Physics | smithsonianmag.comhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/rss/tag/physics/RSS feed for PhysicsenThu, 30 Apr 2026 14:00:00 +0000Two Athletes Smashed a Marathon Milestone, Running 26.2 Miles in Under Two Hours. Here's the Science Behind Their Achievementshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/two-athletes-smashed-a-marathon-milestone-running-26-2-miles-in-under-two-hours-heres-the-science-behind-their-achievements-180988646/An intense training regimen, good weather conditions, physiology and lightweight shoes probably played a role in their astounding performances during the London Marathon on SundayThu, 30 Apr 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/two-athletes-smashed-a-marathon-milestone-running-26-2-miles-in-under-two-hours-heres-the-science-behind-their-achievements-180988646/Look Up This Week to See the Peak of the Lyrid Meteor Shower. Humans Have Documented This Dazzling Annual Display for 2,700 Yearshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/look-up-this-week-to-see-the-peak-of-the-lyrid-meteor-shower-humans-have-documented-this-dazzling-display-for-2700-years-180988578/During the wee hours of April 22, moonset times will give stargazers in much of the United States a solid stretch of dark sky before sunriseMon, 20 Apr 2026 19:48:37 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/look-up-this-week-to-see-the-peak-of-the-lyrid-meteor-shower-humans-have-documented-this-dazzling-display-for-2700-years-180988578/Medieval Writings and Tree Rings Helped Researchers Track a Solar Storm From 800 Years Ago and Reconstruct Past Solar Cycleshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/medieval-writings-and-tree-rings-helped-researchers-track-a-solar-storm-from-800-years-ago-and-reconstruct-past-solar-cycles-180988546/Diary entries by the Japanese poet Fujiwara no Teika, along with other historical sources from across Asia and Europe, played pivotal roles in a new studyThu, 16 Apr 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/medieval-writings-and-tree-rings-helped-researchers-track-a-solar-storm-from-800-years-ago-and-reconstruct-past-solar-cycles-180988546/Lightning Strikes on Jupiter Are 100 Times as Powerful as Those on Earth, a New Study Suggestshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/lightning-strikes-on-jupiter-are-100-times-as-powerful-as-those-on-earth-a-new-study-suggests-180988455/Scientists finally have a clearer picture of the gas giant's intense stormsMon, 06 Apr 2026 19:04:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/lightning-strikes-on-jupiter-are-100-times-as-powerful-as-those-on-earth-a-new-study-suggests-180988455/In a First, an Astronomer May Have Witnessed a Comet Stop Its Spin—Then Reverse Its Rotationhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/in-a-first-an-astronomer-may-have-witnessed-a-comet-stop-its-spin-then-reverse-its-rotation-180988469/Archival images snapped by the Hubble Space Telescope revealed the unusual eventThu, 02 Apr 2026 16:56:19 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/in-a-first-an-astronomer-may-have-witnessed-a-comet-stop-its-spin-then-reverse-its-rotation-180988469/How Do Snakes 'Stand' Upright Nearly Stick-Straight? New Research Points to How They Pull Off the Gravity-Defying Feathttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/how-do-snakes-stand-upright-nearly-stick-straight-new-research-points-to-how-they-pull-off-the-gravity-defying-feat-180988470/These clever creatures seem to concentrate their muscle activity near their bases, which helps them cross gaps between tree branches in the wildThu, 02 Apr 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/how-do-snakes-stand-upright-nearly-stick-straight-new-research-points-to-how-they-pull-off-the-gravity-defying-feat-180988470/