The universe appears to be mostly empty space. Once you remove the stars, planets, dust, and gas, there is nothing left. Physics tells a strange story. A vacuum isn’t really empty. It is full of restless energy and momentary quantum fluctuations. These are short disturbances that can generate pairs of virtual particles before disappearing again. … Read more
For years, physicists have wondered if one unstable form of copper might act like a traffic jam in the universe’s most violent explosions. This question is important because these explosions, called Type IX-ray bursts, are part of the cosmic machinery that helps build heavier elements. In the early universe, hydrogen and helium were dominant. Much … Read more
In 2021, a disabled parrot named Bruce made headlines around the world after creating his own artificial beak. He didn’t stop there. Scientists reported Monday that Bruce has become the alpha male of his group. And he did that by learning to joust. The new study, published in Current Biology, is an important addition to … Read more