Physics & mathematics
Explore Physics & Mathematics
Editor's Picks
Latest about Physics & Mathematics
![A 3D rendering of abstract shapes linked up](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/sDpLorpYZsTymJyqMMwHQB-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/sDpLorpYZsTymJyqMMwHQB-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/sDpLorpYZsTymJyqMMwHQB-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/sDpLorpYZsTymJyqMMwHQB-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/sDpLorpYZsTymJyqMMwHQB-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/sDpLorpYZsTymJyqMMwHQB-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/sDpLorpYZsTymJyqMMwHQB-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/sDpLorpYZsTymJyqMMwHQB-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
A 79-year-old mathematician may have just solved an infinite dimension puzzle that's vexed theorists for decades
By Nathan Brownlowe published
Mathematician Per Enflo, who solved a huge chunk of the 'invariant subspaces problem' decades ago, may have just finished his work.
![On the Origin of Time: Stephen Hawking's Final Theory by Thomas Hertog](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/K4psEqg5XfYpF3yigFsYUX-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/K4psEqg5XfYpF3yigFsYUX-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/K4psEqg5XfYpF3yigFsYUX-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/K4psEqg5XfYpF3yigFsYUX-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/K4psEqg5XfYpF3yigFsYUX-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/K4psEqg5XfYpF3yigFsYUX-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/K4psEqg5XfYpF3yigFsYUX-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/K4psEqg5XfYpF3yigFsYUX-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
Stephen Hawking wanted scientists to 'make black holes' on Earth. Physics says it's possible.
By Thomas Hertog published
When Stephen Hawking and I visited the Large Hadron Collider, he hoped for an unexpected physics breakthrough. His dreams may not be impossible.
![A 14-sided shape tiled endlessly without repeating a pattern](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/pz5PkemRPyh7LoXfzEUwN9-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/pz5PkemRPyh7LoXfzEUwN9-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/pz5PkemRPyh7LoXfzEUwN9-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/pz5PkemRPyh7LoXfzEUwN9-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/pz5PkemRPyh7LoXfzEUwN9-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/pz5PkemRPyh7LoXfzEUwN9-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/pz5PkemRPyh7LoXfzEUwN9-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/pz5PkemRPyh7LoXfzEUwN9-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
Mathematicians end decades-long quest to find elusive 'vampire einstein' shape
By Paul Sutter published
Researchers have discovered a new 14-sided shape called the Spectre that can be used to tile a surface without ever creating a repeating pattern, ending a decades' long mathematical hunt.
![Red and blue bar magnet or physics magnetic with iron powder magnetic field on white background.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/eTrQmh9bWk6DfHb3pqBsjQ-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/eTrQmh9bWk6DfHb3pqBsjQ-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/eTrQmh9bWk6DfHb3pqBsjQ-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/eTrQmh9bWk6DfHb3pqBsjQ-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/eTrQmh9bWk6DfHb3pqBsjQ-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/eTrQmh9bWk6DfHb3pqBsjQ-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/eTrQmh9bWk6DfHb3pqBsjQ-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/eTrQmh9bWk6DfHb3pqBsjQ-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
Why do magnets have north and south poles?
By Laurel Hamers published
Spinning electrons may help explain why magnets have north and south poles.
![8 Einstein rings in a grid](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Mj4M7uVLH5ynSSLePqp6WE-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Mj4M7uVLH5ynSSLePqp6WE-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Mj4M7uVLH5ynSSLePqp6WE-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Mj4M7uVLH5ynSSLePqp6WE-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Mj4M7uVLH5ynSSLePqp6WE-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Mj4M7uVLH5ynSSLePqp6WE-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Mj4M7uVLH5ynSSLePqp6WE-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Mj4M7uVLH5ynSSLePqp6WE-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
Dark matter's secret identity could be hiding in distorted 'Einstein rings'
By Harry Baker published
Researchers may be a step closer to identifying dark matter after studying unusual cases of gravitational lensing caused by "dark matter halos" surrounding distant galaxies.
![An artist's illustration of three Schrödinger's cats.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/vuf5igZMPqPVM6DLPRtqcg-320-80.png 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/vuf5igZMPqPVM6DLPRtqcg-450-80.png 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/vuf5igZMPqPVM6DLPRtqcg-500-80.png 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/vuf5igZMPqPVM6DLPRtqcg-650-80.png 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/vuf5igZMPqPVM6DLPRtqcg-840-80.png 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/vuf5igZMPqPVM6DLPRtqcg-970-80.png 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/vuf5igZMPqPVM6DLPRtqcg-1024-80.png 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/vuf5igZMPqPVM6DLPRtqcg-1200-80.png 1200w)
World's heaviest Schrödinger's cat made in quantum crystal visible to the naked eye
By Ben Turner published
Physicists have placed part of a sapphire crystal into a quantum superposition, making it the heaviest object to show quantum effects, in a new take on Erwin Schrödinger's famous cat experiment.
![A promotional image for the Oppenheimer movie. Cillian Murphy (playing J. Robert Oppenheimer) stands in front of an explosion.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Q3Fuz8j8sker4V54wNmHrQ-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Q3Fuz8j8sker4V54wNmHrQ-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Q3Fuz8j8sker4V54wNmHrQ-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Q3Fuz8j8sker4V54wNmHrQ-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Q3Fuz8j8sker4V54wNmHrQ-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Q3Fuz8j8sker4V54wNmHrQ-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Q3Fuz8j8sker4V54wNmHrQ-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Q3Fuz8j8sker4V54wNmHrQ-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
Oppenheimer: Everything we know about the atomic bomb creator's epic new biopic
By Fran Ruiz published
Christopher Nolan’s next movie will study the man who developed the atomic bomb, J. Robert Oppenheimer. Here’s the release date, plot, trailers & more.
![Abstract artist's impression of an energy vortex.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ehN24PRLwVyXe7rcHY952f-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ehN24PRLwVyXe7rcHY952f-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ehN24PRLwVyXe7rcHY952f-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ehN24PRLwVyXe7rcHY952f-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ehN24PRLwVyXe7rcHY952f-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ehN24PRLwVyXe7rcHY952f-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ehN24PRLwVyXe7rcHY952f-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ehN24PRLwVyXe7rcHY952f-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
Gravity can transform into light, mind-bending physics paper suggests
By Paul Sutter published
In the early universe, gravity may have been capable of creating light, a new theoretical paper finds.
Live Science newsletter
Stay up to date on the latest science news by signing up for our Essentials newsletter.