The principles of thermodynamics are cornerstones of our understanding of physics. But they were discovered in the era of steam-driven technology, long before anyone dreamed of quantum mechanics. In this episode, the theoretical physicist Nicole Yunger Halpern talks to host Steven Strogatz about how physicists today are reinterpreting concepts such as work, energy and information… Continue reading Can Thermodynamics Go Quantum? | Quanta Magazine
The Paris Olympics Are a Lesson in Greenwashing
The Summer Olympics will soon begin in Paris against the backdrop of heat waves and drought throughout much of Southern Europe. The organizers of the games say that in light of climate change, they’ve made sustainability a centerpiece of their enterprise. Channeling their inner Greta Thunberg, they promise that the event will be “historic for… Continue reading The Paris Olympics Are a Lesson in Greenwashing
The Zodiac Killer Crimes
Podcast: Download MYS329: The Zodiac Killer struck fear into the heart of San Francisco in the late ‘60s, leaving a trail of cryptic letters, chilling ciphers, and unsolved murders. Who was this self-named killer, and what drove him to taunt the police and the public with his gruesome game? Jimmy Akin and Dom Bettinelli delve… Continue reading The Zodiac Killer Crimes
Pennsylvania: A Single Grain of Rice Could Win the Presidency
In 2016, Donald Trump carried Pennsylvania by more than 44,000 votes – a 0.7% margin of victory. In 2020, Joe Biden’s margin was 81,000 votes – a 1.2% margin of victory. A similar close margin looks to be in the cards for 2024. Any measurable movement in either direction could tip the balance. If Pennsylvania… Continue reading Pennsylvania: A Single Grain of Rice Could Win the Presidency
How Did a Landslide Shake the Earth for Nine Days?
No evidence to support any of these ideas was forthcoming. People started jokingly wondering if it was aliens or dragons having a rave or a tantrum. Some sort of leviathan “always comes up” when abnormalities like this baffle seismologists, Hicks said. Three days after the great collapse, the Danish navy surveyed the fjord to chronicle… Continue reading How Did a Landslide Shake the Earth for Nine Days?
China-U.S. Science Collaborations Are Declining, Slowing Key Research
China-U.S. Science Collaborations Are Declining, Slowing Key Research The U.S. and China are collaborating less on projects across scientific disciplines amid a culture of fear in both countries By Gemma Conroy & Nature magazine Manuel Augusto Moreno/Getty Images China’s scientific collaboration with other countries has declined since the pandemic, driven by falling partnerships with the… Continue reading China-U.S. Science Collaborations Are Declining, Slowing Key Research
Kamaflage: The Harris Policy Dump
The Harris-Walz campaign has been vibe-a-licious and content-free; its positions on domestic and foreign policy have (with apologies to Hollywood) essentially consisted of open defiance of any presidential campaign norms: “Policy? We ain’t got no policy. We don’t need no policy. We don’t have to show you any stinkin’ policy.” But the campaign’s policy on… Continue reading Kamaflage: The Harris Policy Dump
Major Breakthrough Puts Element 120—the Heaviest Ever—within Reach
New Superheavy Element Synthesis Points to Long-Sought ‘Island of Stability’ A novel way of making superheavy elements could soon add a new row to the periodic table, allowing scientists to explore uncharted atomic realms By Max Springer Jacklyn Gates, head of the Heavy Element Group at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in California, is leading an… Continue reading Major Breakthrough Puts Element 120—the Heaviest Ever—within Reach
Do We Need a New Theory of Gravity?
Observations of the cosmos suggest that unseen sources of gravity — dark matter — tug at the stars in galaxies, while another mysterious force — dark energy — drives the universe to expand at an ever-increasing rate. The evidence for both of them, however, hinges on assumptions that gravity works the same way at all… Continue reading Do We Need a New Theory of Gravity?
The Harris Campaign’s Facade of Freedom
Ever since Kamala Harris took the Democratic nomination away from Joe Biden, the Democratic messaging shifted gears from “protecting democracy” to promoting “freedom.” This was especially true as Democrats unveiled an ad titled “Freedom” at the Democratic National Convention coupled with one of Harris’ go-to stump speeches where she proudly proclaims, “We chose freedom.” As an immigrant,… Continue reading The Harris Campaign’s Facade of Freedom