We like to think of laws of physics as fundamental, as properties of the universe. Actually, not. They are our inventions, tales we tell ourselves in terms of concepts we construct. They are good statistical approximations. But they don’t tell us what’s really going on. The real world is happening at Planck scale, named for […]
Precise measurements say the universe is expanding. The measurements don’t show new matter. They show new space. This leaves those who think of space as empty with a conceptual puzzle. As cosmologist Marcus Chown once said, ‘How can nothing expand?’ Muralidharan Thiyagarajan, who is a systems engineer with Infosys in Chennai, has another way to […]
A new mystery planet is in the astronomic news. It is a real mystery. But is it a real planet? First the mystery: Planet X, as some are calling it, is thought to roam outside the orbit of Pluto (which was recently demoted to dwarf from ninth-planet status). So far no-one has seen Planet X. […]
We need new physics; and new physics needs new math. It won’t be easy but it is a huge opportunity. More than a hundred years ago physics chose to assume the universe is analog. It is now becoming clear that this is wrong: our universe is digital. We took a wrong turn that is having […]
Does the world work on cause and effect or is this a world of random chaos? This question needs exploration at the universe’s smallest scale, far smaller than that of the atom. We are coming to see the answer is: neither and both! Long ago, physicists as well as philosophers wrestled with this question. Albert […]
A new cosmic contradiction is begging for an explanation. We’ve known for years that space is expanding. Now new measurements of the rate at which it is expanding seem to differ from previous ones based on the standard cosmological model. New physics often comes from measurements that don’t fit theory. Here is my take on […]
Black holes are in the news again. Only a few weeks ago news of two surprisingly big black holes colliding in a distant galaxy arrived at Earth. Now astronomers have found a closer and far bigger pair of black holes. First the gravity waves. A fantastically sensitive instrument called LIGO measured them as they rolled […]
Once in a while one comes upon a surprising good-news story. Evidence is flooding in to show our attitudes to our intestinal bacteria are wrong. As I wrote recently, the new view is simply: Bugs “R” Us. We have discovered that our inner microbes care for many of our basic needs. And now new evidence […]
Intercontinental air travel is projected to grow faster than the supply of pilots to fly planes. But the future of regional travel belongs not to the air but to high-speed trains. This has deep implications for economic growth. The four top economies are dealing with this differently. Fans of Murder on the Orient Express or The […]