New Scientist - Physics / /build/images/ns-logo-scaled.ed2dc11a.png daily 1 /article/2520367-exclusive-report-inside-chernobyl-40-years-after-nuclear-disaster/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Mon, 13 Apr 2026 15:00:01 +0100 New Scientist reporter Matthew Sparkes secured unrivalled access to Chernobyl's most crucial scientific sites, where researchers are fighting to protect the area and ensure it remains safe amid the constant threat of attack from Russia 2520367-exclusive-report-inside-chernobyl-40-years-after-nuclear-disaster|2520367 /article/2523048-the-stunning-physics-of-project-hail-mary-go-back-to-ancient-china/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Tue, 14 Apr 2026 18:34:27 +0100 How do you portray momentum in space accurately? Columnist Chanda Prescod-Weinstein takes a look at the origins of our understanding of motion, which runs from Isaac Newton back to the Zhou dynasty a millennia ago 2523048-the-stunning-physics-of-project-hail-mary-go-back-to-ancient-china|2523048 /article/2520435-the-man-who-crawls-into-the-perilous-heart-of-the-chernobyl-reactor/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Mon, 13 Apr 2026 15:00:24 +0100 Ever since the Chernobyl nuclear reactor exploded in 1986, scientists have needed to monitor radioactive conditions inside. That job currently falls to Anatoly Doroshenko, who explains the dangers and importance of his work to New Scientist 2520435-the-man-who-crawls-into-the-perilous-heart-of-the-chernobyl-reactor|2520435 /article/2520573-were-solving-the-fundamental-mystery-of-how-reality-is-glued-together/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Mon, 06 Apr 2026 17:00:03 +0100 For decades, scientists have tried and failed to explain how the force that binds the heart of atoms together really works. But new mathematical tools are finally prising the problem open 2520573-were-solving-the-fundamental-mystery-of-how-reality-is-glued-together|2520573 /article/2519999-the-invisibility-cloak-inventor-now-has-better-tricks-up-his-sleeve/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 08 Apr 2026 17:00:26 +0100 John Pendry is known for creating an invisibility cloak. Twenty years on, he has used the same principles to fashion an even more powerful kind of metamaterial that can teach us about the wild frontiers of physics 2519999-the-invisibility-cloak-inventor-now-has-better-tricks-up-his-sleeve|2519999 /article/2522404-quantum-batteries-could-be-charged-by-reversing-time/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Fri, 10 Apr 2026 12:00:15 +0100 Physicists have shown how time can effectively be reversed for some quantum systems, which would allow for new ways to harvest energy 2522404-quantum-batteries-could-be-charged-by-reversing-time|2522404 /article/2522294-physicists-resolve-a-long-standing-puzzle-over-the-size-of-a-proton/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Fri, 10 Apr 2026 10:00:07 +0100 Two extremely precise experiments agree with a previously shocking measurement of just how big the proton is, which may help future searches for new particles 2522294-physicists-resolve-a-long-standing-puzzle-over-the-size-of-a-proton|2522294 /article/2522100-quantum-entanglement-can-be-measured-in-solids-for-the-first-time/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 08 Apr 2026 18:00:39 +0100 A method that relies on hitting materials with neutrons can measure how much quantum entanglement hides within them, which could enable new kinds of quantum technology 2522100-quantum-entanglement-can-be-measured-in-solids-for-the-first-time|2522100 /article/2522324-particles-seen-emerging-from-empty-space-for-first-time/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 08 Apr 2026 13:00:39 +0100 By tracing the origins of an unusual, short-lived particle, researchers have gathered some of the strongest evidence yet that mass can emerge from fluctuations in the vacuum 2522324-particles-seen-emerging-from-empty-space-for-first-time|2522324 /article/2522105-how-a-century-long-argument-over-lights-true-nature-came-to-an-end/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Tue, 07 Apr 2026 19:00:45 +0100 Two of the forefathers of quantum theory, Albert Einstein and Niels Bohr, had a famous argument over whether light is a wave or a particle. Columnist Karmela Padavic-Callaghan finds that the matter has been settled once and for all 2522105-how-a-century-long-argument-over-lights-true-nature-came-to-an-end|2522105 /article/2519026-a-once-fantastical-collider-could-answer-physics-biggest-mysteries/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Tue, 31 Mar 2026 17:00:50 +0100 The muon collider was once dismissed as impossible, but is now gaining steam as the successor to the Large Hadron Collider. If built, it could offer a new window to reality  2519026-a-once-fantastical-collider-could-answer-physics-biggest-mysteries|2519026 /video/2521695-cern-upgrade-inside-the-worlds-largest-scientific-experiment/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 01 Apr 2026 19:00:09 +0100 The world's largest particle smasher is due an upgrade, but is there anything left to discover? 2521695-cern-upgrade-inside-the-worlds-largest-scientific-experiment|2521695 /article/2521212-how-anthony-leggett-pushed-the-boundaries-of-quantum-physics/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Fri, 27 Mar 2026 12:00:30 +0000 After the passing of physicist Anthony Leggett, columnist Karmela Padavic-Callaghan remembers their personal connection with this giant of quantum physics, and explores the legacy of his enduring recipe for testing the edges of the quantum world 2521212-how-anthony-leggett-pushed-the-boundaries-of-quantum-physics|2521212 /article/2520546-computer-finds-flaw-in-major-physics-paper-for-first-time/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Thu, 26 Mar 2026 14:56:44 +0000 A computer language designed to robustly verify mathematical theorems and expose logical flaws has been turned towards a physics paper – and spotted an error. The discovery raises questions about how many other papers may harbour similar issues 2520546-computer-finds-flaw-in-major-physics-paper-for-first-time|2520546 /article/2520758-temperature-gets-a-new-definition-using-a-quantum-device/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Thu, 26 Mar 2026 08:00:24 +0000 A device that relies on quantum effects and oversized atoms may be a more reliable way to measure temperature that doesn't require calibration 2520758-temperature-gets-a-new-definition-using-a-quantum-device|2520758 /article/2520548-antimatter-has-been-transported-by-road-for-the-first-time/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Tue, 24 Mar 2026 13:30:12 +0000 CERN is working on building an antimatter delivery service. The project passed a big test by successfully transporting 92 antiprotons around a 4-kilometre loop of road 2520548-antimatter-has-been-transported-by-road-for-the-first-time|2520548 /article/2520506-how-ai-shook-the-worlds-largest-meeting-of-physicists/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Tue, 24 Mar 2026 13:00:47 +0000 Physicists are grappling with how the increasing presence of AI will change the nature of their profession 2520506-how-ai-shook-the-worlds-largest-meeting-of-physicists|2520506 /article/2520160-inside-the-worlds-first-antimatter-delivery-service/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Sat, 21 Mar 2026 06:00:05 +0000 On Tuesday, CERN will transport antiprotons on a truck for the first time, testing the plan to deliver antimatter by road to research labs across Europe 2520160-inside-the-worlds-first-antimatter-delivery-service|2520160 /article/2518470-forget-the-multiverse-in-the-pluriverse-we-create-reality-together/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Mon, 16 Mar 2026 16:00:20 +0000 A radical idea that resolves many quantum paradoxes suggests there is no objective view of reality. How can the cosmos be stitched together from interlocking perspectives? 2518470-forget-the-multiverse-in-the-pluriverse-we-create-reality-together|2518470 /article/2519634-physicists-create-formula-for-how-many-times-you-can-fold-a-crepe/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Thu, 19 Mar 2026 10:00:33 +0000 When you fold a flexible material such as a pancake or a tortilla, its behaviour depends on a competition between gravity and elasticity 2519634-physicists-create-formula-for-how-many-times-you-can-fold-a-crepe|2519634 /article/2519363-the-mystery-of-how-volcanic-lightning-happens-has-been-solved/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 18 Mar 2026 16:00:44 +0000 When particles in volcanic ash cloud rub together, some pick up positive charge and others negative – now physicists have finally elucidated how these different charges are determined 2519363-the-mystery-of-how-volcanic-lightning-happens-has-been-solved|2519363 /article/2519595-particle-discovered-at-cern-solves-a-20-year-old-mystery/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Tue, 17 Mar 2026 09:00:32 +0000 Physicists working on the LHCb experiment have spotted an elusive and fleeting particle, a heavier and more charming cousin to the proton, that has been sought for decades 2519595-particle-discovered-at-cern-solves-a-20-year-old-mystery|2519595 /article/2516990-would-aliens-do-physics-or-is-science-a-human-invention/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Tue, 03 Mar 2026 09:00:18 +0000 Shaped by a different biology or culture, other intelligent civilisations – if they’re out there – might understand the universe in a completely different way than we do. Physicist Daniel Whiteson explores what that could tell us about physics and ourselves 2516990-would-aliens-do-physics-or-is-science-a-human-invention|2516990 /video/2517128-inside-the-best-dark-matter-detector-ever-built/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 25 Feb 2026 18:00:47 +0000 LUX-ZEPLIN is the most sensitive dark matter detector on Earth. Will it finally detect WIMPs? 2517128-inside-the-best-dark-matter-detector-ever-built|2517128 /article/2516593-loophole-found-that-makes-quantum-cloning-possible/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Tue, 24 Feb 2026 12:00:59 +0000 Duplicating the information held in quantum computers was thought to be impossible thanks to the no-cloning theorem, but researchers have now found a workaround 2516593-loophole-found-that-makes-quantum-cloning-possible|2516593 /article/2514983-the-mystery-of-nuclear-magic-numbers-has-finally-been-resolved/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Mon, 16 Feb 2026 18:00:59 +0000 A mathematical equivalent of a microscope with variable resolution has shed light on why some atoms are exceptionally stable, a riddle that has persisted in nuclear physics for decades 2514983-the-mystery-of-nuclear-magic-numbers-has-finally-been-resolved|2514983 /article/2515178-backwards-heat-shows-laws-of-thermodynamics-may-need-a-quantum-update/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Mon, 16 Feb 2026 10:00:57 +0000 We are used to heat flowing from hot objects to cool ones, and never the other way round, but now researchers have found it is possible to pull off this trick in the strange realm of quantum mechanics 2515178-backwards-heat-shows-laws-of-thermodynamics-may-need-a-quantum-update|2515178 /video/2515398-the-experiments-that-could-finally-explain-gravity/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 11 Feb 2026 18:04:35 +0000 Cooling metal bars to near absolute zero, suspending microscopic gold beads, or searching for signs that gravity might be quantum: meet the scientists hunting for gravity's elusive nature Dashboard 2515398-the-experiments-that-could-finally-explain-gravity|2515398 /article/2514626-time-crystals-could-be-used-to-build-accurate-quantum-clocks/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Tue, 10 Feb 2026 17:00:27 +0000 Once considered an oddity of quantum physics, time crystals could be a good building block for accurate clocks and sensors, according to new calculations 2514626-time-crystals-could-be-used-to-build-accurate-quantum-clocks|2514626 /article/2514425-physicists-can-now-take-control-of-hidden-friction-in-devices/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Mon, 09 Feb 2026 11:00:03 +0000 One type of friction can waste energy even when two perfectly smooth surfaces move against each other, but researchers are getting a handle on how to attenuate or stop it completely 2514425-physicists-can-now-take-control-of-hidden-friction-in-devices|2514425 /article/2514481-physicists-warn-of-catastrophic-impact-from-uk-science-cuts/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Fri, 06 Feb 2026 17:44:19 +0000 Science funding cuts in the UK are expected to be a "devastasting blow" for physics research, affecting international projects such as particle detection experiments at CERN 2514481-physicists-warn-of-catastrophic-impact-from-uk-science-cuts|2514481 /article/2514189-record-breaking-quantum-simulator-could-unlock-new-materials/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 04 Feb 2026 16:00:34 +0000 An array of 15,000 qubits made from phosphorus and silicon offers an unprecedentedly large platform for simulating quantum materials such as perfect conductors of electricity 2514189-record-breaking-quantum-simulator-could-unlock-new-materials|2514189 /article/2513618-the-weird-rules-of-temperature-get-even-stranger-in-the-quantum-realm/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Tue, 03 Feb 2026 18:00:48 +0000 Can a single particle have a temperature? It may seem impossible with our standard understanding of temperature, but columnist Jacklin Kwan finds that it’s not exactly ruled out in the quantum realm 2513618-the-weird-rules-of-temperature-get-even-stranger-in-the-quantum-realm|2513618 /article/mg26935800-600-a-remarkable-book-on-quantum-mechanics-reveals-a-really-big-idea/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 28 Jan 2026 18:00:00 +0000 Where is physics headed? No one knows for sure, but Beyond the Quantum by Antony Valentini is a striking new book that reminds us what a big idea really looks like, finds Jon Cartwright mg26935800-600-a-remarkable-book-on-quantum-mechanics-reveals-a-really-big-idea|2513027 /article/2511723-the-daring-idea-that-time-is-an-illusion-and-how-we-could-prove-it/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Mon, 26 Jan 2026 16:00:33 +0000 The way time ticks forward in our universe has long stumped physicists. Now, a new set of tools from entangled atoms to black holes promises to reveal time’s true nature 2511723-the-daring-idea-that-time-is-an-illusion-and-how-we-could-prove-it|2511723 /article/2513267-the-universe-may-be-hiding-a-fundamentally-unknowable-quantum-secret/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Thu, 29 Jan 2026 12:00:24 +0000 Even given a set of possible quantum states for our cosmos, it's impossible for us to determine which one of them is correct 2513267-the-universe-may-be-hiding-a-fundamentally-unknowable-quantum-secret|2513267 /article/mg26935800-300-engaging-look-at-friction-shows-how-it-keeps-our-world-rubbing-along/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 28 Jan 2026 18:00:00 +0000 How much do you know about friction? Jennifer R. Vail's charming, if sometimes technical, "biography" of the force showcases its amazing and largely overlooked role in everything from climate change to dark matter, says Karmela Padavic-Callaghan mg26935800-300-engaging-look-at-friction-shows-how-it-keeps-our-world-rubbing-along|2513024 /article/2512894-we-have-a-new-way-to-explain-why-we-agree-on-the-nature-of-reality/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Tue, 27 Jan 2026 08:00:20 +0000 An evolution-inspired framework for how quantum fuzziness gives rise to our classical world shows that even imperfect observers can eventually agree on an objective reality 2512894-we-have-a-new-way-to-explain-why-we-agree-on-the-nature-of-reality|2512894 /article/2508838-embracing-quantum-spookiness-best-ideas-of-the-century/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Mon, 19 Jan 2026 16:00:59 +0000 The strange principle of quantum entanglement baffled Albert Einstein. Yet finally putting quantum weirdness to the ultimate test, and embracing the results, turned out to be a revolutionary idea 2508838-embracing-quantum-spookiness-best-ideas-of-the-century|2508838 /article/mg26935795-700-lets-nitpick-about-the-physics-of-stranger-things-not-its-ending/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 21 Jan 2026 18:00:00 +0000 Feedback has seen all the fuss about the finale of Stranger Things, but would like to point out that if we're going to dissect the plot, we have bigger things to worry about mg26935795-700-lets-nitpick-about-the-physics-of-stranger-things-not-its-ending|2512440 /video/2512882-does-dark-energy-stem-from-a-thermodynamic-theory-of-space-time/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 21 Jan 2026 20:07:26 +0000 By studying ripples in space-time, physicists are testing wheather dark energy might stem from hidden dimensions, elusive fields detectable only in deep space, or, even, from the very atoms of space-time itself 2512882-does-dark-energy-stem-from-a-thermodynamic-theory-of-space-time|2512882 /article/2512468-chernobyl-cooling-systems-have-lost-power-but-meltdown-risk-is-low/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Tue, 20 Jan 2026 16:25:40 +0000 An electrical outage at Chernobyl nuclear power plant risks dangerous fuel overheating, but experts say that the chances are extremely slim due to the age of the reactors, which were shut down over two decades ago 2512468-chernobyl-cooling-systems-have-lost-power-but-meltdown-risk-is-low|2512468 /article/2509985-our-elegant-universe-rethinking-natures-deepest-principle/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Mon, 12 Jan 2026 16:00:44 +0000 For centuries, the principle of symmetry has guided physicists towards more fundamental truths, but now a slew of shocking findings suggest a far stranger idea from quantum theory could be a deeper driving force 2509985-our-elegant-universe-rethinking-natures-deepest-principle|2509985 /article/2510484-these-striking-photos-are-a-window-into-the-world-of-quantum-physics/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 14 Jan 2026 18:00:45 +0000 David Severn has taken a series of images of scientists working on quantum physics for King’s College London’s new Quantum Untangled exhibition 2510484-these-striking-photos-are-a-window-into-the-world-of-quantum-physics|2510484 /article/2503844-are-we-living-in-a-simulation-this-experiment-could-tell-us/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Mon, 08 Dec 2025 10:00:13 +0000 The idea that we might be living in a simulated reality has worried us for centuries. Now physicists have found some tantalising clues – and devised an experiment that might reveal the truth 2503844-are-we-living-in-a-simulation-this-experiment-could-tell-us|2503844 /article/2504149-a-new-understanding-of-causality-could-fix-quantum-theorys-fatal-flaw/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Mon, 24 Nov 2025 16:00:39 +0000 Quantum theory fails to explain how the reality we experience emerges from the world of particles. A new take on quantum cause and effect could bridge the gap 2504149-a-new-understanding-of-causality-could-fix-quantum-theorys-fatal-flaw|2504149 /article/2509266-ghostly-particles-might-just-break-our-understanding-of-the-universe/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Mon, 05 Jan 2026 08:00:49 +0000 An analysis of several experiments aimed at detecting the mysterious neutrino has identified a hint of a crack in the standard model of particle physics 2509266-ghostly-particles-might-just-break-our-understanding-of-the-universe|2509266 /article/2504572-physicists-stirred-up-controversy-with-scientific-cooking-tips-in-2025/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Tue, 30 Dec 2025 17:00:12 +0000 Cacio e pepe pasta and boiled eggs were the subjects of meticulous studies aiming to help cooks achieve perfection, but the reimagined recipes weren't always well-received 2504572-physicists-stirred-up-controversy-with-scientific-cooking-tips-in-2025|2504572 /article/2508704-a-controversial-experiment-threatened-to-kill-the-multiverse-in-2025/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Tue, 30 Dec 2025 11:00:08 +0000 A photon was apparently detected in two places at once in a twist on the classic double-slit experiment, but many physicists didn't accept the results 2508704-a-controversial-experiment-threatened-to-kill-the-multiverse-in-2025|2508704 /article/2508932-inside-worlds-ultimate-x-ray-machine-before-it-becomes-more-powerful/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Mon, 29 Dec 2025 12:00:42 +0000 The Linac Coherent Light Source in California has been firing record-breaking X-ray pulses for years, but now it’s due for a shutdown and an upgrade. When it is turned back on, it will be even more powerful 2508932-inside-worlds-ultimate-x-ray-machine-before-it-becomes-more-powerful|2508932 /article/2507992-physicists-used-dark-photons-in-an-effort-to-rewrite-physics-in-2025/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 24 Dec 2025 17:00:45 +0000 A new theory of "dark photons" attempted to explain a centuries-old experiment in a new way this year, in an effort to change our understanding of the nature of light 2507992-physicists-used-dark-photons-in-an-effort-to-rewrite-physics-in-2025|2507992 /article/2502000-how-3-imaginary-physics-demons-tore-up-the-laws-of-nature/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 10 Dec 2025 18:00:06 +0000 Three thought experiments involving “demons” have haunted physics for centuries. What should we make of them today? 2502000-how-3-imaginary-physics-demons-tore-up-the-laws-of-nature|2502000 /video/2509073-scientists-build-a-window-into-the-fourth-dimension/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 17 Dec 2025 18:00:34 +0000 The concept of a fourth dimension is so elusive and mysterious that many of us find it almost impossible to comprehend. But could an additional layer of spatial reality truly exist? 2509073-scientists-build-a-window-into-the-fourth-dimension|2509073 /article/2507777-qubits-break-quantum-limit-to-encode-information-for-longer/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Fri, 12 Dec 2025 08:00:32 +0000 Controlling qubits with quantum superpositions allows them to dramatically violate a fundamental limit and encode information for about five times longer during quantum computations 2507777-qubits-break-quantum-limit-to-encode-information-for-longer|2507777 /article/2501960-inside-the-wild-experiments-physicists-would-do-with-zero-limits/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 10 Dec 2025 16:00:27 +0000 From a particle smasher encircling the moon to an “impossible” laser, five scientists reveal the experiments they would run in a world powered purely by imagination 2501960-inside-the-wild-experiments-physicists-would-do-with-zero-limits|2501960 /article/2505176-black-hole-entropy-hints-at-a-surprising-truth-about-our-universe/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Tue, 02 Dec 2025 16:00:29 +0000 Two clashing ideas about disorder inside black holes now point to the same strange conclusions, and it could reshape the foundations of how we think about space and time 2505176-black-hole-entropy-hints-at-a-surprising-truth-about-our-universe|2505176 /article/2506830-quantum-experiment-settles-a-century-old-row-between-einstein-and-bohr/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Fri, 05 Dec 2025 14:00:25 +0000 Albert Einstein and Niels Bohr had an ongoing rivalry about the true nature of quantum mechanics, and came up with a thought experiment that could settle the matter. Now, that experiment has finally been performed for real 2506830-quantum-experiment-settles-a-century-old-row-between-einstein-and-bohr|2506830 /article/2505823-why-quantum-mechanics-says-the-past-isnt-real/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Tue, 02 Dec 2025 18:00:10 +0000 The famous double-slit experiment brings into question the very nature of matter. Its cousin, the quantum eraser experiment, makes us question the very existence of time – and how much we can manipulate it 2505823-why-quantum-mechanics-says-the-past-isnt-real|2505823 /article/2505669-physicists-have-worked-out-a-universal-law-for-how-objects-shatter/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Thu, 27 Nov 2025 18:00:36 +0000 Whether it is a cube of sugar or a chunk of a mineral, a mathematical analysis can identify how many fragments of each size any brittle object will break into 2505669-physicists-have-worked-out-a-universal-law-for-how-objects-shatter|2505669 /article/2505811-we-might-have-just-seen-the-first-hints-of-dark-matter/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Tue, 25 Nov 2025 23:00:49 +0000 Unexplained gamma ray radiation coming from the edge of the Milky Way galaxy could be produced by self-annihilating dark matter particles – but the idea requires further investigation 2505811-we-might-have-just-seen-the-first-hints-of-dark-matter|2505811 /article/2505430-we-may-need-a-fourth-law-of-thermodynamics-for-living-systems/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Tue, 25 Nov 2025 19:11:31 +0000 The laws of thermodynamics don't accurately account for the complex processes in living cells – do we need a new one to accurately measure the ways living systems are out of equilibrium? 2505430-we-may-need-a-fourth-law-of-thermodynamics-for-living-systems|2505430 /article/mg26835700-600-brian-eno-and-beatie-wolfe-discuss-their-new-spacebound-album-liminal/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 19 Nov 2025 18:00:00 +0000 Brian Eno and Beatie Wolfe's album Liminal is being transmitted into space by Nobel laureate Robert Wilson. They give Chelsea Whyte the lowdown mg26835700-600-brian-eno-and-beatie-wolfe-discuss-their-new-spacebound-album-liminal|2504481 /article/2504960-physics-of-light-and-magnetism-rewritten-after-almost-two-centuries/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 19 Nov 2025 10:00:25 +0000 An experiment 180 years ago first demonstrated a connection between light and electromagnetism – but the link is deeper than we thought 2504960-physics-of-light-and-magnetism-rewritten-after-almost-two-centuries|2504960 /article/mg26835700-300-an-ambitious-look-at-quantum-physics-is-fun-but-overdoes-it-a-little/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 19 Nov 2025 18:00:00 +0000 Attempts to describe quantum physics are rarely enjoyable, but Paul Davies' zeal in Quantum 2.0 sometimes steers too close to hype, finds Karmela Padavic-Callaghan mg26835700-300-an-ambitious-look-at-quantum-physics-is-fun-but-overdoes-it-a-little|2504478 /article/2504419-the-forgotten-women-of-quantum-physics/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Fri, 14 Nov 2025 10:00:06 +0000 Physics has a reputation for being dominated by men, especially a century ago, as quantum physics was just being invented – but there have been so many women who helped shaped the field since its inception 2504419-the-forgotten-women-of-quantum-physics|2504419 /video/2503248-quantum-numbers-are-the-true-essence-of-reality-says-vlatko-vedral/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 05 Nov 2025 18:04:53 +0000 No particles, no space, no time.  What, then, is reality made of? asks quantum physicist Vlatko Vedral 2503248-quantum-numbers-are-the-true-essence-of-reality-says-vlatko-vedral|2503248 /article/2501889-the-fascinating-story-of-the-ultimate-cosmic-law/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Tue, 04 Nov 2025 18:00:39 +0000 How do we know the speed of light – and why does it have a speed limit at all? Leah Crane explores the history of one of the most important numbers in the universe 2501889-the-fascinating-story-of-the-ultimate-cosmic-law|2501889 /article/2500081-no-space-no-time-no-particles-a-radical-vision-of-quantum-reality/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Mon, 27 Oct 2025 16:00:41 +0000 If we admit that quantum numbers are the true essence of reality – not particles, space or time – then a surprising and beautiful new vision of reality opens up to us 2500081-no-space-no-time-no-particles-a-radical-vision-of-quantum-reality|2500081 /article/2502414-quantum-computers-reveal-that-the-wave-function-is-a-real-thing/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Fri, 31 Oct 2025 17:00:37 +0000 The uncertainty inherent to quantum mechanics has long left physicists wondering whether the observations we make on the quantum level reflect reality - a new test suggests they do 2502414-quantum-computers-reveal-that-the-wave-function-is-a-real-thing|2502414 /article/2502130-the-us-is-unlikely-to-test-nuclear-weapons-despite-what-trump-says/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Thu, 30 Oct 2025 16:10:12 +0000 President Donald Trump appears to have ordered a return to nuclear testing after decades of uneasy but effective treaties banning the practice – but will it actually happen? 2502130-the-us-is-unlikely-to-test-nuclear-weapons-despite-what-trump-says|2502130 /article/2501892-quantum-inspired-algorithm-could-help-reveal-hidden-cosmic-objects/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Tue, 28 Oct 2025 20:46:45 +0000 Combining a quantum-inspired algorithm and quantum information processing technologies could enable researchers to measure masses of cosmic objects that bend light almost imperceptibly 2501892-quantum-inspired-algorithm-could-help-reveal-hidden-cosmic-objects|2501892 /article/2500688-ultracold-atoms-could-test-relativity-in-the-quantum-realm/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Tue, 21 Oct 2025 17:00:46 +0100 Confining and rotating extremely cold atoms or molecules within atomic “Ferris wheels” made from laser light could test relativity’s predictions on the quantum scale 2500688-ultracold-atoms-could-test-relativity-in-the-quantum-realm|2500688 /article/2500538-we-can-use-ordinary-sugar-in-the-search-for-dark-matter/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Fri, 17 Oct 2025 16:59:07 +0100 Physicists have tried so many different ways to find dark matter, but none has been successful. Now an unexpected contender has entered the arena - ordinary table sugar. 2500538-we-can-use-ordinary-sugar-in-the-search-for-dark-matter|2500538 /article/2498236-the-30-year-fight-over-how-many-numbers-we-need-to-describe-reality/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 15 Oct 2025 17:00:10 +0100 In 1992, three physicists began an argument about how many numbers we need to fully describe the universe. Their surprisingly long-running quarrel takes us to the heart of what’s truly real 2498236-the-30-year-fight-over-how-many-numbers-we-need-to-describe-reality|2498236 /article/2499424-physicists-are-uncovering-when-natures-strongest-force-falters/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Fri, 10 Oct 2025 17:50:54 +0100 The strong nuclear force may abruptly loosen its grip on the fundamental particles that make up matter at a special “critical point” – researchers are now getting a clearer picture of when that point is reached 2499424-physicists-are-uncovering-when-natures-strongest-force-falters|2499424 /article/2499486-swirly-lasers-can-control-an-ungovernable-cousin-of-magnetism/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Thu, 09 Oct 2025 20:00:34 +0100 Short pulses of light that impart rotation on a material's atoms can be used to switch a property called ferroaxiality, which could let us build very stable and efficient memory devices 2499486-swirly-lasers-can-control-an-ungovernable-cousin-of-magnetism|2499486 /article/2499035-electrons-inside-graphene-have-been-pushed-to-supersonic-speeds/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 08 Oct 2025 19:18:35 +0100 Making electrons flow like a liquid is difficult, but inside graphene researchers forced them to move so fast that they created dramatic shockwaves 2499035-electrons-inside-graphene-have-been-pushed-to-supersonic-speeds|2499035 /article/2499053-nobel-prize-for-physics-goes-to-trio-behind-quantum-computing-chips/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Tue, 07 Oct 2025 11:58:15 +0100 The 2025 Nobel prize in physics has gone to John Clarke, Michel Devoret and John Martinis, whose work has led to the development of today's quantum computers 2499053-nobel-prize-for-physics-goes-to-trio-behind-quantum-computing-chips|2499053 /article/2498087-we-may-finally-know-what-causes-will-o-the-wisps/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Mon, 29 Sep 2025 21:00:55 +0100 Mysterious flashes of light seen in swamps and bogs could be caused by burning methane or other gases, ignited by sparks that fly between bubbles in water 2498087-we-may-finally-know-what-causes-will-o-the-wisps|2498087 /article/2497886-ultracold-clocks-could-reveal-how-quantum-physics-alters-time/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Mon, 29 Sep 2025 13:00:34 +0100 The world’s best clocks may be sensitive to an odd mix of quantum and relativistic effects that would stretch time and test the boundaries of physics 2497886-ultracold-clocks-could-reveal-how-quantum-physics-alters-time|2497886 /article/2497100-hints-of-exotic-dark-matter-particles-could-be-hiding-in-lhc-data/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Tue, 23 Sep 2025 17:00:17 +0100 Particles similar to axions, the leading candidate for dark matter that has long eluded detection, may have already been created in particle colliders – and remained hidden in the data 2497100-hints-of-exotic-dark-matter-particles-could-be-hiding-in-lhc-data|2497100 /article/2497081-unforgeable-quantum-money-can-be-stored-in-an-ultracold-debit-card/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Fri, 19 Sep 2025 20:00:55 +0100 Using the quantum states of particles of light as currency could make for unforgeable transactions, and a new experiment has added a way to save some of that quantum money for future use, too 2497081-unforgeable-quantum-money-can-be-stored-in-an-ultracold-debit-card|2497081 /article/2496211-making-atoms-self-magnify-reveals-their-quantum-wave-functions/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Tue, 16 Sep 2025 13:00:42 +0100 Trapping ultracold atoms with laser light let researchers magnify and then image the wave functions of atoms that were previously too close together to look like anything but a blob 2496211-making-atoms-self-magnify-reveals-their-quantum-wave-functions|2496211 /article/2493944-what-its-like-to-run-the-worlds-best-dark-matter-detector/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Mon, 15 Sep 2025 17:00:42 +0100 Chamkaur Ghag is on a mission to find the 85 per cent of the universe’s matter that we haven’t yet identified. He details his hopes for the major scientific experiment – and what the future could hold 2493944-what-its-like-to-run-the-worlds-best-dark-matter-detector|2493944 /article/2494508-weve-glimpsed-the-secret-quantum-landscape-inside-all-matter/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Mon, 08 Sep 2025 15:00:16 +0100 A strange kind of geometry governs how particles move inside matter. Now, for the first time, physicists have uncovered its full shape – and it could transform how we design materials 2494508-weve-glimpsed-the-secret-quantum-landscape-inside-all-matter|2494508 /article/2495951-why-simple-tasks-like-charging-your-phone-rely-on-quantum-measurements/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Thu, 11 Sep 2025 15:00:07 +0100 A hidden world of quantum metrologists ensure that everyday devices perform safely and correctly, but their work is never done 2495951-why-simple-tasks-like-charging-your-phone-rely-on-quantum-measurements|2495951 /article/mg26735602-700-even-in-our-digital-world-materials-still-matter/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 10 Sep 2025 19:00:00 +0100 Next to the flashy realm of AI, materials may seem quaint. But new quantum research could yield revolutionary breakthroughs, with the power to transform our world mg26735602-700-even-in-our-digital-world-materials-still-matter|2495513 /article/2494574-we-could-spot-a-new-type-of-black-hole-thanks-to-a-mirror-wobbling-ai/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Thu, 04 Sep 2025 20:00:52 +0100 The Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) uses lasers and mirrors to look for black holes across the universe, and it turns out a Google DeepMind AI could make it even more sensitive 2494574-we-could-spot-a-new-type-of-black-hole-thanks-to-a-mirror-wobbling-ai|2494574 /article/mg26735592-500-should-it-be-space-time-or-spacetime-and-why-does-it-matter-anyway/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 03 Sep 2025 19:00:00 +0100 Seeking endorsements for her new book, Chanda Prescod-Weinstein finds herself staring at fundamental questions of space, time – and grammar mg26735592-500-should-it-be-space-time-or-spacetime-and-why-does-it-matter-anyway|2494486 /article/2493968-hottest-engine-in-the-world-reveals-weirdness-of-microscopic-physics/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Fri, 29 Aug 2025 14:10:36 +0100 A tiny engine comprised of a glass bead zapped with electric fields behaves as if it is operating 2000 times hotter than the sun 2493968-hottest-engine-in-the-world-reveals-weirdness-of-microscopic-physics|2493968 /article/2493372-nuclear-fusion-gets-a-boost-from-a-controversial-debunked-experiment/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 20 Aug 2025 17:00:42 +0100 A 1989 experiment offered the promise of nuclear fusion without the need for high temperatures, but this "cold fusion" was quickly debunked. Now, some of the techniques involved have been resurrected in a new experiment that could actually improve efforts to achieve practical fusion power 2493372-nuclear-fusion-gets-a-boost-from-a-controversial-debunked-experiment|2493372 /article/2491566-physicist-frank-wilczeks-unique-insights-on-the-nature-of-reality/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 20 Aug 2025 17:00:55 +0100 Frank Wilczek has one of the most brilliant and original minds in theoretical physics, having come up with the idea of time crystals among much else. Where is his curiosity taking him now? 2491566-physicist-frank-wilczeks-unique-insights-on-the-nature-of-reality|2491566 /article/2493104-flower-like-origami-patterns-could-inspire-folding-spacecraft/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 20 Aug 2025 01:01:05 +0100 Engineers have developed a class of origami structures that unfold in one smooth motion to create flower-like shapes, which could have applications in space 2493104-flower-like-origami-patterns-could-inspire-folding-spacecraft|2493104 /article/2492734-quantum-device-detects-all-units-of-electricity-at-once/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Mon, 18 Aug 2025 14:00:14 +0100 Defining the fundamental units of electricity used to require two finicky quantum devices – but now scientists have found an easier way to standardise our electrical measurements 2492734-quantum-device-detects-all-units-of-electricity-at-once|2492734 /article/2492767-jupiters-moon-ganymede-could-be-a-giant-dark-matter-detector/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Mon, 18 Aug 2025 09:00:34 +0100 Large pieces of dark matter hitting Jupiter’s largest moon would form distinctive craters in its icy surface, and upcoming space missions might be able to spot them 2492767-jupiters-moon-ganymede-could-be-a-giant-dark-matter-detector|2492767 /article/2492571-we-have-detected-a-single-electron-with-unprecedented-speed/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Fri, 15 Aug 2025 13:00:58 +0100 An extremely precise detection method for single electrons, which pins down the particles with a resolution of trillionths of a second, may provide a valuable building block for future quantum technologies 2492571-we-have-detected-a-single-electron-with-unprecedented-speed|2492571 /article/mg26735562-200-this-book-could-convince-you-to-become-an-engineer/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 13 Aug 2025 19:00:00 +0100 From DNA sequencing to rainbows, the world of microfluidics is well-served by Albert Folch's book How the World Flows, says Karmela Padavic-Callaghan mg26735562-200-this-book-could-convince-you-to-become-an-engineer|2492070 /article/2492538-extremely-cold-atoms-defy-entropy-and-refuse-to-heat-up/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Thu, 14 Aug 2025 20:00:32 +0100 Adding energy to a group of ultracold atoms should make them fly away from each other with many different energies, but quantum effects can counteract this 2492538-extremely-cold-atoms-defy-entropy-and-refuse-to-heat-up|2492538 /article/2492619-why-no-one-can-agree-on-what-quantum-physics-really-means/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Thu, 14 Aug 2025 16:03:54 +0100 For a century, quantum theory has passed every experimental test, but physicists can’t agree on how to use it to paint a picture of our reality – or even whether that is possible 2492619-why-no-one-can-agree-on-what-quantum-physics-really-means|2492619 /article/2491843-oddly-viscous-stars-could-be-impersonating-black-holes/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Fri, 08 Aug 2025 23:00:33 +0100 Calculations suggest stars that are very viscous could reflect gravitational waves and produce signals very similar to those produced by black holes 2491843-oddly-viscous-stars-could-be-impersonating-black-holes|2491843