New Scientist - Physics New Scientist - Physics https://www.newscientist.com/ New Scientist - Physics https://www.newscientist.com/build/images/ns-logo-scaled.ed2dc11a.png https://www.newscientist.com daily 1 Cocktail science: Mix these drinks and learn about fluid dynamics https://www.newscientist.com/video/2409877-cocktail-science-mix-these-drinks-and-learn-about-fluid-dynamics/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Sat, 30 Dec 2023 16:00:24 +0000 Josh Howgego explores four cocktails that demonstrate the weird physics of fluids, and how you can try them at home 2409877-cocktail-science-mix-these-drinks-and-learn-about-fluid-dynamics|2409877 Quantum state of matter made with 'dipolar' molecules for first time https://www.newscientist.com/article/2409964-quantum-state-of-matter-made-with-dipolar-molecules-for-first-time/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Fri, 29 Dec 2023 13:00:10 +0000 A quantum state of matter comprising molecules with opposite charges at each end has been made for the first time. It could help probe our understanding of the quantum properties of exotic materials 2409964-quantum-state-of-matter-made-with-dipolar-molecules-for-first-time|2409964 Human cells have a resonant frequency – and it’s just barely audible https://www.newscientist.com/article/2409699-human-cells-have-a-resonant-frequency-and-its-just-barely-audible/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Thu, 28 Dec 2023 07:00:31 +0000 Like a tuning fork, living human cells have frequencies at which they naturally vibrate – and now we have estimates for what some of them are 2409699-human-cells-have-a-resonant-frequency-and-its-just-barely-audible|2409699 Springs made from rusty metallic glass could power nanorobots https://www.newscientist.com/article/2409232-springs-made-from-rusty-metallic-glass-could-power-nanorobots/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Thu, 28 Dec 2023 12:00:50 +0000 Most metals oxidise, or rust, when exposed to air, which normally weakens them, but a kind of metallic glass instead gets more springy 2409232-springs-made-from-rusty-metallic-glass-could-power-nanorobots|2409232 Dark stars may be waiting in a mirror universe for us to discover them https://www.newscientist.com/article/2408830-dark-stars-may-be-waiting-in-a-mirror-universe-for-us-to-discover-them/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Mon, 25 Dec 2023 12:00:10 +0000 Physicists have proposed that a mirror universe alongside our own might explain dark matter ­– and we might be able to see traces of its stars 2408830-dark-stars-may-be-waiting-in-a-mirror-universe-for-us-to-discover-them|2408830 Quantum physicists just got more certain about quantum uncertainty https://www.newscientist.com/article/2409067-quantum-physicists-just-got-more-certain-about-quantum-uncertainty/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Thu, 21 Dec 2023 08:00:44 +0000 An extension of Heisenberg's uncertainty principle, which places limits on how precisely you can measure the properties of quantum objects, has found that it really isn't possible to cheat the laws of quantum physics 2409067-quantum-physicists-just-got-more-certain-about-quantum-uncertainty|2409067 The laws of physics were broken in 2023 - by sperm https://www.newscientist.com/article/2408702-the-laws-of-physics-were-broken-in-2023-by-sperm/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 20 Dec 2023 12:00:53 +0000 New Scientist's most popular story of the year was about the discovery that sperm break Isaac Newton's third law of motion 2408702-the-laws-of-physics-were-broken-in-2023-by-sperm|2408702 Famous quantum experiment could be shrunk to the size of a single atom https://www.newscientist.com/article/2409196-famous-quantum-experiment-could-be-shrunk-to-the-size-of-a-single-atom/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 20 Dec 2023 13:00:28 +0000 A single, extremely cold atom could play the role of two slits in the classic double-slit experiment from quantum physics, something that was previously thought to be impossible 2409196-famous-quantum-experiment-could-be-shrunk-to-the-size-of-a-single-atom|2409196 Snowflakes fall to the ground according to a universal pattern https://www.newscientist.com/article/2409457-snowflakes-fall-to-the-ground-according-to-a-universal-pattern/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Tue, 19 Dec 2023 16:00:25 +0000 After analysing the way half a million snowflakes fell during mountain storms in Utah, researchers found surprising similarities 2409457-snowflakes-fall-to-the-ground-according-to-a-universal-pattern|2409457 Make these four classic cocktails and become a fluid dynamics expert https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26034691-900-make-these-four-classic-cocktails-and-become-a-fluid-dynamics-expert/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Tue, 12 Dec 2023 16:00:00 +0000 Delicious drinks can be the perfect miniature laboratory for demonstrating the weird physics of fluids. Here are four of the best examples and how you can try them at home mg26034691-900-make-these-four-classic-cocktails-and-become-a-fluid-dynamics-expert|2407674 LK-99 superconductor mania swept the internet for a few weeks in 2023 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26034690-200-lk-99-superconductor-mania-swept-the-internet-for-a-few-weeks-in-2023/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 13 Dec 2023 18:00:00 +0000 The promise of a material that could revolutionise the way we use electricity captured imaginations on social media, which also helped researchers quickly determine that LK-99 wasn't what it seemed mg26034690-200-lk-99-superconductor-mania-swept-the-internet-for-a-few-weeks-in-2023|2407648 Video inside centrifuge shows we don’t fully understand fluid physics https://www.newscientist.com/article/2407923-video-inside-centrifuge-shows-we-dont-fully-understand-fluid-physics/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Fri, 15 Dec 2023 16:00:06 +0000 The first footage from inside a centrifuge has uncovered unexpected swirls and vortices inside shower gel and other fluids 2407923-video-inside-centrifuge-shows-we-dont-fully-understand-fluid-physics|2407923 Mystery of the quantum lentils: Are legumes exchanging secret signals? https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26034691-200-mystery-of-the-quantum-lentils-are-legumes-exchanging-secret-signals/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Tue, 12 Dec 2023 16:00:00 +0000 For 100 years, we have puzzled over the purpose of biophotons, low-level radiation emitted by all plants. Precision studies of lentils now hint that it could be a form of quantum communication mg26034691-200-mystery-of-the-quantum-lentils-are-legumes-exchanging-secret-signals|2407667 Seams on a baseball shift its trajectory by unexpectedly large amount https://www.newscientist.com/article/2406130-seams-on-a-baseball-shift-its-trajectory-by-unexpectedly-large-amount/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Thu, 07 Dec 2023 15:00:32 +0000 When a baseball is tilted and spinning just right, its raised, hand-stitched seams skew the process by which its wake is created and radically shift its trajectory in the air 2406130-seams-on-a-baseball-shift-its-trajectory-by-unexpectedly-large-amount|2406130 Why I've been somewhat obsessed with space-time this year https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26034680-200-why-ive-been-somewhat-obsessed-with-space-time-this-year/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 06 Dec 2023 18:00:00 +0000 I have been revisiting the Unruh effect, a beautiful, strange concept that describes quantum field theory in curved-space time, says Chanda Prescod-Weinstein mg26034680-200-why-ive-been-somewhat-obsessed-with-space-time-this-year|2406758 Why adding water when you grind coffee beans makes for a better brew https://www.newscientist.com/article/2406880-why-adding-water-when-you-grind-coffee-beans-makes-for-a-better-brew/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 06 Dec 2023 16:00:21 +0000 Coffee aficionados often add a drop of water to their beans before grinding – now scientists have shown that this leads to less mess and a more flavourful espresso 2406880-why-adding-water-when-you-grind-coffee-beans-makes-for-a-better-brew|2406880 The wonder particle: How axions could solve more than just dark matter https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26034670-700-the-wonder-particle-how-axions-could-solve-more-than-just-dark-matter/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 29 Nov 2023 16:00:00 +0000 Physicists are coming to realise that hypothetical particles called axions could explain not only dark matter, but dark energy too, and more besides. Now there is fresh impetus to detect them mg26034670-700-the-wonder-particle-how-axions-could-solve-more-than-just-dark-matter|2404889 Physicists have worked out how to pour water as quietly as possible https://www.newscientist.com/article/2404565-physicists-have-worked-out-how-to-pour-water-as-quietly-as-possible/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Thu, 30 Nov 2023 11:00:08 +0000 The sound of pouring water into a cup can be tamped down by changing the height of the pour or the diameter of the spout, but physicists have found that changing just one of these never makes it fully silent 2404565-physicists-have-worked-out-how-to-pour-water-as-quietly-as-possible|2404565 Physicists find ultimate limit for how accurate clocks can be https://www.newscientist.com/article/2405140-physicists-find-ultimate-limit-for-how-accurate-clocks-can-be/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Tue, 28 Nov 2023 10:48:30 +0000 A fundamental trade-off between the resolution of a clock and its accuracy could have important implications for quantum computers, which must measure short timescales accurately 2405140-physicists-find-ultimate-limit-for-how-accurate-clocks-can-be|2405140 A mysterious, incredibly energetic cosmic ray has smashed into Earth https://www.newscientist.com/article/2404603-a-mysterious-incredibly-energetic-cosmic-ray-has-smashed-into-earth/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Thu, 23 Nov 2023 19:00:26 +0000 A cosmic ray dubbed Amaterasu is the second most powerful one we have ever seen, beaten only by the "Oh-My-God particle". Both have baffled astronomers and defy explanation 2404603-a-mysterious-incredibly-energetic-cosmic-ray-has-smashed-into-earth|2404603 Lasers fired at crystals could uncover quantum nature of the vacuum https://www.newscientist.com/article/2403363-lasers-fired-at-crystals-could-uncover-quantum-nature-of-the-vacuum/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Fri, 17 Nov 2023 19:00:45 +0000 Ultra-short laser pulses may allow us to measure entanglement in a way that answers questions about the quantum nature of the vacuum 2403363-lasers-fired-at-crystals-could-uncover-quantum-nature-of-the-vacuum|2403363 Tiny lasers can be made from soap bubbles https://www.newscientist.com/article/2402943-tiny-lasers-can-be-made-from-soap-bubbles/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Thu, 16 Nov 2023 12:00:48 +0000 Shining light on bubbles made from soapy water mixed with a fluorescent dye turns them into tiny lasers that can work as pressure sensors 2402943-tiny-lasers-can-be-made-from-soap-bubbles|2402943 Ultracold atoms in space will let us stress test Einstein's relativity https://www.newscientist.com/article/2402740-ultracold-atoms-in-space-will-let-us-stress-test-einsteins-relativity/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 15 Nov 2023 16:00:47 +0000 Potassium and rubidium atoms aboard the International Space Station have been cooled almost to absolute zero to put a fundamental principle of Einstein’s general theory of relativity to the ultimate test 2402740-ultracold-atoms-in-space-will-let-us-stress-test-einsteins-relativity|2402740 Our sketchy understanding of the big bang is ripe for reimagining https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26034643-200-our-sketchy-understanding-of-the-big-bang-is-ripe-for-reimagining/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 08 Nov 2023 18:00:00 +0000 Cosmologists have come to see the early universe as a whole series of transformations, or phase transitions, opening the door to intriguing possibilities for what really happened during the big bang mg26034643-200-our-sketchy-understanding-of-the-big-bang-is-ripe-for-reimagining|2401743 A second big bang? The radical idea rewriting dark matter’s origins https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26034640-300-a-second-big-bang-the-radical-idea-rewriting-dark-matters-origins/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 08 Nov 2023 15:00:00 +0000 The enduring mystery of dark matter has led some physicists to propose that it was forged in a distinct moment of cosmic creation, potentially transforming our view of the early universe mg26034640-300-a-second-big-bang-the-radical-idea-rewriting-dark-matters-origins|2401121 First practical use for nuclear fusion could help cancer treatment https://www.newscientist.com/article/2399777-first-practical-use-for-nuclear-fusion-could-help-cancer-treatment/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Fri, 10 Nov 2023 14:00:11 +0000 Fusion reactors could be used to produce radioactive isotopes for hospitals way before they become useful power generators 2399777-first-practical-use-for-nuclear-fusion-could-help-cancer-treatment|2399777 Why the quantum universe is weirder than you think https://www.newscientist.com/article/2400473-why-the-quantum-universe-is-weirder-than-you-think/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Fri, 10 Nov 2023 07:00:21 +0000 The quantum realm is full of strange effects, but there’s a reason why everything looks normal from our point of view, writes physicist Sebastian Deffner 2400473-why-the-quantum-universe-is-weirder-than-you-think|2400473 Physicists have invented a new way to shake a martini https://www.newscientist.com/article/2401492-physicists-have-invented-a-new-way-to-shake-a-martini/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Thu, 09 Nov 2023 19:00:29 +0000 Shaking a martini glass back and forth creates an intricate vortex pattern in the cocktail that takes on a different shape depending on the physical properties of the drink 2401492-physicists-have-invented-a-new-way-to-shake-a-martini|2401492 Bubble collisions underwater may create tiny droplets in sea spray https://www.newscientist.com/article/2401950-bubble-collisions-underwater-may-create-tiny-droplets-in-sea-spray/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Thu, 09 Nov 2023 08:00:30 +0000 We have long struggled to explain why sea spray contains so many tiny water droplets – now, experiments suggest the droplets may be created underwater when bubbles collide and merge 2401950-bubble-collisions-underwater-may-create-tiny-droplets-in-sea-spray|2401950 Superconductor hopes dashed after journal retracts ‘red matter’ study https://www.newscientist.com/article/2401794-superconductor-hopes-dashed-after-journal-retracts-red-matter-study/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 08 Nov 2023 13:19:22 +0000 Nature has retracted the scientific paper that claimed earlier this year that the wonder material known as “red matter” was the world’s first room-temperature superconductor 2401794-superconductor-hopes-dashed-after-journal-retracts-red-matter-study|2401794 Quantum batteries could charge better by breaking rules of causality https://www.newscientist.com/article/2401198-quantum-batteries-could-charge-better-by-breaking-rules-of-causality/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Fri, 03 Nov 2023 21:13:05 +0000 Taking advantage of a quantum phenomenon called indefinite causal order could make quantum batteries charge more efficiently 2401198-quantum-batteries-could-charge-better-by-breaking-rules-of-causality|2401198 World's most sensitive force sensor measures in ‘quectonewtons’ https://www.newscientist.com/article/2400075-worlds-most-sensitive-force-sensor-measures-in-quectonewtons/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 01 Nov 2023 09:00:59 +0000 The quantum behaviours of extremely cold rubidium atoms can be used to detect forces smaller than a tenth of what is needed to lift a single electron 2400075-worlds-most-sensitive-force-sensor-measures-in-quectonewtons|2400075 Is space-time quantum? Six ways to unpick the fabric of the universe https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26034621-500-is-space-time-quantum-six-ways-to-unpick-the-fabric-of-the-universe/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 25 Oct 2023 15:00:00 +0100 One of the biggest questions in physics asks whether space-time is classical or quantum in nature. From slow neutrinos to quantum foam, these experiments are hoping to finally answer it mg26034621-500-is-space-time-quantum-six-ways-to-unpick-the-fabric-of-the-universe|2399123 The Great Sphinx of Giza may have been blown into shape by the wind https://www.newscientist.com/article/2399750-the-great-sphinx-of-giza-may-have-been-blown-into-shape-by-the-wind/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Fri, 27 Oct 2023 15:00:58 +0100 As rock is carved by the wind, it can take on a sphinx-like shape, meaning the Great Sphinx in Egypt may have been partly formed through natural processes 2399750-the-great-sphinx-of-giza-may-have-been-blown-into-shape-by-the-wind|2399750 Quantum flywheel could be fashioned from super-sized charged atoms https://www.newscientist.com/article/2399060-quantum-flywheel-could-be-fashioned-from-super-sized-charged-atoms/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Fri, 27 Oct 2023 09:00:20 +0100 A flywheel helps smooth the output of mechanical energy from an engine, and now there is a blueprint for making a quantum version 2399060-quantum-flywheel-could-be-fashioned-from-super-sized-charged-atoms|2399060 The physicist trying to create space-time from scratch https://www.newscientist.com/article/2399292-the-physicist-trying-to-create-space-time-from-scratch/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 25 Oct 2023 17:00:00 +0100 Monika Schleier-Smith is testing the idea that space-time emerges, like a hologram, from quantum interactions by attempting to make it in the lab 2399292-the-physicist-trying-to-create-space-time-from-scratch|2399292 Sperm caught breaking Newton's third law of motion https://www.newscientist.com/article/2397442-sperm-caught-breaking-newtons-third-law-of-motion/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Fri, 20 Oct 2023 15:00:31 +0100 Some biological cells swim freely in a way that apparently breaks one of Newton’s laws of motion – but only if they have strange elastic properties 2397442-sperm-caught-breaking-newtons-third-law-of-motion|2397442 Strange upward lightning shoots out X-rays as it rises to the clouds https://www.newscientist.com/article/2397616-strange-upward-lightning-shoots-out-x-rays-as-it-rises-to-the-clouds/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 18 Oct 2023 20:00:35 +0100 Tall buildings made from electrically conductive materials can send lightning bolts up into the heavens during a thunderstorm, and they generate X-rays at the same time 2397616-strange-upward-lightning-shoots-out-x-rays-as-it-rises-to-the-clouds|2397616 Could nuclear weapons testing resume as global tensions rise? https://www.newscientist.com/article/2397254-could-nuclear-weapons-testing-resume-as-global-tensions-rise/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Tue, 17 Oct 2023 10:49:47 +0100 Only North Korea has detonated nuclear weapons during the 21st century, but recent indications suggest Russia, the US and China are preparing to resume tests 2397254-could-nuclear-weapons-testing-resume-as-global-tensions-rise|2397254 Hiroshi Sugimoto: 'I'm borrowing important scientists' experiences' https://www.newscientist.com/video/2397246-hiroshi-sugimoto-im-borrowing-important-scientists-experiences/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Thu, 12 Oct 2023 13:00:35 +0100 Hiroshi Sugimoto's retrospective puts the influential photographer's scientific inspiration on show 2397246-hiroshi-sugimoto-im-borrowing-important-scientists-experiences|2397246 Future of fusion: How the UK's JET reactor paved the way for ITER https://www.newscientist.com/video/2396239-future-of-fusion-how-the-uks-jet-reactor-paved-the-way-for-iter/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Thu, 05 Oct 2023 19:00:48 +0100 We visited the UK's fusion tokamak, JET, to see how four decades of experimentation is paving the way for ITER, the next-generation reactor in France 2396239-future-of-fusion-how-the-uks-jet-reactor-paved-the-way-for-iter|2396239 Nobel prize for physics goes to trio who sliced up time with light https://www.newscientist.com/article/2395567-nobel-prize-for-physics-goes-to-trio-who-sliced-up-time-with-light/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Tue, 03 Oct 2023 12:05:09 +0100 Pierre Agostini, Ferenc Krausz and Anne L’Huillier figured out how to generate attosecond pulses of light, which last a billionth of a billionth of a second and can be used to make movies of electrons - a find that has won them the 2023 Nobel prize in physics 2395567-nobel-prize-for-physics-goes-to-trio-who-sliced-up-time-with-light|2395567 Large Hadron Collider turned into world's biggest quantum experiment https://www.newscientist.com/article/2395452-large-hadron-collider-turned-into-worlds-biggest-quantum-experiment/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Tue, 03 Oct 2023 10:00:36 +0100 Physicists have used the famous particle smasher to investigate the strange phenomena of quantum entanglement at far higher energies than ever before 2395452-large-hadron-collider-turned-into-worlds-biggest-quantum-experiment|2395452 Force that holds atoms together measured more precisely than ever https://www.newscientist.com/article/2395023-force-that-holds-atoms-together-measured-more-precisely-than-ever/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Mon, 02 Oct 2023 19:00:56 +0100 We know less about the strength of the strong force than of any of the other fundamental forces of nature, but researchers at CERN have now made the most precise measurement of it ever 2395023-force-that-holds-atoms-together-measured-more-precisely-than-ever|2395023 Raisins and nuts dance in fizzy drinks and now we know why https://www.newscientist.com/article/2393578-raisins-and-nuts-dance-in-fizzy-drinks-and-now-we-know-why/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Thu, 28 Sep 2023 15:00:56 +0100 Dropping raisins, nuts or other small objects in a fizzy liquid makes them dance up and down for hours because they keep gaining and losing bubbles 2393578-raisins-and-nuts-dance-in-fizzy-drinks-and-now-we-know-why|2393578 Inside ALPHA-g: The detector measuring gravity's effect on antimatter https://www.newscientist.com/video/2394556-inside-alpha-g-the-detector-measuring-gravitys-effect-on-antimatter/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 27 Sep 2023 18:26:05 +0100 New research has shown that if you drop a piece of antimatter, it will fall down to the ground just like regular matter.  We visited CERN's antimatter factory to find out more 2394556-inside-alpha-g-the-detector-measuring-gravitys-effect-on-antimatter|2394556 Antimatter definitely doesn't fall up, physicists confirm https://www.newscientist.com/article/2394304-antimatter-definitely-doesnt-fall-up-physicists-confirm/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 27 Sep 2023 17:00:43 +0100 In a blow for the hopes of antigravity machines, the first ever test of how antimatter responds to gravity confirms it falls down, not up 2394304-antimatter-definitely-doesnt-fall-up-physicists-confirm|2394304 Quantum engine could power devices with an ultracold atom cloud https://www.newscientist.com/article/2394278-quantum-engine-could-power-devices-with-an-ultracold-atom-cloud/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 27 Sep 2023 17:00:02 +0100 A quantum engine that works by toggling the properties of an ultracold atom cloud could one day be used to charge quantum batteries 2394278-quantum-engine-could-power-devices-with-an-ultracold-atom-cloud|2394278 Twisted lasers could let us send messages with gravitational waves https://www.newscientist.com/article/2393613-twisted-lasers-could-let-us-send-messages-with-gravitational-waves/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Mon, 25 Sep 2023 10:00:47 +0100 Ripples in space-time called gravitational waves are normally associated with massive objects like black holes, but we could make our own using lasers – and perhaps even use them to communicate 2393613-twisted-lasers-could-let-us-send-messages-with-gravitational-waves|2393613 Squeezing loofah sponges creates enough electricity to power LEDs https://www.newscientist.com/article/2393438-squeezing-loofah-sponges-creates-enough-electricity-to-power-leds/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Mon, 25 Sep 2023 21:00:06 +0100 Sponges derived from luffa plants could act as tiny power sources for small devices, say researchers - but they may not supply enough energy to be practical 2393438-squeezing-loofah-sponges-creates-enough-electricity-to-power-leds|2393438 The world’s brightest X-ray machine has been turned on https://www.newscientist.com/article/2392138-the-worlds-brightest-x-ray-machine-has-been-turned-on/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Mon, 18 Sep 2023 15:00:37 +0100 The LCLS-II X-ray laser is unprecedentedly bright, and will make it possible to record exactly what atoms and molecules do during photosynthesis and other chemical reactions 2392138-the-worlds-brightest-x-ray-machine-has-been-turned-on|2392138 City-wide quantum communication network in China is most advanced yet https://www.newscientist.com/article/2391405-city-wide-quantum-communication-network-in-china-is-most-advanced-yet/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Thu, 14 Sep 2023 11:00:45 +0100 A network that connects quantum devices and a central server that spans Hefei, China, can allow multiple secure quantum chats at once 2391405-city-wide-quantum-communication-network-in-china-is-most-advanced-yet|2391405 The quantum world: A concise guide to the particles that make reality https://www.newscientist.com/article/2367423-the-quantum-world-a-concise-guide-to-the-particles-that-make-reality/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 05 Apr 2023 17:30:00 +0100 Get to grips with the deepest layer of reality we know of with our inventory of the subatomic realm, from known particles like quarks and the Higgs boson to hypotheticals including the fifth force and strings in 11 dimensions 2367423-the-quantum-world-a-concise-guide-to-the-particles-that-make-reality|2367423 Roger Penrose: "Consciousness must be beyond computable physics" https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25634130-100-roger-penrose-consciousness-must-be-beyond-computable-physics/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Mon, 14 Nov 2022 18:41:00 +0000 The mathematician shares his latest theories on quantum consciousness, the structure of the universe and how to communicate with civilisations from other cosmological aeons mg25634130-100-roger-penrose-consciousness-must-be-beyond-computable-physics|2346668 How soap operas can help us understand special relativity https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25934561-000-how-soap-operas-can-help-us-understand-special-relativity/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 13 Sep 2023 19:00:00 +0100 Time scales in my favourite soap opera Emmerdale make no sense, but maybe this helps avid fans to normalise the concept of time dilation, says Chanda Prescod-Weinstein mg25934561-000-how-soap-operas-can-help-us-understand-special-relativity|2391511 Physicists can complete our amazing, imperfect picture of reality https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25934553-800-physicists-can-complete-our-amazing-imperfect-picture-of-reality/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 06 Sep 2023 19:00:00 +0100 On its 50th anniversary, the standard model of particle physics remains an unfinished masterpiece. The quest to finally fill in the blanks should be treated not with frustration but joyful anticipation mg25934553-800-physicists-can-complete-our-amazing-imperfect-picture-of-reality|2390833 Why nature is the ultimate quantum engineer https://www.newscientist.com/article/2390076-why-nature-is-the-ultimate-quantum-engineer/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Fri, 08 Sep 2023 08:00:06 +0100 Historically, researchers believed that quantum properties disappear at the scale of biology, but there is increasing evidence that this isn't the full story, says physicist Clarice Aiello 2390076-why-nature-is-the-ultimate-quantum-engineer|2390076 Six ways we could finally find new physics beyond the standard model https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25934553-700-six-ways-we-could-finally-find-new-physics-beyond-the-standard-model/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 06 Sep 2023 15:00:00 +0100 Leading physicists explain how they think we will discover the new particles or forces that would complete one of science's greatest unfinished masterpieces mg25934553-700-six-ways-we-could-finally-find-new-physics-beyond-the-standard-model|2390618 A brief history of the standard model, our theory of almost everything https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25934553-600-a-brief-history-of-the-standard-model-our-theory-of-almost-everything/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 06 Sep 2023 15:00:00 +0100 Our amazing picture of the particles and forces that make reality took decades of invention and experiment to piece together mg25934553-600-a-brief-history-of-the-standard-model-our-theory-of-almost-everything|2390617 An alternative way to picture the standard model of particle physics https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25934553-500-an-alternative-way-to-picture-the-standard-model-of-particle-physics/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 06 Sep 2023 15:00:00 +0100 The classic depiction of the fundamental constituents of matter fails to accurately represent their relationships and what is missing – here’s how to do better mg25934553-500-an-alternative-way-to-picture-the-standard-model-of-particle-physics|2390616 Pumps that beat like the heart could increase energy efficiency https://www.newscientist.com/article/2390342-pumps-that-beat-like-the-heart-could-increase-energy-efficiency/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 06 Sep 2023 17:00:58 +0100 Emulating the pulsating action of the human heart could increase the efficiency of everything from oil pipelines to central heating systems 2390342-pumps-that-beat-like-the-heart-could-increase-energy-efficiency|2390342 Super-heavy oxygen hints at problem with the laws of physics https://www.newscientist.com/article/2389737-super-heavy-oxygen-hints-at-problem-with-the-laws-of-physics/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 30 Aug 2023 17:00:37 +0100 An unprecedentedly heavy version of oxygen is significantly less stable than expected, which suggests a problem our understanding of the nuclear strong force 2389737-super-heavy-oxygen-hints-at-problem-with-the-laws-of-physics|2389737 Physicists create bizarre quantum Alice rings for the first time https://www.newscientist.com/article/2389464-physicists-create-bizarre-quantum-alice-rings-for-the-first-time/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Tue, 29 Aug 2023 11:00:59 +0100 Researchers manipulated thousands of extremely cold atoms to make a ring-like defect that can change the properties of quantum objects that pass through it 2389464-physicists-create-bizarre-quantum-alice-rings-for-the-first-time|2389464 Maxwell's demon imagined by physicists really exists inside our cells https://www.newscientist.com/article/2389336-maxwells-demon-imagined-by-physicists-really-exists-inside-our-cells/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Mon, 28 Aug 2023 11:00:48 +0100 Proteins in the cell membranes of most organisms act like the hypothetical “demon” imagined by James Clerk Maxwell in 1867, which was thought to break the laws of physics 2389336-maxwells-demon-imagined-by-physicists-really-exists-inside-our-cells|2389336 Why Isaac Newton's laws still give physicists a lot to think about https://www.newscientist.com/article/2387337-why-isaac-newtons-laws-still-give-physicists-a-lot-to-think-about/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 16 Aug 2023 19:00:00 +0100 The apparent equivalence of gravitational mass to inertial mass is a remarkable and beautiful feature of the cosmos, with a deep implication, says Chanda Prescod-Weinstein 2387337-why-isaac-newtons-laws-still-give-physicists-a-lot-to-think-about|2387337 Springy ice seen for the first time may explain how clouds make rain https://www.newscientist.com/article/2387874-springy-ice-seen-for-the-first-time-may-explain-how-clouds-make-rain/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 16 Aug 2023 17:00:19 +0100 Clouds are made up of many tiny drops of liquid water suspended at temperatures below freezing, before they are penetrated by ice. Understanding this process better could help improve climate models 2387874-springy-ice-seen-for-the-first-time-may-explain-how-clouds-make-rain|2387874 From time crystals to wormholes: When is a quantum simulation real? https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25934511-300-from-time-crystals-to-wormholes-when-is-a-quantum-simulation-real/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Tue, 08 Aug 2023 17:00:00 +0100 Physicists are using quantum computers to conjure various exotic phenomena and are claiming that their creations are truly real. The work is forcing us to ask challenging questions about the nature of quantum reality mg25934511-300-from-time-crystals-to-wormholes-when-is-a-quantum-simulation-real|2386360 'Demon' particle found in superconductor could explain how they work https://www.newscientist.com/article/2386751-demon-particle-found-in-superconductor-could-explain-how-they-work/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 09 Aug 2023 17:00:23 +0100 A particle called Pines's demon has been seen inside a superconductor, decades after it was first predicted 2386751-demon-particle-found-in-superconductor-could-explain-how-they-work|2386751 Muons are still behaving oddly, which could break particle physics https://www.newscientist.com/article/2387085-muons-are-still-behaving-oddly-which-could-break-particle-physics/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Thu, 10 Aug 2023 21:55:33 +0100 An experiment at Fermilab in the US suggests that muons rotate faster than expected, which would be a problem for the standard model of particle physics 2387085-muons-are-still-behaving-oddly-which-could-break-particle-physics|2387085 LK-99: Mounting evidence suggests material is not a superconductor https://www.newscientist.com/article/2386866-lk-99-mounting-evidence-suggests-material-is-not-a-superconductor/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 09 Aug 2023 22:32:25 +0100 Following a flurry of replication attempts, the claim that LK-99 perfectly conducts electricity at room temperature and pressure is looking unlikely to hold up 2386866-lk-99-mounting-evidence-suggests-material-is-not-a-superconductor|2386866 Why it's so hard to tell if LK-99 is a room-temperature superconductor https://www.newscientist.com/article/2386264-why-its-so-hard-to-tell-if-lk-99-is-a-room-temperature-superconductor/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Fri, 04 Aug 2023 22:18:53 +0100 Researchers have been trying to determine if a material called LK-99 really is a superconductor at room temperature and pressure. Here's what is making it so difficult 2386264-why-its-so-hard-to-tell-if-lk-99-is-a-room-temperature-superconductor|2386264 Scientists race to test claimed room-temperature superconductor https://www.newscientist.com/article/2385743-scientists-race-to-test-claimed-room-temperature-superconductor/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 02 Aug 2023 16:36:43 +0100 Researchers are moving quickly to test if a material called LK-99 really is a superconductor at room temperature and pressure. Several labs have already announced results 2385743-scientists-race-to-test-claimed-room-temperature-superconductor|2385743 Gold flakes glow when they are bathed in light and now we know how https://www.newscientist.com/article/2385531-gold-flakes-glow-when-they-are-bathed-in-light-and-now-we-know-how/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 02 Aug 2023 22:09:15 +0100 Shooting powerful lasers at thin gold flakes has revealed how the precious metal generates its own faint glow – and might help us better control chemical reactions used in energy storage 2385531-gold-flakes-glow-when-they-are-bathed-in-light-and-now-we-know-how|2385531 Room-temperature superconductors: Here's everything you need to know https://www.newscientist.com/article/2385270-room-temperature-superconductors-heres-everything-you-need-to-know/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Fri, 28 Jul 2023 21:01:22 +0100 Truly convenient materials that can conduct electricity perfectly have long been sought after by researchers, but their history is one of difficult experiments, theoretical puzzles and scientific controversy 2385270-room-temperature-superconductors-heres-everything-you-need-to-know|2385270 Swimming behind someone cuts drag by up to 40 per cent https://www.newscientist.com/article/2385153-swimming-behind-someone-cuts-drag-by-up-to-40-per-cent/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Mon, 31 Jul 2023 08:00:09 +0100 Swimmers in open water races can reduce the amount of drag forces they experience by swimming behind or at the hip level of another swimmer 2385153-swimming-behind-someone-cuts-drag-by-up-to-40-per-cent|2385153 Supersonic cracks seem to be breaking the laws of physics https://www.newscientist.com/article/2384843-supersonic-cracks-seem-to-be-breaking-the-laws-of-physics/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Thu, 27 Jul 2023 20:00:02 +0100 An experiment with elastic gels broke the theoretical speed limit for how fast cracks can move through materials, raising new questions about the physics of fractures 2384843-supersonic-cracks-seem-to-be-breaking-the-laws-of-physics|2384843 Rethinking reality: Is the entire universe a single quantum object? https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25834460-800-rethinking-reality-is-the-entire-universe-a-single-quantum-object/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 05 Jul 2023 14:00:00 +0100 In the face of new evidence, physicists are starting to view the cosmos not as made up of disparate layers, but as a quantum whole linked by entanglement mg25834460-800-rethinking-reality-is-the-entire-universe-a-single-quantum-object|2380801 Newton’s first law appears to break down in the quantum realm https://www.newscientist.com/article/2383098-newtons-first-law-appears-to-break-down-in-the-quantum-realm/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Fri, 21 Jul 2023 08:00:47 +0100 Newton’s first law of motion says that particles move in straight lines unless influenced by a force but a new experiment shows that the quantum version of that assumption fails for quantum particles of light 2383098-newtons-first-law-appears-to-break-down-in-the-quantum-realm|2383098 Exotic pentaquark particle found at CERN's Large Hadron Collider https://www.newscientist.com/article/2382995-exotic-pentaquark-particle-found-at-cerns-large-hadron-collider/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 19 Jul 2023 08:00:14 +0100 A new type of particle called the strange pentaquark has been found using the Large Hadron Collider. The particle could help researchers catalogue the states of exotic matter and figure out how fundamental particles stick together 2382995-exotic-pentaquark-particle-found-at-cerns-large-hadron-collider|2382995 Five of the biggest unanswered questions about the proton https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25934480-100-five-of-the-biggest-unanswered-questions-about-the-proton/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Mon, 17 Jul 2023 17:55:00 +0100 There is a lot we don’t know about protons, the particles at the heart of the atom, from what they are made of to whether they live forever. Solving the mysteries surrounding them could transform our understanding of the universe. mg25934480-100-five-of-the-biggest-unanswered-questions-about-the-proton|2382615 Biggest-yet quasicrystal made by shaking metal beads for a week https://www.newscientist.com/article/2382510-biggest-yet-quasicrystal-made-by-shaking-metal-beads-for-a-week/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Sat, 15 Jul 2023 08:00:27 +0100 A researcher won a bet by performing an experiment a colleague said wouldn't work. The result was the largest quasicrystal ever made 2382510-biggest-yet-quasicrystal-made-by-shaking-metal-beads-for-a-week|2382510 Bizarre portal-like ‘ring wormholes’ could let you time travel https://www.newscientist.com/article/2382549-bizarre-portal-like-ring-wormholes-could-let-you-time-travel/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Fri, 14 Jul 2023 22:09:26 +0100 A ring wormhole is one that you could simply step through, like a portal through space – but new, more detailed models have shown that they could be a portal through time as well 2382549-bizarre-portal-like-ring-wormholes-could-let-you-time-travel|2382549 Quantum randomness of empty space can be controlled with a laser https://www.newscientist.com/article/2381832-quantum-randomness-of-empty-space-can-be-controlled-with-a-laser/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Thu, 13 Jul 2023 20:00:24 +0100 The minuscule fluctuations of seemingly empty space can be controlled just enough to make the building blocks of a new type of computer 2381832-quantum-randomness-of-empty-space-can-be-controlled-with-a-laser|2381832 Roger Penrose: "Consciousness must be beyond computable physics" https://www.newscientist.com/article/2391657-roger-penrose-consciousness-must-be-beyond-computable-physics/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Mon, 14 Nov 2022 18:41:00 +0000 The mathematician shares his latest theories on quantum consciousness, the structure of the universe and how to communicate with civilisations from other cosmological aeons 2391657-roger-penrose-consciousness-must-be-beyond-computable-physics|2391657 Gravitational waves spark hunt for cosmic strings and dark matter https://www.newscientist.com/article/2381652-gravitational-waves-spark-hunt-for-cosmic-strings-and-dark-matter/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Mon, 10 Jul 2023 11:03:30 +0100 The discovery of low-level ripples throughout the universe called the gravitational wave background has set physicists looking for exotic explanations 2381652-gravitational-waves-spark-hunt-for-cosmic-strings-and-dark-matter|2381652 Quantum lidar could help driverless vehicles spot bright objects https://www.newscientist.com/article/2380471-quantum-lidar-could-help-driverless-vehicles-spot-bright-objects/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 05 Jul 2023 21:31:43 +0100 Driverless cars can use lasers to sense objects, but reflected light from nearby vehicles or bright sunlight can interfere. A system using entangled photons could help the vehicles avoid obstacles 2380471-quantum-lidar-could-help-driverless-vehicles-spot-bright-objects|2380471 Gravitational waves produce a background hum across the whole universe https://www.newscientist.com/article/2380451-gravitational-waves-produce-a-background-hum-across-the-whole-universe/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Thu, 29 Jun 2023 02:00:35 +0100 After decades of searching, astronomers have found a distinctive pattern of light, from spinning stars called pulsars, that suggests huge gravitational waves are creating gentle ripples in space-time across the universe 2380451-gravitational-waves-produce-a-background-hum-across-the-whole-universe|2380451 The massive problem of trying to fully explain what mass actually is https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25834440-100-the-massive-problem-of-trying-to-fully-explain-what-mass-actually-is/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 21 Jun 2023 19:00:00 +0100 I can take it as a given that people have an intuition for the meaning of mass, but traditional explanations can feel unsatisfactory. Even the standard model doesn't give us all the answers, says Chanda Prescod-Weinstein mg25834440-100-the-massive-problem-of-trying-to-fully-explain-what-mass-actually-is|2378825 Scandium superconducts at the highest temperature for a pure element https://www.newscientist.com/article/2377878-scandium-superconducts-at-the-highest-temperature-for-a-pure-element/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Mon, 19 Jun 2023 10:00:10 +0100 Two independent teams of researchers found that putting the silvery metal scandium under extreme pressure makes it into a superconductor at a temperature higher than any other element on its own 2377878-scandium-superconducts-at-the-highest-temperature-for-a-pure-element|2377878 Is the universe conscious? It seems impossible until you do the maths https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg24632800-900-is-the-universe-conscious-it-seems-impossible-until-you-do-the-maths/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 29 Apr 2020 07:00:00 +0100 The question of how the brain gives rise to subjective experience is the hardest of all. Mathematicians think they can help, but their first attempts have thrown up some eye-popping conclusions mg24632800-900-is-the-universe-conscious-it-seems-impossible-until-you-do-the-maths|2241831 The physicist betting that space-time isn't quantum after all https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25734301-000-the-physicist-betting-that-space-time-isnt-quantum-after-all/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Mon, 13 Mar 2023 17:00:00 +0000 Most experts think we have to tweak general relativity to fit with quantum theory. Physicist Jonathan Oppenheim isn't so sure, which is why he’s made a 5000:1 bet that gravity isn’t a quantum force mg25734301-000-the-physicist-betting-that-space-time-isnt-quantum-after-all|2363984 Do we create space-time? A new perspective on the fabric of reality https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25333720-800-do-we-create-space-time-a-new-perspective-on-the-fabric-of-reality/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 02 Feb 2022 17:55:00 +0000 For the first time, it is possible to see the quantum world from multiple points of view at once. This hints at something very strange – that reality only takes shape when we interact with each other mg25333720-800-do-we-create-space-time-a-new-perspective-on-the-fabric-of-reality|2306674 Extremely cold drop of helium can be levitated forever https://www.newscientist.com/article/2377034-extremely-cold-drop-of-helium-can-be-levitated-forever/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Fri, 09 Jun 2023 08:00:47 +0100 A drop of very cold liquid helium can be made to float for an indefinitely long time using strong magnets and quantum effects 2377034-extremely-cold-drop-of-helium-can-be-levitated-forever|2377034 Sound-based quantum computers could be built using chip-sized device https://www.newscientist.com/article/2377554-sound-based-quantum-computers-could-be-built-using-chip-sized-device/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Thu, 08 Jun 2023 20:00:26 +0100 A chip-sized device can manipulate particles of sound in a way that mimics how particles of light are used in light-based quantum computers, opening the door for building sound-based quantum computers 2377554-sound-based-quantum-computers-could-be-built-using-chip-sized-device|2377554 Stephen Hawking's final theorem turns time and causality inside out https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25734310-200-stephen-hawkings-final-theorem-turns-time-and-causality-inside-out/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Mon, 20 Mar 2023 15:30:00 +0000 In his final years, Stephen Hawking tackled the question of why the universe appears fine-tuned for life. His collaborator Thomas Hertog explains the radical solution they came up with mg25734310-200-stephen-hawkings-final-theorem-turns-time-and-causality-inside-out|2364934 Quantum sensors could detect space debris from its gravitational pull https://www.newscientist.com/article/2375705-quantum-sensors-could-detect-space-debris-from-its-gravitational-pull/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Tue, 30 May 2023 18:00:06 +0100 Devices based on quantum properties of very cold and very small crystals could be mounted on satellites and sense space debris that could collide with them 2375705-quantum-sensors-could-detect-space-debris-from-its-gravitational-pull|2375705 Can recreating black holes in the lab solve the puzzles of space-time? https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25834400-100-can-recreating-black-holes-in-the-lab-solve-the-puzzles-of-space-time/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 24 May 2023 17:00:00 +0100 Researchers are building models of everything from black holes to the big bang in tanks of liquid. Now some claim these surprisingly simple models are showing us where our theories of space-time are wrong mg25834400-100-can-recreating-black-holes-in-the-lab-solve-the-puzzles-of-space-time|2374719 Sunlight could cool an atom to its coldest possible temperature https://www.newscientist.com/article/2375575-sunlight-could-cool-an-atom-to-its-coldest-possible-temperature/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Fri, 26 May 2023 09:00:57 +0100 Sunlight transmitted through an optical fibre could be used to help cool a single charged atom to a temperature only a few millionths of a degree above absolute zero 2375575-sunlight-could-cool-an-atom-to-its-coldest-possible-temperature|2375575 The cosmologist who claims to have evidence for the multiverse https://www.newscientist.com/article/0-the-cosmologist-who-claims-to-have-evidence-for-the-multiverse/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Mon, 31 Oct 2022 16:21:00 +0000 Cosmologist Laura Mersini-Houghton says our universe is one of many – and she argues that we have already seen signs of those other universes in the cosmic microwave background, the light left over from the big bang 0-the-cosmologist-who-claims-to-have-evidence-for-the-multiverse|2344810 Nuclear clocks could be the best timepiece in the universe https://www.newscientist.com/article/2375291-nuclear-clocks-could-be-the-best-timepiece-in-the-universe/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=physics Wed, 24 May 2023 17:00:11 +0100 Atomic clocks work by using a laser to bounce the electrons in an atom at a given frequency, while nuclear clocks would theoretically do the same for atomic nuclei, and we are a step closer to building one 2375291-nuclear-clocks-could-be-the-best-timepiece-in-the-universe|2375291