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Physics
mathematical physics
At Long Last, Mathematical Proof That Black Holes Are Stable
The solutions to Einstein’s equations that describe a spinning black hole won’t blow up, even when poked or prodded.
theoretical physics
Particle Physicists Puzzle Over a New Duality
A hidden link has been found between two seemingly unrelated particle collision outcomes. It’s the latest example of a mysterious web of mathematical connections between disparate theories of physics.
![Image of a spiral galaxy strewn with ribbons of pink light.]](https://d2r55xnwy6nx47.cloudfront.net/uploads/2022/07/NGC7496_520x292.jpg)
astronomy
Two Weeks In, the Webb Space Telescope Is Reshaping Astronomy
In the days after the mega-telescope started delivering data, astronomers reported new discoveries about galaxies, stars, exoplanets and even Jupiter.
Q&A
The Astrophysicist Who Sculpts Stars Before They Are Born
Nia Imara is working to understand the mysterious clouds of gas and dust that collapse into stars.
general relativity
Mass and Angular Momentum, Left Ambiguous by Einstein, Get Defined
Surprising as it may sound, 107 years after the introduction of general relativity, the meanings of basic concepts are still being worked out.
geology
Life Helps Make Almost Half of Earth’s Minerals
A new origins-based system for classifying minerals reveals the huge geochemical imprint that life has left on Earth. It could help us identify other worlds with life too.
condensed matter physics
Controversy Continues Over Whether Hot Water Freezes Faster Than Cold
Decades after a Tanzanian teenager initiated study of the “Mpemba effect,” the effort to confirm or refute it is leading physicists toward new theories about how substances relax to equilibrium.
explainers
The Spooky Quantum Phenomenon You’ve Never Heard Of
Quantum computers may derive their power from the “magical” way that properties of particles change depending on the context.
complex systems
Wheel Made of ‘Odd Matter’ Spontaneously Rolls Uphill
Physicists have solved a key problem of robotic locomotion by revising the usual rules of interaction between simple component parts.