Growing up, we all have those big life questions that catch our interest. Those with a penchant for nature, for instance, may ask such questions as: where do the Moon’s phases come from, what are rainbows, why is the sky blue? The answers to these questions, as may be given to a scientifically-inclined young mind, […]
Rayleigh scattering: Why the sky is blue and other miscellanea Read More »
We experience three common spatial dimensions in our universe: depth, width, and length — with time sometimes considered as a fourth dimension. Each progressive dimension adds complexity and therefore requires more information to describe. For example, more information is needed to describe a three-dimensional cube than a less-complex two-dimensional square. Although certain theories have suggested
Imagine if science was scrapped and rewritten in an instant. The behavior of phenomena associated with quantum physics, gravity, and black holes has historically challenged our very perception of the universe. The scientific world potentially stands on the verge of enormous advancement through the reconciliation of Albert Einstein’s theory of relativity (in part macroscopic gravitational
Down a holographic rabbit hole: Black holes, wormholes, and holes in physics theories Read More »
At the end of the 19th century, James Clerk Maxwell condensed centuries of work in the study of electricity and magnetism into four eloquent and simple equations. Maxwell’s equations describe electric and magnetic fields as a yin and yang, ebbing and flowing through space. A change in one field creates a swirl in the other,
Opinion: The search for the magnetic monopole & physicists’ obsession with Symmetry Read More »
The world record for the 100 meter dash is 9.58 seconds. A record set by Usain Bolt after beating his own preceding record at the previous Olympic Games. With such impressive records already, it has become onerous to imagine how Olympic records can continue to get broken, yet every round of Olympic events brings a
Breaking records at record pace: How biomechanics have influenced the Olympics Read More »
The world of physics is as much dependent on rules and laws as it is on phenomena that break them. At times, the physical properties and behaviors of particles are characterized as precise and accurate; other times, they are anomalous. Even when particles behave as expected, the answer to why they behave like they do
Quantum spin liquids and ices: Challenging universal constants Read More »
Quantum mechanics is weird. For nigh on a century, the mysteries of quanta and quantum interactions have eluded the brightest minds of several generations. One of the progenitors of the field, Richard Feynman, once famously quipped, “I think I can safely say that nobody understands quantum mechanics.” For nigh on a century, the mysteries of
On the counterintuition of quantum phenomena Read More »
When you go through your day and interact with the world, are you thinking of what the items you interact with are made of? Numerous theories have been proposed that aim to define what reality is, using quantum physics to support the claims. Recently, Carlo Rovelli, an Italian physicist, put forward a new theory that
Mirrors and quantum physics: A new way of viewing the world around us Read More »
“Once, Zhuang Zhou dreamed he was a butterfly, a butterfly flitting and fluttering about, happy with himself and doing as he pleased. He didn’t know that he was Zhuang Zhou.” Zhuang Zhou wakes up from his dream and finds himself back in his body, but then he comes to the strange realization that he could
Reality check: Are we living in a simulation? Read More »