latest news

10/16/17

Scientists observe first verified neutron-star collision

For the first time, experiments have seen both light and gravitational waves released by a single celestial crash.

10/12/17

Xenon takes a turn in the LHC

For the first time, the Large Hadron Collider is accelerating xenon nuclei for experiments.

View full archive

Muons: Emblems of discovery

01/13/26

Diana Kwon

Once a surprise to physicists, these particles are useful tools inside and outside the realm of particle physics.

01/01/05

Inflation

In 1978 Alan Guth heard about the “flatness problem” of the universe while attending a talk on cosmology—a field he was only marginally curious about. A year later, Guth found a solution.

01/01/05

The growth of inflation

Twenty-five years after Alan Guth turned cosmology on its head, what’s the latest story of the universe’s first moments?

01/01/05

Smart scarecrow

"See, that's Albert Einstein!" / "Huh?" was the most common response from caramel-apple-wielding pre-school kids to their parents.

01/01/05

R. Keith Ellis and Thomas Ludlam: Strong interaction

The discovery of asymptotic freedom did not mean that Quantum Chromodynamics was immediately accepted as the theory of the strong interaction.

01/01/05

Particle physics has chosen low-temperature superconducting technology for the International Linear Collider. What is "cold," and why have particle physicists lowered the temperature on a new accelerator?

01/01/05

Virtual cake

Celebrating anniversaries of global organizations presents unique challenges and asks for creative solutions.

01/01/05

Data by the boxload

How many CDs are in the box? "100," a child guessed. "1000," said another. The answer was 2000, the equivalent of just 0.1 percent of the database capabilities at SLAC. "Imagine 2 million CDs in your bedroom."

01/01/05

Gravitational lenses

Gravitational lenses distort light and help scientists study dark matter.

View full archive