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What Physical ‘Life Force’ Turns Biology’s Wheels?
The bacterial flagellar motor is finally understood after 50 years. In its workings, columnist Natalie Wolchover finds the essence of life.
Quantum ‘Jamming’ Explores the Truly Fundamental Principles of Nature
Some quantum cryptographers want to find ways to keep messages secret even if the rules of quantum mechanics don’t hold. The recently rediscovered idea of quantum jamming complicates things.
The Ancient Weapons Active in Your Immune System Today
Dozens of new discoveries reveal that defenses evolved by bacteria and viruses billions of years ago still define our own innate immune system.
The AI Revolution in Math Has Arrived
AI is being used to prove new results at a rapid pace. Mathematicians think this is just the beginning.
Why Do We Tell Ourselves Scary Stories About AI?
Our tales of AI developing the will to survive, commandeer resources, and manipulate people say more about us than they do about language models.
Experiments Ring the ‘Death Knell’ for Sterile Neutrinos
Decades of weird experimental results appeared to support the existence of the sterile neutrino, a hypothetical particle that would solve multiple mysteries. But recent experiments have killed hope of finding these phantoms, leaving physicists to wonder what might explain their anomalies.
An Arctic Road Trip Brings Vital Underground Networks into View
A vast meshwork of soil-bound fungi governs life aboveground. In Alaska, and at field sites around the world, researchers are racing to understand exactly how, with essential stores of carbon at stake.
New Advances Bring the Era of Quantum Computers Closer Than Ever
Two research groups say they have significantly reduced the amount of qubits and time required to crack common online security technologies.
A Through-The-Lens Look at the World’s Particle Physics Labs
The winning entries in the 2025 Global Physics Photowalk contest showcase the beauty of toil and discovery.