String theory has long been presented as physicists' best candidate for describing the fundamental nature of the Universe. Yet, at the beginning of the 21st century, it became apparent that most ...

Scientists seeking the secrets of the universe would like to make a model that shows how all of nature’s forces and particles fit together. It would be nice to do it with Legos. But perhaps a better ...

We’ve all been there; you might’ve met a person you were attracted to and felt a deep connection with, but passed them by and didn’t think anything of it until years later when they magically ...

Physicists searching for a better understanding of quantum gravity stumbled upon something unexpected: the defining signatures of string theory.

The original version of this story appeared in Quanta Magazine. String theory captured the hearts and minds of many physicists decades ago because of a beautiful simplicity. Zoom in far enough on a ...

Have you ever met someone and thought, “wait… why does this feel like destiny?” Like the universe was quietly working behind the scenes to make sure you crossed paths? That’s the heart of invisible ...

At the turn of the century, it sounded as if string theory could give us big answers about the universe. Well… has it? String theorists, this one may be for you. The theorized object warps spacetime ...

In 1980, Stephen Hawking gave his first lecture as Lucasian Professor at the University of Cambridge. The lecture was called “Is the end in sight for theoretical physics?” Hawking, who later became my ...