Scientific Method

Scientific Method

Magnet levitating above a high-temperature superconductor, cooled with liquid nitrogen.
So far, two papers have been retracted, and a third is under investigation. Accusations of plagiarism appear convincing.
a collage of a monkey with a pink triangle
In all mammals, there are two brain pathways for processing information from the eyes: an evolutionarily ancient one and a more modern one.
rcw 86 supernova remnant spitzer
If stars don't go supernova at first, they can get a second chance after becoming a white dwarf. But can their companions survive?
Recent measurements of subatomic particles don't match predictions stemming from the Standard Model.
proton structure
A Fermilab study confirms decades-old measurements regarding the size and structure of protons.
Take a closer look at the different types of reasoning you use every day.
colliding black holes
Many people out there, including scientists, claim to have discovered a series of game-changing revolutions. Here's why we don't buy it.
The Universe isn't as "clumpy" as we think it should be.
einstein quantum
When you bring two fingers together, you can feel them "touch" each other. But are your atoms really touching, and if so, how?
The central equation of quantum mechanics, the Schrödinger equation, is different from the equations found in classical physics.
jwst deep field
JWST has seen more distant galaxies than any other observatory, ever. But many candidates for "most distant of all" are likely impostors.
In 1920, astronomers debated the nature of the Universe. The results were meaningless until years later, when the key evidence arrived.
For nearly a century, physicists have argued over how to interpret quantum physics. But reality exists independent of any interpretation.
proton internal structure
Every proton contains three quarks: two up and one down. But charm quarks, heavier than the proton itself, have been found inside. How?
Rembrandt Raising of the Cross sketch
A conservator from the Rijksmuseum explains how they went about investigating whether the painting is a genuine Rembrandt.
liquid water
There are at least 15 different types of solid water (ice). Now, scientists believe that there might be a second type of liquid water.
blue ocean
Science is for everyone, even those possessing strongly held beliefs that seem to conflict with the best available evidence.
When people pick the greatest scientist of all-time, Newton and Einstein always come up. Perhaps they should name Johannes Kepler, instead.
“The more we understand ourselves and the universe, the more magnificent it is.”
theory
Even the dictionary doesn't get the definition right.
universe rotating
If you can model anything in the Universe with an equation, mathematics is how you get the solution(s). Physics must go a step further.
Quantum mechanics forces us to toss out the old, reliable ways in which we make sense of our everyday reality.
big bang james webb
Unexpected images of galaxies from the James Webb Space Telescope do not disprove the Big Bang. There are other likelier explanations.
A softly colored illustration of a double rainbow arches over a calm blue sea under a pastel sky, evoking harmony between religion and science.
4mins
Some scientists see religion as a threat to the scientific method that should be resisted. But faith "is really asking a different set of questions," says Collins.
John Templeton Foundation