Classically, light can be thought of in two ways: either as a particle or a wave. But what is it really? Well, the ‘observer effect’ makes that question kind of difficult to answer. So before we get ...

In 1905, Albert Einstein provided an explanation of the photoelectric effect – that various metals emit electrons when light is shined on them – by suggesting that a beam of light is not simply a wave ...

An international research group has now made significant progress in the further development of compact plasma accelerators, considered a promising technology for the future: With two complementary ...

The particle-wave nature of light has fascinated researchers for more than 200 years, but a new experiment has allowed researchers to visualize it like never before. This image was taken by turning an ...

One of the deepest mysteries in quantum physics is the wave-particle duality: every quantum object has properties of both a wave and a particle. Nowhere is this effect more beautifully demonstrated ...

Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent six days a week. Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. The SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory’s linear accelerator ...

Now that LIGO has detected their first gravitational wave signal, the part of Einstein's theory that predicts that the fabric of space itself should have ripples and waves in it has been confirmed.

Light is well known to exhibit both wave-like and particle-like properties, as imaged here in this 2015 photograph. What's less well appreciated is that matter particles also exhibit those wave-like ...

There’s an idea that suggests all the universe’s electrons are actually one particle forever traveling backwards and forwards in time. It’s a simple, elegant idea that solves some of physics’s biggest ...