Deep under the ground of Gran Sasso in Italy hides XENON1T, an assassin of dark matter hopes. The cold heart of this experiment hides two tons of liquid xenon, whose atoms get kicked out of position by passing dark matter particles, giving flashes of light in the process. Or at least that’s what physicists would hope.
Writing about physics should probably also concern itself with debunking fake science. Unfortunately we are busy with this again.
(Note: From time to time I have the habit of posting vaguely-science-related pics from Blossom City Hotel, my photoblog. I hope you enjoy them.)
Asteroid 1999 KW4 flew by us at about thirteen times the distance to moon, successfully monitored the whole time by the International Asteroid Warning System. What’s the big deal, you say? Its observation was part of the preparations for something you’re gonna like.
Science-inspired tattoos, because there are zero reasons not to! Biologist Carl Zimmer has collected some good ones on his blog and then in a neat coffee table book, “Science Ink: Tattoos of the Science Obsessed“. (And if we get to…
Physics of elementary particles has two rounds of global-reach conferences, the winter and the summer ones. The “Rencontres de Moriond” is the winter star, held annually at the Italian ski resort town La Thuile. Here is the place of the announcement of new results, hot from the long hours of work during the dark months and the battles for who will represent their experiment in such high-profile events ; )
Welcome to The Ph-word, a personal blog with the latest news from cosmology, astrophysics and particle physics. We will open ‘officially’ in early January. Please bookmark us, come back at any point and visit often. Meanwhile, have a great end…