What governs the speed at which raindrops fall, sediment settles in river estuaries, and matter is ejected during a supernova? These questions circle around one, deceitfully simple factor: the rate at ...

In what could provide a glimpse into the future of academics, OpenAI's ChatGPT has derived a new formula in theoretical physics, showing that certain particle interactions previously deemed impossible ...

Scientists are on the trail of a mysterious five-particle structure that could challenge one of the biggest theories in physics: string theory. This rare particle—never seen before and predicted not ...

Physicists have found that an elementary particle called the W boson appears to be 0.1 percent too heavy—a tiny discrepancy that could foreshadow a huge shift in fundamental physics. The measurement, ...

A hidden link has been found between two seemingly unrelated particle collision outcomes. It’s the latest example of a mysterious web of mathematical connections between disparate theories of physics.

Quantum computers are beginning to become powerful tools for studying some of the most fundamental forces in the universe – and some of the trickiest to understand. Two experiments have used them to ...

A “muon shot” aims to study the basic forces of the cosmos. But meager federal budgets could limit its ambitions. By Dennis Overbye and Katrina Miller Friday, Dec. 8: This story was updated to include ...