Science Dictionary

Do you know what a meteor is, or what scientists mean when they are talking about cryogenics? Our collection of science terms explains the meaning of some of the most common scientific ideas.

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Under the right conditions, hot water can somehow freeze faster than cold water. It's called the Mpemba effect. We'll explain how it happens.

By Dylan Ris

Questions, theories and debates about quantum physics can get muddled because of a number of myths and misconceptions. Here are four of them.

By Alessandro Fedrizzi & Mehul Malik

From astronauts to doctors to an archaeologist, we present eight scientists whose contributions to science, engineering and math were inseparable from their identities as Indigenous Americans.

By Dave Roos

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Einstein famously called the phenomenon "spooky action at a distance," and physicists just won the Nobel Prize for their work on it, but what is quantum entanglement?

By Andreas Muller

The world often seems chaotic and events appear to occur randomly, but what's the difference between chaos and randomness?

By Mitchell Newberry

Having one Nobel Prize winner in the family is a huge accomplishment. But the extended Curie family had five winners – and one was even awarded twice. How did they get so smart?

By Jennifer Marquez

Planck's constant, which made an appearance in the Netflix series "Stranger Things," is one of the most important differences between reality at the atomic and subatomic level and what we can see around us.

By Patrick J. Kiger

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Nobel prizes offer lots of prestige and big payouts. But how do you become eligible for one? And can you lobby for yourself?

By Dave Roos

Solar wind is a continuous stream of mostly hydrogen and helium that flows outward from the sun in all directions. It does everything from disrupt GPS signals to create the aurora borealis.

By Mark Mancini

So much of our cosmological history starts with the much-discussed Big Bang, but what led up to that cataclysmic moment? And did time even exist back then?

By Robert Lamb & Patrick J. Kiger

The number 137, which is significant in multiple applications, has long been an object of fascination for physicists, mathematicians and mystics.

By Patrick J. Kiger

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The late American marine biologist and conservationist Rachel Carson's groundbreaking book, "Silent Spring," debuted 60 years ago. It's still considered one of the finest works of nature writing ever.

By Oisin Curran

In his last act of genius, Hawking simplified the multiverse and suggests that it's not just boundless bubble universes out there.

By Ian O'Neill, Ph.D.

Physicist and cosmologist Stephen Hawking was a fierce spirit who symbolized the foibles and complexities inherent in human nature. Learn more about him by taking our quiz.

By Nathan Chandler

When life gives you water and pH and color data ... make lemonade?

By Shelley Danzy

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The renowned scientist said in an interview with "Good Morning Britain" that he accepted Richard Branson's invite to fly into space without a moment's hesitation.

By Jonathan Strickland

A new experiment supports the famous theoretical physicist's idea of radiation being emitted by black holes.

By Jonathan Strickland

Moore's longstanding law might have only a few years left as far as cramming more stuff into a square inch of silicon. But what if you cram upward?

By Jonathan Strickland

Global air pollution and weaponized artificial intelligence round out the trifecta of threats, the astrophysicist tells interviewer Larry King.

By Christopher Hassiotis

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The celebrity astrophysicist takes a break from his current tour to discuss science and education with the hosts of the 'Stuff You Should Know' podcast.

By Christopher Hassiotis

All aspiring scientists, or just those who love knowledge, should know these quotes from greats like Carl Sagan, Marie Curie and Buzz Aldrin, among others.

By Christopher Hassiotis

Scientists are still trying to figure out the essence of dark matter. If they do, will it lead only to greater understanding, or can we develop new technologies?

By Patrick J. Kiger

These super common, nearly massless subatomic particles shoot across space at near the speed of light. And they could help us to understand dark matter.

By Lauren Vogelbaum

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Something else you didn't know about the Pluto exploration: Queen guitarist Brian May has serious science chops, and he contributed to the New Horizons mission.

By Patrick J. Kiger

Everyone knows that nothing travels faster than the speed of light, but how does the speed of dark compare? Read on to find out!

By Bambi Turner