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Natalie Wolchover

Columnist

Latest Articles

Decoding the Secrets of Superconductivity

April 30, 2014

Experimentalists have pinpointed the microscopic structure of waves inside high-temperature superconductors, which could be the key to understanding the complex materials.

Time’s Arrow Traced to Quantum Source

April 16, 2014

A new theory explains the seemingly irreversible arrow of time while yielding insights into entropy, quantum computers, black holes, and the past-future divide.

Possible Echo of Big Bang Detected

March 17, 2014

Scientists report the possible discovery of primordial gravitational waves, ripples in space-time that carry a record of how the universe began.

Betting on the Future of Quantum Gravity

March 14, 2014

New calculations suggest physicists may someday discover a fundamental theory of gravity, but it could require a radical new perspective on the universe.

Case for Dark Matter Signal Strengthens

March 3, 2014

A new analysis strengthens the case that gamma rays emanating from the center of the Milky Way come from dark matter particles known as WIMPs.

Big Bang Secrets Swirling in a Fluid Universe

February 12, 2014

With a new approach that treats the universe as a fluid, cosmologists plan to tease out the fine details of the Big Bang from its behavior and evolution.

A New Physics Theory of Life

January 22, 2014

An MIT physicist has proposed the provocative idea that life exists because the law of increasing entropy drives matter to acquire lifelike physical properties.

A New Tool to Help Mathematicians Pack

December 20, 2013

Improvements in how densely spheres and other shapes can be packed together could lead to advances in materials science, deep space communication and theoretical physics.

Could Knots Unravel Mysteries of Fluid Flow?

December 9, 2013

By investigating the central role played by knots in fluids and fields, physicists hope to unravel long-standing mysteries of turbulence.