explainer Physics
How does an atomic clock work? Caesium, accuracy and GPS
An atomic clock steers an oscillator to caesium-133 atoms and counts 9,192,631,770 cycles per second. How it works, how accurate it is and why GPS needs one.
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Category: Physics
Explainer Space
Gravity on other planets: surface gravity of planets and major moons
Surface gravity ranges from 0.62 m/s² on Pluto to 25.9 m/s² on Jupiter. See NASA values for every planet and major moon, and what you would weigh.
News Physics Evidence status: Peer reviewed · Quantum interferometry experiment
Falling Quantum Atoms Pass a New Test of Einstein’s Gravity
An atom-chip experiment measured the quantum phase of freely falling rubidium atoms and found behavior consistent with Einstein’s equivalence principle.
News Chemistry Evidence status: Peer reviewed · Laboratory materials study
Scientists Made Titanium Float—even after the Material Cracked
A 3D-printed titanium–polymer lattice floated for months and stayed buoyant after cracking, though long-term ocean performance remains untested.
News Chemistry Evidence status: Peer reviewed · Ultrafast spectroscopy and model-based reconstruction
Scientists Reconstruct an Exciton’s First 400 Femtoseconds
Physics · Peer reviewed. Ultrafast measurements reconstruct an exciton contracting by about 25%—a new view of light-driven energy transport.
News Physics Evidence status: Preprint · Single anomalous event
LUX-ZEPLIN Recorded One Unexplained Flash—Not Dark Matter Yet
Physics · Preprint. One high-energy nuclear-recoil candidate survived LZ’s analysis, making it intriguing—but far from a dark-matter discovery.
News Physics Evidence status: Peer reviewed · Laboratory aerospace experiment
Magnetic “Brakes” Push Reentry Plasma Away From Spacecraft
A laboratory magnetic field pushed a simulated spacecraft’s glowing reentry shock layer about 16% farther from the model.
Explainer Physics
What Is Quantum Superposition In Simple Terms?
The ability of a quantum system to exist in multiple states simultaneously until it is measured is called quantum superposition. All wave functions possess this property. Superposition applies to any…
Explainer Astronomy
WOH G64 vs Stephenson 2-18: Which Star Is Really Bigger?
Stephenson 2-18 is often declared the larger star online, but the evidence does not support a confident winner. WOH G64 has been observed in much greater detail, while the viral…