national science foundation
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Physicists Designed an Experiment to Turn Light Into Matter
Plasma could be wrangled to collide photons and yield matter, according to physicists who ran simulations to explore the practical applications of a world-famous equation. The equation at work here is Einstein’s E = mc^2, which establishes a relationship between energy and mass; specifically, the equation holds that energy and mass are equivalent when the…
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Hackers Force Shutdown of Two Key Astronomical Observatories
The International Gemini Observatory, a key player in global astronomical research, has temporarily halted astronomical operations following a cyberattack. The culprits and their motives remain unknown. The computer hack, which took place on the morning of August 1, led to the suspension of the Gemini North and South Telescopes, as detailed in an August 24…
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Arizona Wildfire Reaches Kitt Peak National Observatory, Telescopes Possibly Damaged
The Contreras Fire, which has been raging through the Arizona mountains since last week, has reached Kitt Peak National Observatory, threatening the site’s telescopes.
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What We Will Never Know
There is a realm the laws of physics forbid us from accessing, below the resolving power of our most powerful microscopes and beyond the reach of our most sensitive telescopes. There’s no telling what might exist there — perhaps entire universes.