thin air and water

By Laura Baisas

Large Hadron Collider experiment view with CERN staff in a hard hat standing near during the Europe gas crisis

Europe’s energy crisis could shut down the Large Hadron Collider Europe’s energy crisis could shut down the Large Hadron Collider

Deepest image of space with twinkling stars captured by James Webb Space Telescope

After the big bang, light and electricity shaped the early universe After the big bang, light and electricity shaped the early universe

By Eva Botkin-Kowacki

Groundwater pumps like this one deliver water from below to farms in Bangladesh.

Farmers accidentally created a flood-resistant ‘machine’ across Bangladesh Farmers accidentally created a flood-resistant ‘machine’ across Bangladesh

Ionsdaleite diamond crystal structure under a microscope

Space diamonds sparkle from the wreckage of a crushed dwarf planet Space diamonds sparkle from the wreckage of a crushed dwarf planet

By Eva Botkin-Kowacki

Scientists used lasers to make the coldest matter in the universe

Scientists used lasers to make the coldest matter in the universe Scientists used lasers to make the coldest matter in the universe

By Laura Baisas

A bucket of crabs, who have a multi-purpose material called chitosan in their shells.

Sustainable batteries could one day be made from crab shells Sustainable batteries could one day be made from crab shells

MAGIS-100 vacuum for a Fermilab quantum physics experiment

Atoms are famously camera-shy. This dazzling custom rig can catch them. Atoms are famously camera-shy. This dazzling custom rig can catch them.

The International Space Station, seen from a Dragon Capsule in November 2021.

Need more air in space? Magnets could yank it out of water. Need more air in space? Magnets could yank it out of water.

By Tatyana Woodall

NIST computer room with small glass vacuum chamber

It’s pretty hard to measure nothing, but these engineers are getting close It’s pretty hard to measure nothing, but these engineers are getting close

Spherical fusion energy reactor in gold, copper, and silver seen from above

Nuclear power’s biggest problem could have a small solution Nuclear power’s biggest problem could have a small solution

Platinum atoms and liquid graphene seen in red and purple under a microscope next to a graphic of material particle locations

See the first video of solitary solid atoms playing with liquid See the first video of solitary solid atoms playing with liquid

By Purbita Saha

Diving mannequins enter a pool so researchers can measure what forces affect them.

What engineers learned about diving injuries by throwing dummies into a pool What engineers learned about diving injuries by throwing dummies into a pool