Scientists Establish the Best Algorithm for Traversing a Map
Dijkstra’s algorithm was long thought to be the most efficient way to find a graph’s best routes. Researchers have now proven that it’s “universally optimal.”
How to Design a Real-Life Hot Wheels Loop
You should absolutely not build this thing. But it’s still fun to think through the physics.
Scientists Have Pushed the Schrödinger’s Cat Paradox to New Limits
A research team in China has held atoms in a state of quantum superposition for 23 minutes, suggesting tantalizing new possibilities in research and quantum computing.
The Incredible Power of Quantum Memory
Researchers are exploring new ways that quantum computers will be able to reveal the secrets of complex quantum systems.
The Secret Electrostatic World of Insects
Invisibly to us, insects and other tiny creatures use static electricity to travel, avoid predators, collect pollen, and more. New experiments explore how evolution may have influenced this phenomenon.
The Physics Trick That Makes These New Super Cars So Insanely Fast
Zero to 60 in 1.4 seconds? By lowering air pressure under the car, automakers can dial the acceleration way up.
Why Hurricane Milton Turned the Sky Purple
The strange, apocalyptic skies during the storm reveal how light behaves in the atmosphere when it’s filled with an unusual amount of water vapor, dust, and debris.
The AI Nobel Prizes Could Change the Focus of Research
It has been a billboard week for artificial intelligence research. But could big wins for Demis Hassabis and Geoffrey Hinton change broader scientific incentives?
‘Groups’ Underpin Modern Math. Here’s How They Work
What do the integers have in common with the symmetries of a triangle? In the 19th century, mathematicians invented groups as an answer to this question.
Solar Sails and Comet Tails: How Sunlight Pushes Stuff Around
It seems crazy, but light actually exerts a physical force on objects. It could power a new generation of spacecraft for deep-space missions.