Symmetry
“White Holes” Could Exist—But That Doesn’t Mean They Do
A black hole is a one-way door to oblivion. According to general relativity, once anything crosses its boundary—the event horizon—it cannot return to the outside. For that particle, the black hole is the entire future. We’ll never actually get a chance to see the particle live out that destiny: Any light the particle emits […]
Symmetry
Some half a billion years ago, the first animals with bilateral symmetry appeared on Earth. Rather than being shapeless or spherical, they had long axes with a “left” and “right.” Their mouths separated from their anuses, allowing their gut to run down the length of their body. Movements became more directed, and nervous systems more […]
Two-Stroke Toilets
The trouble with time travel.
Third Data Server From the Sun
The Earth is becoming a computer visible across galactic distance.
When the Earth Had Two Moons
A new model—“The Big Splat”—explains the strange asymmetry of the moon.
An Expert’s Guide to Celebrity Faces
The way we process faces means that symmetry is only part of the story.
Half Male, Half Female, Total Animal
Mixed-sex animals teach us about our own multifarious nature.
“We Are Visual Animals, Driven By Images”
The head of the Max Planck Society discusses the science of creative visualization.
Picasso and Einstein Got the Picture
Breakthroughs in science and art begin with an image.
What Do Animals See in a Mirror?
A controversial test for self-awareness is dividing the animal kingdom.
