Philip ball
14 articles-
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.
-
Describing People as Particles Isn’t Always a Bad Idea
Using physics to describe social phenomena can work—if it’s the right physics.
-
How Big Can Schrödinger’s Kittens Get?
Scientists are slowly scaling up quantum effects from atomic to human size.
-
The Strange Inevitability of Evolution
Good solutions to biology’s problems are astonishingly plentiful. -
The Scientific Problem That Must Be Experienced
To understand turbulence we need the intuitive perspective of art. -
Why Physicists Make Up Stories in the Dark
In unseen worlds, science invariably crosses paths with fantasy.