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Meet the New Math, Unlike the Old Math

October 5, 2016

The latest effort to overhaul math and science education offers a fundamental rethinking of the basic structure of knowledge. But will it be given time to work?

Nobel Prize Awarded for Quantum Topology

October 4, 2016

Three physicists have been awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for rewriting our understanding of exotic quantum states on the surfaces of materials.

Off-the-Shelf Lens Assists Dark Matter Find

September 28, 2016

A camera lens often used by wildlife and sports photographers has helped astronomers learn about dark matter and galaxy formation.

Strange Dark Galaxy Puzzles Astrophysicists

September 27, 2016

The surprising discovery of a massive, Milky Way–size galaxy that is made of 99.99 percent dark matter has astronomers dreaming up new ideas about how galaxies form.

The Strange Second Life of String Theory

September 15, 2016

String theory has so far failed to live up to its promise as a way to unite gravity and quantum mechanics. At the same time, it has blossomed into one of the most useful sets of tools in science.

From Gaia, a Twinkling Treasure Trove

September 14, 2016

The first star map from the ESA’s Gaia space telescope is poised to revolutionize our understanding of the Milky Way galaxy.

Responding Rapidly to Big Discoveries

September 9, 2016

How do scientists react to major breaking science news? For astrophysicists after the big gravitational waves announcement, it was meeting for two weeks in Santa Barbara, California.

Colliding Black Holes Tell New Story of Stars

September 6, 2016

Just months after their discovery, gravitational waves coming from the mergers of black holes are shaking up astrophysics.

Q&A

A Seeker of Dark Matter’s Hidden Light

September 1, 2016

The astrophysicist Tracy Slatyer is searching for faint wisps of dark matter annihilating in the early universe — and perhaps in hiding places closer to home.

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