Physical Sciences

A Mathematician Dancing Between Algebra and Geometry

Quanta Magazine: Like many people who would go on to become mathematicians, Wei Ho grew up competing in math contests. In eighth grade, she won the Mathcounts state competition in Wisconsin, and her team took third place at nationals. Unlike many…

Scientists Solve Major Mystery of Powerful Energy Beams Pointed at Earth

VICE: After decades of effort, scientists have finally discovered the secret mechanism that powers the brightest light shows in the universe, which are emitted by absurdly energetic beams that…

How the first transistor worked

IEEE Spectrum: The vacuum-tube triode wasn’t quite 20 years old when physicists began trying to create its successor, and the stakes were huge. Not only had the triode made long-distance telephony and movie sound possible, it was driving the entire enterprise of commercial radio, an industry worth more than a…

Computer Proof ‘Blows Up’ Centuries-Old Fluid Equations

Quanta Magazine: For centuries, mathematicians have sought to understand and model the motion of fluids. The equations that describe how ripples crease the surface of a pond have also helped researchers to predict the weather, design better airplanes, and characterize how…