Physics

Quantum computers should soon be able to beat classical computers at certain basic tasks. But before they’re truly powerful, researchers have to overcome a number of fundamental roadblocks.

A series of fossil finds suggests that life on Earth started earlier than anyone thought, calling into question a widely held theory of the solar system’s beginnings.

The Navier-Stokes equations describe simple, everyday phenomena, like water flowing from a garden hose, yet they provide a million-dollar mathematical challenge.

A mysterious object that repeatedly bursts with ultra-powerful radio waves must live in an extreme environment — something like the one around a supermassive black hole.

For decades, physicists have struggled to create a quantum theory of gravity. Now an approach that dates to the 1970s is attracting newfound attention.

What does measuring distances in sailing and astrophysics have to with motion sickness?

A complete classification could lead to a wealth of new materials and technologies. But some exotic phases continue to resist understanding.

This holiday season, catch up on science and math news while solving our year-end crossword.

Two mathematicians prove that under certain extreme conditions, the Navier-Stokes equations output nonsense.