With every new particle accelerator built for research, scientists have an opportunity to push the limits of discovery. But this is only true if new particle accelerators deliver the desired performance—no small feat in a world where each new machine is a first of its particular kind. At each project opportunity, researchers try to refine … Read more
Most people know about solids, liquids, and gases as the main three states of matter, but a fourth state of matter exists as well. Plasma—also known as ionized gas—is the most abundant, observable form of matter in our universe, found in the sun and other celestial bodies. Creating the hot mix of freely moving electrons … Read more
Scientists are getting a more detailed look than ever before at the electrons they use in precision experiments. Nuclear physicists with the U.S. Department of Energy’s Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility have shattered a nearly 30-year-old record for the measurement of parallel spin within an electron beam—or electron beam polarimetry, for short. The achievement sets … Read more
Stanford researchers are getting closer to building a tiny electron accelerator based on “accelerator-on-a-chip” technology with broad potential applications in studying physics as well as medical and industrial uses. The researchers have demonstrated that a silicon dielectric laser accelerator, or DLA, can now both speed up and confine electrons, creating a focused beam of high-energy … Read more
The Big Bang is the prevailing cosmological model that describes the observable universe’s origin and early expansion. It proposes that approximately 13.8 billion years ago, the entire cosmos existed as an extremely hot and dense singularity, a point of infinite density. Suddenly, it underwent an exponential expansion, leading to the formation of space, time, and … Read more
Cosmic rays are high-energy particles originating from various sources in the cosmos that bombard Earth and other celestial bodies. These energetic particles, primarily composed of protons and atomic nuclei, possess tremendous kinetic energy and can travel at nearly the speed of light. The study of cosmic rays plays a crucial role in unraveling the mysteries … Read more
Superstring theory is a theoretical framework in physics that extends the ideas of string theory by incorporating supersymmetry, a theoretical symmetry between particles with different spin quantum numbers. It represents a refined and more intricate version of string theory, aiming to address some of the challenges faced by its predecessor and offering a potential path … Read more
String theory is a theoretical framework in physics that attempts to describe the fundamental building blocks of the universe as tiny, vibrating strings rather than point-like particles. It represents one of the most ambitious and complex efforts to unify the two pillars of modern physics: quantum mechanics, which governs the behavior of particles on very … Read more
Physics, often referred to as the fundamental science, is a branch of natural science that seeks to understand the fundamental principles governing the behavior of matter and energy in the universe. It is a discipline that explores the properties of the smallest particles at the quantum level and the vastness of cosmic structures at the … Read more
Scientists have achieved a groundbreaking feat by unraveling a longstanding puzzle, introducing a substance that could potentially rival diamond as the hardest material on Earth. Published in the journal Advanced Materials, the research centers around carbon nitrides, which emerge when carbon and nitrogen precursors undergo extreme heat and pressure. These materials were found to be … Read more
The theory of relativity, proposed by Albert Einstein in the early 20th century, revolutionized our understanding of the fundamental concepts of space and time. The theory consists of two major components: special relativity and general relativity. Special relativity, introduced in 1905, addresses the relationship between space and time in the absence of gravitational forces. On … Read more
Dark matter is a mysterious and elusive form of matter that does not interact with light or other forms of electromagnetic radiation, making it essentially invisible to telescopes and other instruments designed to detect light. Despite its enigmatic nature, dark matter plays a crucial role in shaping the structure and behavior of the universe. The … Read more
Electromagnetism is a branch of physics that deals with the study of electromagnetic forces and their interplay with electric charges and currents. This phenomenon, encompassing both electricity and magnetism, is fundamental to our understanding of the physical world. The intricate relationship between electric and magnetic fields was first systematically explored and mathematically formalized in the … Read more
Special relativity, introduced by Albert Einstein in 1905, revolutionized our understanding of space, time, and the relationship between matter and energy. This groundbreaking theory laid the foundation for a new way of thinking about the fundamental aspects of the universe, challenging classical notions and providing profound insights into the nature of reality. At the heart … Read more
Researchers from The University of Texas at Austin, in collaboration with national laboratories, European universities, and TAU Systems Inc., have unveiled a groundbreaking compact particle accelerator measuring less than 20 meters. This innovation produces an electron beam with a remarkable energy of 10 billion electron volts (10 GeV), a feat previously achieved by only two … Read more
Quantum gravity is a theoretical framework that aims to reconcile the principles of quantum mechanics and general relativity, two foundational theories in physics that describe the behavior of matter and the structure of spacetime, respectively. At its core, quantum gravity seeks to understand the nature of gravity at the smallest scales, where the effects of … Read more
Particles are fundamental entities that form the building blocks of the universe, playing a crucial role in our understanding of the physical world. Ranging from subatomic particles to those composing celestial bodies, the concept of a particle spans a vast and intricate landscape in the realm of physics. At the heart of particle physics is … Read more
Back in 1991, the University of Utah’s Fly’s Eye experiment made a groundbreaking discovery— detecting the highest-energy cosmic ray ever recorded, famously known as the Oh-My-God particle. This cosmic ray’s energy baffled astrophysicists; it surpassed the capabilities of anything in our galaxy to produce it, and its energy level exceeded theoretical limits for cosmic rays … Read more
A proton is a subatomic particle, a fundamental constituent of matter, and one of the three primary particles that make up atoms. Alongside neutrons and electrons, protons are the essential components that give rise to the diversity of elements in the periodic table. Discovered in 1919 by Ernest Rutherford, protons are positively charged particles residing … Read more
A collaborative team of scientists comprising chemists and physicists from Kyoto University, the Nishina Center for Accelerator-Based Science, RIKEN, Rikkyo University, and Tohoku University in Japan has achieved a groundbreaking milestone. Their achievement, published in the journal Physical Review Letters, involves the observation of electron scattering from artificially created radioisotopes that do not exist naturally. … Read more