Archive

Latest Articles

Physicists Puzzle Over Emergence of Strange Electron Aggregates

May 29, 2024

Electrons have been seen uniting into entities with fractions of electric charge, this time without a magnetic field coaxing them into it.

Simple Equation Predicts the Shapes of Carbon-Capturing Wetlands

May 28, 2024

To calculate the amount of carbon stored inside peatlands, researchers developed a unified theory of “bog physics” applicable around the world.

The S-Matrix Is the Oracle Physicists Turn To in Times of Crisis

May 23, 2024

Particle physicists in search of the next theory of reality are consulting a mathematical structure that they know will never fail: a table of possibilities known as the S-matrix.

What Happens in the Brain to Cause Depression?

May 23, 2024

Drugs that target the neurotransmitter serotonin have long been prescribed to treat depression. Now the spotlight is turning to other aspects of brain chemistry. In this episode, the neuropharmacologist John Krystal shares findings that are overturning our understanding of depression.

Q&A

How Failure Has Made Mathematics Stronger

May 22, 2024

The topologist Danny Calegari discusses the inevitability of disappointment in math, and how to learn from it.

Electric ‘Ripples’ in the Resting Brain Tag Memories for Storage

May 21, 2024

New experiments reveal how the brain chooses which memories to save and add credence to advice about the importance of rest.

AI Needs Enormous Computing Power. Could Light-Based Chips Help?

May 20, 2024

Optical neural networks, which use photons instead of electrons, have advantages over traditional systems. They also face major obstacles.

He Seeks Mystery Magnetic Fields With His Quantum Compass

May 17, 2024

Alex Sushkov is updating an old technology with new quantum tricks in hopes of sensing the magnetic influence of dark matter.

Computer Scientists Invent an Efficient New Way to Count

May 16, 2024

By making use of randomness, a team has created a simple algorithm for estimating large numbers of distinct objects in a stream of data.