Physics
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Now We Know Why Rainbows Split in Two
Though much of the physics behind rainbows is still cloaked in colorful mystery, researchers have at last unlocked some of the secrets behind the peculiar optics of the twinned rainbow.
August 07, 2012 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Sir Bernard Lovell, The Man The Soviets Tried to Poison With Uranium, Dies at 98
Lovell, of the Lovell telescope, made several advances in radio astronomy and physics.
August 07, 2012 |
By Rose Eveleth
Landing Curiosity on Mars was Way Harder and Way Less Expensive than the Olympics
Landing a car-sized rover on a distant planet using a sky crane is really hard, and really awesome.
August 06, 2012 |
By Rose Eveleth
If Humans Are Ever Going to See Alien Life, Here’s Where It Will Happen
Scientists are all atwitter over Enceladus, one of Saturn's moons and one of the most likely places in our solar system to harbor life.
July 30, 2012 |
By Rose Eveleth
Climate Change Could Erode Ozone Layer Over U.S.
New findings indicate that effects of climate change could increase ozone depletion, UV exposure and skin cancer
July 27, 2012 |
By Joseph Stromberg
The End of Swimsuit Design Innovation
Design innovation often seems like a path with no end, but in competitive swimwear, we've found the point where ingenuity fundamentally changes the nature of the sport
July 16, 2012 |
By Sarah C. Rich
What if Newton’s Principia Mathematica, Published Today, Had Been in Comic Sans?
The seething rage over CERN's font choice drives the question: How would the world have reacted to Newton's world-changing tome had Comic Sans existed at the time?
July 05, 2012 |
By Colin Schultz
Physicists Pin Down New Particle, Won’t Quite Call It the Higgs
Today, scientists announced that they have found a new type of sub-atomic particle. It is a claim that, up until just a few short weeks ago, no one was confident in making.
July 04, 2012 |
By Colin Schultz
5 Things You Didn’t Know About the Science of Fireworks
These iconic symbols of Independence Day celebrations are also a marvel of modern science and engineering
July 04, 2012 |
By Joseph Stromberg
Finally, For Real, We (May Have) Found the God Particle
“One of the biggest debuts in the science world could happen in a matter of weeks: The Higgs boson may finally, really have been discovered.” Says Wired reporter Adam Mann. The hunt for the Higgs boson has been ongoing for decades, with the quest most recently tied up in the on again—off again status of the [...]
June 20, 2012 |
By Colin Schultz
The Airport Design Utopian
What ever happened to the Starport, the brainchild of Jim Starry that re-imagined the airport?
June 12, 2012 |
By Sarah C. Rich
When Galaxies Collide: The Fate of the Milky Way
The Hubble Space Telescope shows that we're on a collision course with the nearby Andromeda galaxy—and set to crash in about 4 billion years
June 11, 2012 |
By Joseph Stromberg
Today Is Your Last Chance This Lifetime to See Venus Pass in Front of the Sun
Venus' next transit of the sun isn't until 2117—so read about what to watch for and make sure to look to the skies
June 01, 2012 |
By Joseph Stromberg
Rosanne Cash and the Many Meanings of Love
One of the most gifted singer-songwriters of our time talks love, science and the deep space between men and women
June 2012 |
By Ron Rosenbaum
LISTEN NOW: Wu Man Brings East and West Together in New Album
In Borderlands, the Chinese musician highlights the culture of the Uyghur people
June 2012 |
By Aviva Shen
May the Fourth Be With You: The Science of the Millennium Falcon
On Star Wars day, we take a look at the science behind the series' most popular spacecraft and the force fields it flies through
May 04, 2012 |
By Joseph Stromberg
Picture of the Week: A Spectacular Solar Eruption
Earlier this week, a NASA telescope captured one of the most stunning solar flares in years
April 20, 2012 |
By Joseph Stromberg
How Do Some Clocks Set Themselves?
With Daylight Saving Time set to start, take a look inside the radio-controlled clocks that adjust automatically
March 09, 2012 |
By Joseph Stromberg
Scientists Move Closer to Creating an Invisibility Cloak
As far as the microwaves were concerned, the 7-inch-long tube did not exist -- is true invisibility that far away?
February 16, 2012 |
By Joseph Stromberg
Anti-Gravity Machine for Levitating Fruit Flies
A powerful magnetic field counteracted Earth's gravity and disrupted gene expression during development
February 14, 2012 |
By Greg Laden
