The speed of light is a fundamental constant, approximately 299,792,458 meters per second. It's the same for all observers and hasn't changed measurably over billions of years. Nothing can travel ...

Ocean waves are a ubiquitous part of coastal landscapes and beach vacations. But have you ever paused to ponder where a wave originates, how far it travels, or why it forms in the first place? A wave ...

Here, a calcite crystal is struck with a laser operating at 445 nanometers, fluorescing and displaying properties of birefringence. Unlike the standard picture of light breaking into individual ...

The original version of this story appeared in Quanta Magazine. The best perk of Alberto Maspero’s job, he says, is the view from his window. Situated on a hill above the ancient port city of Trieste, ...