Few concepts in physics are as familiar, yet as enigmatic, as time. In Einstein’s theory of relativity, time is not absolute: its passage depends on motion and gravity. But when combined with quantum physics, this relativistic form of time becomes even more counterintuitive. Testing quantum superpositions of time According to quantum theory, the flow of […]
You probably have a member of your family that you’re not related to by blood—a step-parent, an adopted cousin, your mom’s best friend who you grew up calling your aunt. They’re indisputably part of your family, but a DNA test wouldn’t hint at your relationship. Archaeologists are finding that this holds true for families from […]
Wildfires are becoming more frequent and are ravaging new parts of the world due to global warming. A study led by researchers from the University of Gothenburg shows that this change is increasing the vulnerability of thousands of plants, animals and fungi. As global temperatures rise, the incidence of wildfires is increasing in many regions […]
A new study , co-led by researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, demonstrates that genes associated with autism risk are largely the same across people of different ancestries. The findings, based on one of the largest genomic studies of Latin American individuals to date, provide strong evidence that the genetic architecture […]
Korean researchers have confirmed that underground wireless communication is possible, moving beyond the terrestrial wireless communication they have primarily focused on until now. This opened up a new wireless channel for confirming the survival of buried people in the event of a collapse of an underground facility such as a mine, conducting underground rescue operations […]
MIT neuroscientists have figured out how the brain is able to focus on a single voice among a cacophony of many voices, shedding light on a longstanding neuroscientific phenomenon known as the “cocktail party problem.” This attentional focus becomes necessary when you’re in any crowded environment, such as a cocktail party, with many conversations going […]
University of Houston professor of psychology Arturo Hernandez is disputing a high-profile study claiming that people who live in multilingual countries show healthier brain aging. Though the study got lots of attention, Hernandez and collaborators report that the findings warrant cautious interpretation and reframing of public health implications. “We took a closer look and argued […]
Traditional chemistry textbooks present a tidy picture: Atoms in molecules occupy fixed positions, connected by rigid rods. A molecule such as formic acid (methanoic acid, HCOOH) is imagined as two-dimensional—flat as a sheet of paper. But quantum physics tells a different story. In reality, nature resists rigidity and forces even the simplest structures into the […]
For decades, scientists have searched the skies for signs of extraterrestrial technology, contacts. A study from EPFL asks a sharp question: if signals from technological aliens have already reached Earth without us noticing, what should we realistically expect to detect today? Since the first SETI experiment in 1960, astronomers have scanned the Milky Way for […]
In order to build the computers and devices of tomorrow, we have to understand how they use energy today. That’s harder than it sounds. Memory storage, information processing, and energy use in these technologies involve constant energy flow—systems never settle into thermodynamic balance. To complicate things further, one of the most precise ways to study […]