From scaling to error correction, many problems still need to be solved before a working quantum computer can be built, but researchers continue to find the necessary solutions. Quantum computers can be used to solve complex problems that are impossible for the most conventional computer. But building a working quantum computer is, of course, not … Read more
Isosurface of the Dyson orbital, taken from Piccinelli, Samuele, et al., “Exploring paths towards quantum chemistry: the case of a molecule with a half-Möbius topology,” arXiv, 9 March 2026. arXiv:2603.08696 A recent paper in the journal Science announced the discovery of a truly new and surprising substance that could have a major impact on our … Read more
James Webb Telescope (JWST) discovered small galaxies with black holes that are not well understood. These black holes, located in galaxies with masses much smaller than those traditionally associated with supermassive black holes (SMBHs), challenge long-held beliefs about how galaxies and their central black holes evolve. The discovery of these “extreme” black holes pushes the … Read more
Credit: POSTECH University, South Korea. Water is the most common liquid on Earth, yet it almost defies the laws of thermodynamics. Every known liquid contracts and thickens when cooled. Water does the opposite. As you cool water after it freezes, it shrinks considerably, which is why ice floats easily in ponds, lakes, and oceans. Now, … Read more
For more than two decades, textbooks and science fairs have been telling the same story that the universe is not only expanding, but accelerating. Now a new wave of data is quietly shaking up that picture and giving new life to a mysterious ending called the Big Crunch, where everything in the universe finally collapses … Read more
“Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may receive commissions or other income from these links.” Here’s what you’ll learn by reading this story: Today, scientists do not find “laws” but rather perfect theories, they always know that there is more to learn. A new study shows why the centuries-old “laws” need to be changed, as the 300-year-old … Read more
Curious Kids is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question you want an expert to answer, send it to CuriousKidsUS@theconversation.com. Do multiverses exist? If so, what do they look like? How do you get there without wasting time? – Emily, age 9, Pune, Maharashtra, India The concept of multiverse – … Read more
Researchers say a new theory to deal with the Big Bang could change the way physicists think about the early history of the universe. A team from the University of Waterloo and the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics has taken a different approach to analyzing the origin of the universe from previous efforts, with a … Read more
Learn more about how microwaves have changed the way we communicate and helped us understand the origins of the universe. The Pope is watching. This had a better job. Such thoughts probably crossed Guglielmo Marconi’s mind in 1932 as he set up a special antenna in the Vatican gardens while His Holiness Pope Pius XI … Read more
Scientific experiments can change the world around us. Throughout history, several experiments have led to amazing inventions that have rewritten our collective rule book. But the experiment of making light materials can produce a new flexible film that produces its light and energy? How did this new energy and lighting technology come about? How ultra-thin … Read more