For decades, astronomers treated the interstellar medium as a static backdrop to the goings-on of the universe. Now, a wave ...

A new topological model connects a centuries-old voting paradox to a surface with no distinct inside or outside.

Winning entries in the 2026 Nikon Small World competitions reveal the hidden interactions that govern everyday life.

Bill Andrews joined Quanta Magazine as senior editor in 2019. Previously, he spent seven years at Discover, where he led the magazine’s award-winning math, space and physics coverage.

To invade red blood cells, the deadly protists create temporary molecular portals that disappear behind them — doors we can now see in fine detail.

A spider, when knocked off a wall, doesn’t fall for long. Within milliseconds, it spins a soup of proteins into sturdy climbing gear. Using a thin, shimmering strand of silk, the spider hauls itself ...

Unlike other recent AI proofs, this one has been unpacked by human experts. The implications, one mathematician said, are ...

A healthy brain maintains a harmony of neurons that excite or inhibit other neurons, but the lines between different types of cells are blurrier than researchers once thought. Climate science is the ...

About the author Sabine Hossenfelder is a theoretical physicist based at the Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies in Frankfurt, Germany. She frequently writes about foundational issues in physics ...