Philip Ball
The Quantum Theory That Peels Away the Mystery of Measurement
Reprinted with permission from Quanta Magazine’s Abstractions blog. Imagine if all our scientific theories and models told us only about averages: if the best weather forecasts could only give you the average daily amount of rain expected over the next month, or if astronomers could only predict the average time between solar eclipses. In the early days of quantum […]
The Fifth Force of Physics Is Hanging by a Thread
As scientists chase tantalizing hints of a new force, modern physics hangs in the balance.
If Not Darwin, Who?
An alternative history of the great ideas of science.
Authenticity in the Age of the Fake
As science blurs the real and unreal, we are learning to distinguish them in new ways.
Cursive Handwriting and Other Education Myths
Teaching cursive handwriting doesn’t have nearly the value we think it does.
Ingenious: Nick Lane
The biochemist explains the elements of life, sex, and aging.
Yes, Life in the Fast Lane Kills You
New insights into mitochondria reveal how life expends energy.
Why Physics Is Not a Discipline
Physics is not just what happens in the Department of Physics.
Why Nature Prefers Hexagons
The geometric rules behind fly eyes, honeycombs, and soap bubbles.
Describing People as Particles Isn’t Always a Bad Idea
Using physics to describe social phenomena can work—if it’s the right physics.