Astronomer David Kipping discusses why claims of extraterrestrial life keep dissolving under scrutiny, why we need a more statistically grounded approach to searching for life beyond Earth, and why it’s rational to believe that we may be alone.
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Latest Articles
Thermodynamic Computers Go With the (Energy) Flow
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Today’s computers need safeguards against random energy fluctuations. Thermodynamic computers would put those fluctuations to use.
Why Am I Left-Handed?
An invisible difference in 10% of humans poses deep mysteries in several fields at once.
We Know Simple Fluids Can Flow. Turns Out, Some Can Fracture.
Researchers thought that what enabled complex fluids to break apart was their elasticity. But a crack in a nonelastic simple fluid has them questioning that idea.
Is Life Just Different?
The idea of ‘biological agency’ — that life devises its own goals and behaves accordingly — complicates our understanding of what it means to be alive. But does it serve a scientific purpose?
Researchers Reveal the Power of ‘Quantum Proofs’
When checking that solutions to certain problems are correct, it turns out, you can’t get around the inherent complexity of the quantum world.
For the First Time, a Cell Built From Scratch Grows and Divides
Scientists built a synthetic cell that combines more lifelike properties than ever before — proof of concept that it’s possible to bring nonliving materials to life, or something close to it, in the lab.
What Breaks a Cell’s Ribs Can Make It Stronger
The mechanical process of cell division exerts powerful, if microscopic, forces. How do the molecular machines that power it manage the strain?
After 80 Years, Mathematicians Give Famed ‘Erdős Method’ an Upgrade
Decades ago, Paul Erdős used randomness to illuminate the vast and weird world of networks. Now mathematicians are making his technique even more powerful.
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Intuition breaks down once we’re dealing with the endless. To begin with: Some infinities are bigger than others.
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Illuminating basic science and math research through public service journalism.
More about usQuanta Magazine is committed to in-depth, accurate journalism that serves the public interest. Each article braids the complexities of science with the malleable art of storytelling and is meticulously reported, edited and fact-checked. Launched and funded by the Simons Foundation, Quanta is editorially independent — our articles do not reflect or represent the views of the foundation.
