See how fractals forever changed math and science
Fifty years ago, “fractal” was born. In a 1975 book, the Polish-French-American mathematician Benoit B. Mandelbrot coined the term to…
Tag: physics
Game theory approach describes how social networks produce “six degrees of separation”
"Six degrees of separation” refers to a long-held notion about social networks—namely, that any two people in a social network…
Cold plasma and the farms of the future
Physicist Stephan Reuter of Polytechnique Montréal spends most days using his expertise in energy and matter to improve medical technologies.…
A New Theory for Systems That Defy Newton’s Third Law
Newton’s third law tells us that for every action, there’s an equal reaction going the opposite way. It’s been reassuring…
Exotic super magnets
ONE April night in 1820, the Danish experimentalist Hans Christian Øersted made a remarkable discovery. By bringing an electrical wire…
Scientists find the secret to colossal bubbles
Justin Burton’s fascination with soap bubbles began in Barcelona, Spain, six summers ago. “It was hot and humid, and there…
Scientist vote to fix the world’s weight-loss problem
November is election time, and not only for voters in the United States. On November 16, hundreds of scientists will…
Quantum games aim to demystify heady science
The antagonists in video games tend to be monsters or zombies, but Quantum Moves pits players against the fundamental laws…
Fighting Fire with Fire
Robert Kremens fights fire with fire. No, really – that’s his job. Kremens sets fires in a host of locations…
The quantum world is mind-bogglingly weird
If you’re interested in the smallest things known to scientists, there’s something you should know. They are extraordinarily ill-behaved. But…