Physicists have found that an elementary particle called the W boson appears to be 0.1% too heavy — a tiny discrepancy that could foreshadow a huge shift in fundamental physics. The measurement, reported today in […]
Category: quantamagazine
Everyone knows what a knot is. But knots have special significance in math and science because their properties can help unlock secrets hidden within topics ranging as widely as the biochemistry of DNA, the synthesis […]
In 1868, the mathematician Charles Dodgson (better known as Lewis Carroll) proclaimed that an encryption scheme called the Vigenère cipher was “unbreakable.” He had no proof, but he had compelling reasons for his belief, since […]
A mosquito watches you through a lattice of microscopic lenses. You stare back, fly swatter in hand, closely tracking the bloodsucker with your humble single-lens eyes. But it turns out that the way you see […]
The computer scientist Erik Demaine and his artist and computer scientist father, Martin Demaine, have been pushing the limits of paper folding for years. Their intricate origami sculptures are part of the permanent collection at […]
Since the steam engine began modernizing the world, the second law of thermodynamics has reigned over physics, chemistry, engineering and biology. Now, an upgrade is underway. Thermodynamics — the study of energy — originated during […]
Lillian Pierce vividly remembers a moment when she was 4 years old, waiting in her family’s station wagon for her older brother and sister to get out of school, magnolia trees forming pink and white […]
When two black holes collide, the titanic crash ripples out through the very fabric of the cosmos. Physicists have used Albert Einstein’s theory of gravity to predict the rough contours of these gravitational waves as […]
Even when it’s not apparent, cells in our tissues and organs are constantly on the move. In fact, the ability of cells to get where they need to go is essential to our health and […]
Now that pandemic restrictions are easing up, people are getting together again. But it’s been a while, so if you and your friends need some help breaking the ice, here’s a mathematical party game you […]
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