How does a cell know when it’s been damaged? A molecular alarm, set off by mutated RNA and colliding ribosomes, signals ...

Tony Tyson’s cameras revealed the universe’s dark contents. Now, with the Rubin Observatory’s 3.2-billion-pixel camera, he’s ...

After just a few months of work, a complete newcomer to the world of sphere packing has solved one of its biggest open problems.

Tony Tyson’s cameras revealed the universe’s dark contents. Now, with the Rubin Observatory’s 3.2-billion-pixel camera, he’s ready to study dark matter and dark energy in unprecedented detail.

Explore Quanta’s complex systems coverage.For decades, a small group of mathematicians has patiently unraveled the mystery of what was once math’s most popular picture. Their story shows how ...

Erica Klarreich has been writing about mathematics and science for more than 15 years. She has a doctorate in mathematics from Stony Brook University and is a graduate of the Science Communication… ...

An attack on a fundamental proof technique reveals a glaring security issue for blockchains and other digital encryption ...

A better understanding of human smell is emerging as scientists interrogate its fundamental elements: the odor molecules that ...

The puzzling behavior of black hole interiors has led researchers to propose a new physical law: the second law of quantum complexity.

Mitochondria appear to communicate and cooperate with one another, both within and between cells. Biologists are only just beginning to understand how and why.

A 1930s-era breakthrough is helping physicists understand how quantum threads could weave together into a holographic space-time fabric.