Physics

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.

When checking that solutions to certain problems are correct, it turns out, you can’t get around the inherent complexity of the quantum world.

The hunt for these ghostly particles has required some of the most audacious experimental setups ever built.

Recent observations suggest that dark energy is changing over time. Theorists wonder if dark matter is, too.

Plausible answers range from 17 to — in all seriousness — 995.5.

At first, scientists thought Earth’s water came from comets. Then, asteroids. Now, they wonder if Earth’s water is homegrown.

The podcast returns with 12 all-new episodes that explore the biggest questions in basic science and mathematics.

In holographic theories, physicists may have traced the pliability of space-time to its quantum roots: a measure of quantumness known as “magic.”

Over hundreds of years, increasingly sophisticated instruments have revealed — and continue to reveal — the secrets of our star.