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theoretical physics
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‘Quantum Atmospheres’ May Reveal Secrets of Matter
A new theory proposes that the quantum properties of an object extend into an “atmosphere” that surrounds the material.
A New Test for the Leading Big Bang Theory
Cosmologists have predicted the existence of an oscillating signal that could distinguish between cosmic inflation and alternative theories of the universe’s birth.
The End of Theoretical Physics as We Know It
Computer simulations and custom-built quantum analogues are changing what it means to search for the laws of nature.
Black Hole Firewalls Could Be Too Tepid to Burn
String theorists elide a paradox about black holes by extinguishing the walls of fire feared to surround them.
Dark Energy May Be Incompatible With String Theory
A controversial new paper argues that universes with dark energy profiles like ours do not exist in the “landscape” of universes allowed by string theory.
Closed Loophole Confirms the Unreality of the Quantum World
A quickly closed loophole has proved that the “great smoky dragon” of quantum mechanics may forever elude capture.
Mathematicians Tame Turbulence in Flattened Fluids
By squeezing fluids into flat sheets, researchers can get a handle on the strange ways that turbulence feeds energy into a system instead of eating it away.
There Are No Laws of Physics. There’s Only the Landscape.
Scientists seek a single description of reality. But modern physics allows for many different descriptions, many equivalent to one another, connected through a vast landscape of mathematical possibility.
Questioning Truth, Reality and the Role of Science
In an era when untestable ideas such as the multiverse hold sway, Michela Massimi defends science from those who think it hopelessly unmoored from physical reality.