Scientists uncover mystery behind white dwarfs escaping the Milky Way
Astronomers have uncovered the origins of some of the fastest stars in the Milky Way—hypervelocity white dwarfs, which can travel at speeds exceeding 2,000...
Why the universe loves a double helix, from the Sun to the stars
The Sun’s outer atmosphere, known as the solar corona, is a strange and violent place.
It is a million times hotter than the Sun’s surface...
Why the bubbles in Belgian beers refuse to pop
For beer lovers, there’s nothing quite as satisfying as a frothy head of foam on a freshly poured glass.
But while some beers lose their...
How warped cosmic disks are changing our view of planet formation
For decades, scientists have imagined planet formation as a calm and orderly process.
The picture was simple: young stars surrounded by flat, pancake-like disks of...
What, exactly, is space-time?
Few ideas in modern science have reshaped our understanding of reality more profoundly than space-time—the interwoven fabric of space and time at the heart...
Scientists use bent crystals to steer particles toward new physics
Physicists at CERN have achieved a world first that could help unlock mysteries lying beyond our current understanding of particle physics.
In a new proof-of-principle...
Engineers achieve first real-world quantum internet test
The dream of a quantum internet—a network that uses the bizarre rules of quantum mechanics to transmit information—has taken an important step toward reality.
Engineers...
How cutting-edge physics could put holograms in your smartphone
The dream of having holograms on your phone, tablet, or even in everyday communication may be closer than ever.
A team of researchers from the...
Scientists push graphene beyond traditional semiconductors
Graphene—a one-atom-thick sheet of carbon arranged in a honeycomb pattern—has long been celebrated as a wonder material.
It is stronger than steel, incredibly flexible, and...
Habitable planet potential increases in the outer galaxy
What can the Galactic Habitable Zone (GHZ), which is a galaxy’s region where complex life is hypothesized to be able to evolve, teach scientists...