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Out of the string theory swampland

Researchers propose a new subset of string theories that incorporate dynamic tension could help describe the real universe without violating observational constraints. This approach may alleviate the 'swampland problem,' which has hindered conventional string theory's ability to reproduce inflation and dark energy.

SourceFoundational Questions Institute, FQXi·JournalThe European Physical Journal C·TypeContent analysis·DateJun 9, 2025

A new path to understanding black holes

Physicists have discovered a new theoretical framework called supermazes that redefine the concept of black holes, providing a more universal picture of their microstructure. Supermazes are based on string theory and offer a detailed portrait of the microscopic structure of brane black holes.

SourceUniversity of Southern California·JournalJournal of High Energy Physics·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateApr 2, 2025

Physicists ‘bootstrap’ validity of string theory

A team of physicists has validated string theory by developing an innovative mathematical method that points to its inevitability. This breakthrough uses the bootstrap principle to show that string theory is the only consistent answer for scattering amplitudes, bringing researchers closer to understanding the universe.

SourceNew York University·JournalPhysical Review Letters·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateDec 17, 2024

Astronomers discover new link between dark matter and clumpiness of the universe

Researchers at the University of Toronto have made a breakthrough in understanding dark matter and its impact on the universe's large-scale structure. By analyzing cosmic microwave background data and galaxy clustering patterns, they suggest that ultra-light axion particles could account for the observed lack of clumpiness.

SourceUniversity of Toronto·JournalJournal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateJun 14, 2023

Could this copycat black hole be a new type of star?

Researchers at Johns Hopkins University have simulated an object called a topological soliton, which distorts space like a black hole but behaves differently when releasing weak light rays. The findings suggest there could be other types of celestial bodies in space hiding from even the best telescopes.

SourceJohns Hopkins University·JournalPhysical Review D·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateApr 18, 2023

Phase transitions in the early universe and their signals

A University of Helsinki research team used holographic duality to model early universe phase transitions and their potential impact on gravitational wave signals. The study, published in Physical Review Letters, suggests that such collisions could create powerful ripples in spacetime detectable by satellite missions like LISA.

SourceUniversity of Helsinki·JournalPhysical Review Letters·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateApr 19, 2022

Resolving the black hole ‘fuzzball or wormhole’ debate

A new study by Ohio State University researchers has confirmed that black holes are indeed giant fuzzballs, a concept first proposed in 2004. The study proved theorems showing that the fuzzball theory remains the most likely solution to Hawking's paradox, which had long plagued the string theory community. In contrast, the wormhole par...

SourceOhio State University·JournalTURKISH JOURNAL OF PHYSICS·TypeObservational study·DateJan 4, 2022

Machine learning tool sorts the nuances of quantum data

A Cornell University-led team developed a machine learning tool called Correlation Convolutional Neural Networks (CCNN) to parse quantum matter and make distinctions in the data. CCNN can identify relationships among microscopic properties that are impossible to determine at the scale of quantum systems.

SourceCornell University·JournalNature Communications·DateJul 7, 2021

String theory solves mystery about how particles behave outside a black hole photon sphere

Researchers have solved a long-standing mystery about how particles behave outside a black hole's photon sphere using string theory. The study finds that string theory resolves singularities caused by tidal effects on nearby strings, supporting the idea of extended objects like strings as degrees of freedom in quantum gravity.

Effective Field Theories and the nature of the universe

Effective Field Theories were introduced to simplify mathematics involved in unifying interactions. Steven Weinberg shares his expertise on these theories, which unify weak and electromagnetic interactions with the strong interaction. He also discusses implications for future research and applications in diverse areas.

SourceSpringer·JournalThe European Physical Journal H·DateMar 24, 2021

Tracking the evolution Maxwell knots

Maxwell knots are peculiar solutions to the Maxwell equations, with unique electric and magnetic field line structures. The study suggests these knotted field lines may move in a special manner, preserving their knot nature, and could be integrable, linking them to other mathematical models.

SourceSpringer·JournalThe European Physical Journal C·DateJan 18, 2021

USU mathematicians unravel a thread of string theory

Researchers from Utah State University, Thomas Hill and Andreas Malmendier, explore the duality between F-theory and heterotic string theory in eight dimensions. They discovered four unique ways to slice K3 surfaces as Jacobian elliptic fibrations, enabling investigation of underlying physical theories.

SourceUtah State University·JournalLetters in Mathematical Physics·DateAug 17, 2020

Black hole holograms

Japanese researchers propose a novel holographic framework to simulate black holes with a laboratory experiment. This setup can provide insight into the fundamental laws governing the cosmos at both tiny and vast scales.

SourceOsaka University·JournalPhysical Review Letters·DateAug 19, 2019

Electrons go with the flow

A team of scientists has found evidence of hydrodynamic electron flow in semimetal tungsten diphosphide, a high-purity quantum material. The discovery reveals the strongly interacting nature of electrons in these materials and suggests that the conversion of energy into thermal energy is limited by quantum mechanics.

SourceMax Planck Institute for Chemical Physics of Solids·JournalNature Communications·DateOct 9, 2018

CNRS congratulates Alessio Figalli, winner of the 2018 Fields Medal

Alessio Figalli, a CNRS researcher, has been awarded the 2018 Fields Medal for his groundbreaking contributions to calculus of variations, optimal control, and partial differential equations. His work focuses on optimal transport theory, which has far-reaching implications in fields such as economics, geometry, and probability.

SourceCNRS·DateAug 3, 2018

Coincidence or conspiracy? Studies investigate conspiracist thinking

A study by researchers at the University of Fribourg and the University of Paris-Saint-Denis found no evidence for a link between conspiracist thinking and perceptions of randomness. Instead, participants who reported strong conspiracy theories tended to report other types of conspiracist beliefs, but not necessarily an intention or de...

SourceAssociation for Psychological Science·JournalPsychological Science·DateOct 1, 2015

Physicists shatter stubborn mystery of how glass forms

Scientists have described the molecular-level process of glass formation, combining two decades-old theories to predict bulk behavior, surface flow, and the elusive glass transition. The new theory has implications for developing nanomaterials with conductive properties and calculating pharmaceutical uptake.

SourceUniversity of Waterloo·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJun 29, 2015

What's on the surface of a black hole?

Physicist Samir Mathur proposes that the surface of a black hole is not a fiery firewall but rather a benign copy machine creating an imperfect hologram. This idea counters the prevailing firewall theory and has significant implications for our understanding of the universe as a hologram.

The perfect liquid -- now even more perfect

Physicists at Vienna University of Technology have found a way to break the limits on viscosity, with implications for understanding superfluid helium and quantum theory. The results, published in Physical Review Letters, suggest quark-gluon-plasma can exhibit extremely low viscosity, even below previously established bounds.

SourceVienna University of Technology·JournalPhysical Review Letters·DateJan 17, 2012

Integral challenges physics beyond Einstein

Integral's observations show that quantum 'graininess' must be at much smaller scales than previously predicted, contradicting Einstein's General Theory of Relativity. The results limit the size of these grains to 10^-48 m or smaller, ruling out some string theories and quantum loop gravity theories.

SourceEuropean Space Agency·JournalPhysical Review D·DateJun 30, 2011