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Steve Nadis

Contributing Writer

Latest Articles

mathematical physics

A Century Later, New Math Smooths Out General Relativity

By Steve Nadis
November 30, 2023
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Mathematicians prove a theorem that illuminates the geometry of universes with tiny amounts of mass.

obituary

The Mathematician Who Sculpted the Shape of Space

By Steve Nadis
October 16, 2023
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Eugenio Calabi, who died on September 25, conceived of novel geometric objects that later became fundamental to string theory.

neural networks

The Physical Process That Powers a New Type of Generative AI

By Steve Nadis
September 19, 2023
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Some modern image generators rely on the principles of diffusion to create images. Alternatives based on the process behind the distribution of charged particles may yield even better results.

mathematical physics

Math Proof Draws New Boundaries Around Black Hole Formation

By Steve Nadis
August 16, 2023
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For a half century, mathematicians have tried to define the exact circumstances under which a black hole is destined to exist. A new proof shows how a cube can help answer the question.

A robot hand plucks a puzzle piece with a particle from a mostly empty puzzle.
neural networks

Sparse Networks Come to the Aid of Big Physics

By Steve Nadis
June 8, 2023
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A novel type of neural network is helping physicists with the daunting challenge of data analysis.

Researcher Chris German standing beside a remotely operated vehicle at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute.
Q&A

An Explorer of Abyssal Depths Looks to Oceans on Other Worlds

By Steve Nadis
June 7, 2023
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The marine geochemist Chris German brings decades of experience studying seafloor hydrothermal vents to NASA’s preparations for visits to other ocean worlds in our solar system.

machine learning

Some Neural Networks Learn Language Like Humans

By Steve Nadis
May 22, 2023
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Researchers uncover striking parallels in the ways that humans and machine learning models acquire language skills.

a worm superimposed with lines and nodes representing neural networks
neural networks

Researchers Discover a More Flexible Approach to Machine Learning

By Steve Nadis
February 7, 2023
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“Liquid” neural nets, based on a worm’s nervous system, can transform their underlying algorithms on the fly, giving them unprecedented speed and adaptability.

Fanciful illustration of galaxies with various geometric shapes at their centers.
mathematical physics

Mathematicians Find an Infinity of Possible Black Hole Shapes

By Steve Nadis
January 24, 2023
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In three-dimensional space, the surface of a black hole must be a sphere. But a new result shows that in higher dimensions, an infinite number of configurations are possible.


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About the author

Steve Nadis lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts. His articles have appeared in numerous magazines, including Discover and Astronomy. He is co-author, most recently, of The Shape of a Life.
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