Physicists have spent centuries grappling with an inconvenient truth about nature: Faced with three stars on a collision course, astronomers could measure their locations and velocities in nanometers and milliseconds and it wouldn't be enough to predict the stars' fates. But the cosmos frequently brings together trios of stars and black holes. If astrophysicists hope to fully understand regions where heavenly bodies mingle in throngs, they must confront the "three-body problem." While the result of a single three-body event is unknowable, researchers are discovering how to predict the...…Physicists have spent centuries grappling with an inconvenient truth about nature: Faced with three stars on a collision course, astronomers could measure their locations and velocities in nanometers and milliseconds and it wouldn't be enough to predict the stars' fates. But the cosmos frequently brings together trios of stars and black holes. If astrophysicists hope to fully understand regions where heavenly bodies mingle in throngs, they must confront the "three-body problem." While the result of a single three-body event is unknowable, researchers are discovering how to predict the...WW…

hunter-gatherers of sub-Saharan Africa gazed upon the meandering trail of stars and dust that split the night sky, they saw the embers of a campfire. Polynesian sailors perceived a cloud-eating shark. The ancient Greeks saw a stream of milk, gala, which would eventually give rise to the modern term “galaxy.” reprinted with permission from , an editorially independent publication of the whose mission is to enhance public understanding of science by covering research develop­ments and trends in mathe­matics and the physical and life sciences.In the 20th century, astronomers discovered that...…hunter-gatherers of sub-Saharan Africa gazed upon the meandering trail of stars and dust that split the night sky, they saw the embers of a campfire. Polynesian sailors perceived a cloud-eating shark. The ancient Greeks saw a stream of milk, gala, which would eventually give rise to the modern term “galaxy.” reprinted with permission from , an editorially independent publication of the whose mission is to enhance public understanding of science by covering research develop­ments and trends in mathe­matics and the physical and life sciences.In the 20th century, astronomers discovered that...WW…

reached a consensus in the 1980s that most of the mass in the universe is invisible—that “dark matter” must glue galaxies together and gravitationally as a whole—experimentalists have hunted for the nonluminous particles. reprinted with permission from , an editorially independent publication of the whose mission is to enhance public understanding of science by covering research develop­ments and trends in mathe­matics and the physical and life sciences.They first set out in pursuit of a heavy, sluggish form of dark matter called a weakly interacting massive particle, or WIMP—the early...…reached a consensus in the 1980s that most of the mass in the universe is invisible—that “dark matter” must glue galaxies together and gravitationally as a whole—experimentalists have hunted for the nonluminous particles. reprinted with permission from , an editorially independent publication of the whose mission is to enhance public understanding of science by covering research develop­ments and trends in mathe­matics and the physical and life sciences.They first set out in pursuit of a heavy, sluggish form of dark matter called a weakly interacting massive particle, or WIMP—the early...WW…

A team of physicists in New York has discovered a material that conducts electricity with perfect efficiency at room temperature—a long-sought scientific milestone. The hydrogen, carbon, and sulfur compound operates as a superconductor at up to 59 degrees Fahrenheit, the team . That’s more than 50 degrees higher than the previous high-temperature superconductivity record, set last year. reprinted with permission from , an editorially independent publication of the whose mission is to enhance public understanding of science by covering research develop­ments and trends in mathe­matics and...…A team of physicists in New York has discovered a material that conducts electricity with perfect efficiency at room temperature—a long-sought scientific milestone. The hydrogen, carbon, and sulfur compound operates as a superconductor at up to 59 degrees Fahrenheit, the team . That’s more than 50 degrees higher than the previous high-temperature superconductivity record, set last year. reprinted with permission from , an editorially independent publication of the whose mission is to enhance public understanding of science by covering research develop­ments and trends in mathe­matics and...WW…

Key PointsIn June, the U.S. government of world's supply of remdesivir—a FDA-approved antiviral treatment for —for July through September. , the company that makes the compound, that it would meet international demand by the end of October. Yet all along, digital instructions for whipping up a batch of the nearly 400-atom molecule at the push of a button , an online software repository, freely available to anyone with the hardware needed to execute the chemical "program." A dozen such chemical computers or "chemputers" sit in the University of Glasgow lab of , the chemist who designed the...…Key PointsIn June, the U.S. government of world's supply of remdesivir—a FDA-approved antiviral treatment for —for July through September. , the company that makes the compound, that it would meet international demand by the end of October. Yet all along, digital instructions for whipping up a batch of the nearly 400-atom molecule at the push of a button , an online software repository, freely available to anyone with the hardware needed to execute the chemical "program." A dozen such chemical computers or "chemputers" sit in the University of Glasgow lab of , the chemist who designed the...WW…

physicists in New York has discovered a material that conducts electricity with perfect efficiency at room temperature—a long-sought scientific milestone. The hydrogen, carbon, and sulfur compound operates as a superconductor at up to 59 degrees Fahrenheit, the team . That’s more than 50 degrees higher than the previous high-temperature superconductivity record, set last year. reprinted with permission from , an editorially independent publication of the whose mission is to enhance public understanding of science by covering research develop­ments and trends in mathe­matics and the physical...…physicists in New York has discovered a material that conducts electricity with perfect efficiency at room temperature—a long-sought scientific milestone. The hydrogen, carbon, and sulfur compound operates as a superconductor at up to 59 degrees Fahrenheit, the team . That’s more than 50 degrees higher than the previous high-temperature superconductivity record, set last year. reprinted with permission from , an editorially independent publication of the whose mission is to enhance public understanding of science by covering research develop­ments and trends in mathe­matics and the physical...WW…

of the birth of the cosmos goes something like this: Nearly 14 billion years ago, a tremendous amount of energy materialized as if from nowhere. reprinted with permission from , an editorially independent publication of the whose mission is to enhance public understanding of science by covering research developments and trends in mathematics and the physical and life sciences.In a brief moment of rapid expansion, that burst of energy inflated the cosmos like a balloon. The expansion straightened out any large-scale curvature, leading to a . Matter also thoroughly mixed together, so that now...…of the birth of the cosmos goes something like this: Nearly 14 billion years ago, a tremendous amount of energy materialized as if from nowhere. reprinted with permission from , an editorially independent publication of the whose mission is to enhance public understanding of science by covering research developments and trends in mathematics and the physical and life sciences.In a brief moment of rapid expansion, that burst of energy inflated the cosmos like a balloon. The expansion straightened out any large-scale curvature, leading to a . Matter also thoroughly mixed together, so that now...WW…

Apple CEO Tim Cook has defended the existence of monopolies in business while also denying that Apple has a monopoly in any sector.In , during which Cook discussed a range of topics including Apple's treatment of competitors, he said a monopoly "by itself isn't bad if it's not abused.""The question for those companies is, do they abuse it?" he said. "And that is for regulators to decide, not for me to decide."Cook insisted Apple was not a monopoly — a line he has maintained for the duration of his tenure, despite Apple having faced multiple complaints of anticompetitive behavior from app...…Apple CEO Tim Cook has defended the existence of monopolies in business while also denying that Apple has a monopoly in any sector.In , during which Cook discussed a range of topics including Apple's treatment of competitors, he said a monopoly "by itself isn't bad if it's not abused.""The question for those companies is, do they abuse it?" he said. "And that is for regulators to decide, not for me to decide."Cook insisted Apple was not a monopoly — a line he has maintained for the duration of his tenure, despite Apple having faced multiple complaints of anticompetitive behavior from app...WW…

The European Union may force makers of smartphones, tablets and wireless earphones to use easily replaceable batteries with their devices., which obtained a draft of the EU's plans, the EU's executive arm – the European Commission – is drafting a proposal to force vendors to do this.Het Financieele Dagblad added that officials plan to formally submit their proposal for public discussions next month.The EU's plan ties in with its larger goal of reducing e-waste – the waste generated by redundant, non-recyclable electronic devices.Many smartphones sport sealed battery compartments that...…The European Union may force makers of smartphones, tablets and wireless earphones to use easily replaceable batteries with their devices., which obtained a draft of the EU's plans, the EU's executive arm – the European Commission – is drafting a proposal to force vendors to do this.Het Financieele Dagblad added that officials plan to formally submit their proposal for public discussions next month.The EU's plan ties in with its larger goal of reducing e-waste – the waste generated by redundant, non-recyclable electronic devices.Many smartphones sport sealed battery compartments that...WW…