In everyday life, designing spaces that both let air flow and absorb sound can be a tricky balancing act. Usually, materials ...

Sometimes, even the simplest things can set off a quantum phenomenon.

Physicists at NYU have discovered a new type of time crystal—an exotic state of matter whose particles rhythmically “tick” while levitating on sound waves.

The film explores the origins of sound through three primary sources: vibrating columns of air, vibrating surfaces, and vibrating strings. It demonstrates how sound is produced by examining a tuning ...

A quiet revolution is taking shape in the world of physics, and it doesn’t rely on exotic particles or massive particle colliders. Instead, it begins with something much more familiar—sound.

Although few people ever get the chance to travel at the speed of sound, it is an alluring flight goal and an impressive technological feat. Though average people have flown at high speeds on ...

A team at New York University has discovered a new form of time crystal that hovers using sound waves. Unlike ordinary matter, these crystals seem to behave in ways that don’t align with Newton’s ...

Chris Impey receives funding from the National Science Foundation. Curious Kids is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, send it to ...

Helium is inert, which makes it useful in a lot of different industries. But helium’s colorless and odorless non-reactivity also means traditional gas sensing methods don’t work. Specialized detectors ...