Gravity

Has the secret to understanding gravity been hiding in plain sight for nearly 50 years?

The theoretical physicist and best-selling author finds inspiration in politics and philosophy for rethinking space and time.

According to Einstein’s theory of gravity, black holes have only a small handful of distinguishing characteristics. Quantum theory implies they may have more. Now an experimental search finds that any of this extra ‘hair’ has to be pretty short.

A team of mathematicians based in Vienna is developing tools to extend the scope of general relativity.

A new argument explores how the growth of disorder could cause massive objects to move toward one another. Physicists are both interested and skeptical.

Black hole and Big Bang singularities break our best theory of gravity. A trilogy of theorems hints that physicists must go to the ends of space and time to find a fix.

Last year, an enormous map of the cosmos hinted that the engine driving cosmic expansion might be sputtering. Now physicists are back with an even bigger map, and a stronger conclusion.

Physicists hope that understanding the churning region near singularities might help them reconcile gravity and quantum mechanics.

A new experimental proposal suggests detecting a particle of gravity is far easier than anyone imagined. Now physicists are debating what it would really prove.