9 D Universe

The Global Physics Summit (GPS) bills itself as “the world’s largest physics research conference”. Organized by the American Physical Society (APS), it combines the previously separate APS March and April meetings, with at least 14,000 people expected to attend this year’s event in Denver, Colorado, which has the theme “science [...]

When people think of asteroids, they tend to picture rare, civilization-ending impacts like those depicted in movies such as “Armageddon.” In reality, the asteroids most likely to affect modern society are much smaller. While kilometer-scale impacts occur only every tens of millions of years, decameter-scale (building-sized) objects strike Earth far [...]

The Vera Rubin Observatory (VRO) has barely begun observations and is already wowing us. Images like its Cosmic Treasure Chest have us anticipating even more cosmic glory. And when the observatory sent out 800,000 alerts in one night in February, we got a taste of the scientific boost it will [...]

Curiosity-driven research has long sparked technological transformations. A century ago, curiosity about atoms led to quantum mechanics, and eventually the transistor at the heart of modern computing. Conversely, the steam engine was a practical breakthrough, but it took fundamental research in thermodynamics to fully harness its power. Today, artificial intelligence and [...]

See how much you know about the subject by trying our interactive crossword. Most of the clues are based on the article, but there are a few additional brain teasers thrown in. If you’re feeling stuck, check out the “assist” menu for help. [...]

When the Apollo astronauts returned from the Moon, they brought a puzzle back with them. Some of the rocks they collected were so strongly magnetic, it implied that the Moon’s magnetic field must have been stronger than the Earth’s when the rocks formed 3.9‒3.5 billion years ago. “That doesn’t make [...]

Superheated: A growing number of companies are aiming to build compact reactors that will deliver electricity from nuclear fusion (Credit: shutterstock/Love Employee) Nuclear fusion has long held the promise of providing an unlimited supply of clean energy, but turning such a compelling concept into a practical reality has always seemed just [...]

Can you tell us about your career in physics? My academic path studying physics at Tsinghua University began in 1981 where I completed a Bachelor’s and Master’s before earning a PhD in 1992. I then did a postdoc at the Central Iron & Steel Research Institute in Beijing before returning to [...]

Pt-alloy/C catalysts, such as PtxCo/C, are used as cathode catalysts in proton-exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells due to their exceptionally high kinetic activity for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). However, the performance and durability of membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) with a PtxCo/C cathode catalyst are impaired by the dissolution of [...]

Light forms the backbone of many of today’s advanced technologies, offering the ability to transmit data and information much quicker than electrons. Within optical networks, optical amplifiers are used to increase the intensity of light and enable its transmission over long distances. Without this ability to amplify optical signals, satellite [...]

A. Neil Pappalardo ‘64, co-founder of MEDITECH (Medical Information Technology, Inc.) and a leading supporter of the MIT Department of Physics for decades, died on January 27, 2026, at age 83. He leaves behind his wife of 61 years, Jane; their four children; and 13 grandchildren. A. Neil Pappalardo ’64 (1942-2026) Credit: [...]

A new study by researchers at the SETI Institute suggests that stellar "space weather" could make radio signals from extraterrestrial intelligence harder to detect. Stellar activity and plasma turbulence near a transmitting planet can broaden an otherwise ultra-narrow signal, spreading its power across more frequencies and making it more difficult [...]