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Cosmology
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Researchers Check Space-Time to See if It’s Made of Quantum Bits
The newly developed theory of emergent gravity, proposed as an alternative to dark matter, struggles in one of its first trials.
Dark Matter Recipe Calls for One Part Superfluid
A different kind of dark matter could help to resolve an old celestial conundrum.
Discoveries Fuel Fight Over Universe’s First Light
A series of observations at the very edge of the universe has reignited a debate over what lifted the primordial cosmic fog.
A Cosmic Burst Repeats, Deepening a Mystery
After a surprise discovery, astrophysicists are racing to understand superenergetic flashes of radio waves that sometimes beep out from distant galaxies.
The Case Against Dark Matter
A proposed theory of gravity does away with dark matter, even as new astrophysical findings challenge the need for galaxies full of the invisible mystery particles.
Off-the-Shelf Lens Assists Dark Matter Find
A camera lens often used by wildlife and sports photographers has helped astronomers learn about dark matter and galaxy formation.
The Strange Second Life of String Theory
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.
A Debate Over the Physics of Time
According to our best theories of physics, the universe is a fixed block where time only appears to pass.
Physicists Hunt for the Big Bang’s Triangles
The story of the universe’s birth — and evidence for string theory — could be found in triangles and myriad other shapes in the sky.