In quantum field theory, spontaneous particle formation can occur when the potential energy between two elementary particles increases with their separation, as if they were confined by a string. When ...

Strike a bell, and it rings with a pitch and a fading that tell you about the bell: its size, its shape, the metal it is made of. Black holes ring too. When two merge, the newborn black hole shivers ...

The original version of this story appeared in Quanta Magazine. String theory captured the hearts and minds of many physicists decades ago because of a beautiful simplicity. Zoom in far enough on a ...

New series: short, bite-sized summaries of important scientific topics — this is the first episode. Chapters 0:00 The force of gravity 1:58 The universe is Quantum, that's a problem! 4:32 String ...

Can adding every positive whole number really give you -1/12? We explore how physicists extract meaningful finite values from infinite sums, and how this strange mathematical tech ...

In physics, there are two great pillars of thought that don't quite fit together. The Standard Model of particle physics describes all known fundamental particles and three forces: electromagnetism, ...

Physicists have long struggled with their goal of making gravity a quantum force. A radical post-quantum approach might solve ...

Scientists seeking the secrets of the universe would like to make a model that shows how all of nature's forces and particles fit together. It would be nice to do it with Legos. But perhaps a better ...

For over a century, Einsteins equations have described how mass and energy curve spacetime, giving rise to gravity. But where ...

With just a handful of assumptions, string theory stands alone. Based on the idea that all subatomic particles are made up of vibrating strings of energy, string theory is a candidate for a “theory of ...