Physics
38 articles in this section.
Muons unveiled new details about a void in Egypt’s Great Pyramid
A nebulous void in Egypt’s Great Pyramid of Giza has been unveiled thanks to strange subatomic particles called muons. Scientists first identified the void in 2016 using muons,…
‘Ghost Particle’ chronicles the neutrino’s discovery and what’s left to learn
Ghost ParticleAlan Chodos and James RiordonMIT Press, $32.95 We live in a sea of neutrinos. Every second, trillions of them pass through our bodies. They come from the…
There’s a new measurement of muon magnetism. What it means isn’t clear
Muons might not behave as expected. But scientists can’t agree on what to expect. By taking stock of how the subatomic particles wobble in a magnetic field, physicists…
Scientists finally detected oxygen-28. Its instability surprised them
A “magic number” of physics might not be so magic after all. Using a powerful particle accelerator, researchers have spotted an elusive variant of oxygen for the first…
Scientists twist crystal layers and reshape matter from within
Scientists can now twist and bond large oxide layers with atomic precision, opening a promising new frontier for customizable electronics. Credit: Jie Sun Researchers have developed a way…
Forests might serve as enormous neutrino detectors
Neutrino detectors don’t grow on trees. Or do they? Forests could one day be used to spot ultra-high-energy neutrinos, a physicist proposes. Trees could act as natural antennas that pick…
The neutrino’s quantum fuzziness is beginning to come into focus
Neutrinos are known for funny business. Now scientists have set a new limit on a quantum trait responsible for the subatomic particles’ quirkiness: uncertainty. The lightweight particles morph…
Scientists propose a hunt for never-before-seen ‘tauonium’ atoms
Atoms are normally made of a nucleus and electrons. But scientists are proposing a hunt for a new variety of atom without either. Tauonium (sometimes called “ditauonium” or…
Scientists just 3D printed one of the hardest metals on Earth
A new laser-based 3D printing method could make ultra-hard cutting tools with less waste and lower costs. Credit: Shutterstock Tungsten carbide-cobalt (WC-Co) is valued because it can withstand…
Dark matter experiments get a first peek at the ‘neutrino fog’
The neutrino “fog” is beginning to materialize. Lightweight subatomic particles called neutrinos have begun elbowing their way into the data of experiments not designed to spot them. Two…