Physicists Finally Know How the Strong Force Gets Its Strength
New discoveries demystify the bizarre force that binds atomic nuclei together
Space & Physics
Massive Cosmic Map Suggests Dark Energy Is Even Weirder Than We Thought
In just one year of observations, a program that is creating the largest 3D map of the universe to date has sniffed out hints that dark energy may be stranger than scientists supposed
Suspected Space-Junk Strike in Florida Signals New Era of Orbital Debris
Three years ago astronauts threw out the largest piece of trash ever tossed from the International Space Station. Now some of it seems to have punched a hole through a house in Naples, Fla.
How Tides Move Heaven and Earth
The ocean’s twice-daily rise and fall is only the most obvious effect of tides—they slow Earth’s spin and shape stars and galaxies, too
Peter Higgs, a Giant of Particle Physics, Dies at 94
The Nobel Prize-winning theorist’s prediction of the Higgs boson sparked a half-century quest of discovery that reshaped physics—and our understanding of the universe
An Eclipse Is a Moment of Solitude, Even When You’re in a Crowd
Even among hundreds of people, experiencing an eclipse is a joyous solitude
Donate Your Eclipse Glasses to Help Others Safely Enjoy the Awe
The nonprofit Astronomers Without Borders is collecting gently used eclipse glasses through Warby Parker and other sites to enable people to see future eclipses
Could Gravitational-Wave ‘Memories’ Prove Einstein Wrong?
According to Albert Einstein’s general theory of relativity, the universe remembers every gravitational wave—and scientists could soon test these cosmic recollections
What Were the Red Dots around the Total Solar Eclipse?
During the total solar eclipse, skywatchers saw ruby-colored prominences sticking out of the moon's shadow. Here's the science of those red dots
See Stunning Images Captured by Scientific American Staff during the Solar Eclipse
Scientific American staffers headed to locations ranging from Texas to Vermont to try to catch a glimpse of the total solar eclipse
This Hellish Alien World’s Skies May Create an Eerie Rainbow ‘Glory’ Effect
The atmosphere of exoplanet WASP-76b may rain iron and form a strange, rainbow-like phenomenon called a “glory” never yet seen outside the solar system
The Milky Way Illuminated Ancient Egypt’s Goddess of the Sky
Astronomical simulations and ancient Egyptian texts show the Milky Way was linked to the ancient Egyptian sky goddess Nut. This fits within multicultural myths about our home galaxy