To Make Fairer AI, Physicists Peer Inside Its Black Box
After repurposing facial recognition and deepfake tech to study galaxies and the Higgs boson, physicists think they can help shape the responsible use of AI.
Quantum Physics Could Protect the Grid From Hackers—Maybe
If you measure the polarization of a photon, you instantly change it. Utility companies could use this fact to detect snoops trying to invade the system.
Get Ready For Gravitational Waves All Day, Every Day
An infusion of cash is kicking off the next set of gravitational wave detectors, which will help physicists map the universe in richer detail.
Why a Grape Turns Into a Fireball in a Microwave
Nuking a grape produces sparks of plasma, as plenty of YouTube videos document. Now physicists think they can explain how that energy builds up.
Scientists Reconstruct an Object by Photographing Its Shadow
Taking a page from film noir spycraft, a team of researchers found a way to photograph an object while pointing a camera in the opposite direction.
A Floating Glass Bead Could Help Physicists Probe the Unknown
New tabletop sensors could be sensitive enough to glimpse gravitational waves and even dark matter particles.
Dark Matter Theorists Explore Axions as WIMPs Come up Short
After a year of disappointing experiments, the dominant theory in dark matter physics is losing its sheen while others gain prominence.
Quantum Computing Needs You to Help Solve Its Core Mystery
Come get your qubits! The builders of quantum computers want more coders to use their machines and figure out what they're actually good for.
Quantum Computing Needs You to Help Solve Its Core Mystery
Come get your qubits! The builders of quantum computers want more coders to use their machines and figure out what they're actually good for.
Mercury Pollution Is Way Up. One Huge Culprit? Gold Mines
The first big international effort to combat mercury pollution is zeroing in on small gold mines, which account for almost half of annual emissions.