Scientists have known for decades that the universe is expanding, but research in the past few years has shaken up calculations on the speed of growth — raising tricky questions about theories of the cosmos. The rate of expansion — known as the "Hubble constant" ...
Einstein's theory of general relativity survives test from star orbiting black hole
Observations of light coming from a star zipping in orbit around the humongous black hole at the center of our galaxy have provided fresh evidence backing Albert Einstein's 1915 theory of general relativity, astronomers said on Thursday. Researchers studied a star called S0-2, boasting a ...
Solved: The 40-year mystery of what shapes black holes' disks
Scientists on Thursday unveiled the most detailed simulation of a black hole yet, solving a mystery dating back more than four decades over how the star-devouring monsters consume matter. Coming fresh on the heels of the first photo of one of the giant objects, which ...
A glimpse of starlight and hope for science
A century ago, English astronomers used a solar eclipse to confirm Einstein's theory of relativity — a revolutionary idea from a German.
A groundbreaking fusion reactor built by Chinese scientists is underscoring Beijing's determination to be at the core of clean energy technology as it eyes a fully functioning plant by 2050. Sometimes called an "artificial sun" for the sheer heat and power it produces, the doughnut-shaped ...
U.K. and Japan scientists probe radioactive particles from Fukushima meltdowns
Eight years after the Fukushima nuclear meltdown, radioactive particles collected from the site are undergoing new forensic investigation in Britain in an effort to understand the exact sequence of events. A 9.0 magnitude earthquake struck on March 11, 2011, off the Japanese coast, triggering tsunami ...
NASA captures unprecedented images of supersonic shock waves with help of 'rock star' pilots
NASA has captured unprecedented photos of the interaction of shock waves from two supersonic aircraft, part of its research into developing planes that can fly faster than sound without thunderous "sonic booms." When an aircraft crosses that threshold — around 1,225 kph (760 mph) at ...
Scientists spend too much time on the old
Spending billions on a huge particle collider won't give us the breakthrough discoveries we need.
Scientists await Japan's decision on planned $7 billion linear collider project
Twenty-five years after particle physicists began studying prospects for a linear collider, Japan is poised to decide whether to pay for half of the $7 billion project and build the 20-kilometer-long superconducting tunnel in mountains northeast of Tokyo. Prospective suppliers — from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries ...
When Canadian scientist Donna Strickland got the early morning call informing her she just won the Nobel Prize in physics, she could barely hide her amazement. Not just that she had clinched one of science's most prestigious honors — her pioneering work on laser pulses ...
American, Canadian and French scientists win Nobel Prize for work in laser physics
Three scientists on Tuesday won the Nobel Physics Prize, including the first woman in 55 years, for inventing optical lasers that have paved the way for advanced precision instruments used in corrective eye surgery, the jury said. Arthur Ashkin of the United States won one ...
A quantum computing startup tries to live up to the hype
Few corners of the tech industry are as tantalizing or complex as quantum computing. For years its evangelists have promised machines capable of breaking the most impenetrable coded messages, unlocking the secret properties of the physical world and putting supercomputers to shame. But Rigetti Computing, ...
