Physics

A private astronaut has been appointed to lead the U.S. space agency, an interstellar comet is making a close pass, a Mars orbiter is in trouble, and astronomers may have spotted a new kind of cosmic event. This Week in Space

For thousands of years, people believed things move because a force pushes them. Only in the 17th century did Isaac Newton explain the principle of inertia, which underlies our understanding of motion

For thousands of years, humans gazed at the sky without understanding what lay behind the points of light above them. The invention of the telescope opened a window for humanity to distant worlds. But whom do we have to thank for the device that can transform a tiny speck in the night sky into a breathtaking image of Saturn?

The U.S. President reintroduces a previously rejected candidate to head the space agency, a first step toward a private space station, delays aboard China’s space station, and a debate over the expansion of the universe. This Week in Space

The Nobel Prize in Physics will be awarded this year to three scientists for the discovery of macroscopic quantum tunneling—a breakthrough that laid the foundation for quantum encryption, advanced sensors, and the development of quantum computers.

NASA announced that it may send humans on a flight around the Moon as early as this coming February and named a new group of astronauts. Russian mice have returned from space, and new satellites are en route to study the Sun.

For the first time, researchers have documented the very beginning of planet formation around a young, distant star—a discovery that could shed new light on the early history of our own Solar System.

Why do explosions cause windows to shatter? And why does the glass sometimes blow inward into a building, while at other times it bursts outward?

Fritz Strassmann, who took part in one of the most important scientific discoveries of the 20th century, risked his life to save a Jewish woman.

From ancient Polynesian seafarers to nuclear submarines, from traders in camel caravans to astronauts – everyone must successfully navigate from one place to another. Throughout history, humanity has developed many sophisticated methods to find its way and refine the skill and art of navigation.

The veteran astronaut returns from space, changes and innovations aboard the Chinese space station, and how does one lose a spacecraft? This Week in Space

Molecules identified in a distant planet’s atmosphere form on Earth only through biological activity.

A development led by an Israeli scientist has significantly improved the image quality of ground-based telescopes. “These are the sharpest images we’ll see this decade.”

Miniaturized medical devices, green technology, advanced radar systems, and new methods in artificial intelligence are just some of the technologies developed by Prof. Yonina Eldar of the Weizmann Institute of Science, recipient of the Israel Prize in Engineering Research and one of the world’s leading researchers in signal processing.

The prestigious Israeli prize this year will honor groundbreaking achievements in physics, antiviral research, chemical catalysis, discoveries in plant immunity, and architectural innovation in China.

The risk of an asteroid impact has dropped, a private spacecraft is en route to the Moon, and titanium winds were discovered on an exoplanet. This Week in Space.

How long does a second last? Who determined the length of a meter and the weight of a Kilo? How were the units that we use to measure weight and distances determined?

Marking a year since the passing of physicist Arno Allan Penzias, who fled Nazi Germany as a child and co-discovered cosmic background radiation, a breakthrough that solidified the “Big Bang”.

Stephen Hawking, one of the world’s most renowned physicists, revolutionized our understanding of black holes and the universe, all while living with ALS and being confined to a wheelchair.

A spacecraft sets a new record for a Sun flyby, NASA privatizes space communication, a new study reveals the Moon’s age, educational astronomy, and a unique ring. This Week in Space

The charge percentage displayed on our devices’ batteries is a key indicator of their performance. But how is this figure determined?

This year’s Nobel Prizes underscore the transformative impact of the artificial intelligence revolution currently underway, with notable connections to the achievements recognized in physics and chemistry.

Marking 90 years since the birth of Carl Sagan, a trailblazer in planetary science and astrobiology, who became an iconic advocate for science in the media and the public sphere through popular books and a successful TV series.

Marking 135 years since the birth of Edwin Hubble, who revealed that the universe is much larger than the Milky Way, showed that it is steadily expanding, and laid the foundation for the Big Bang theory.