particles
Planetesimals Are Buffeted by Wind in their Nebula, Throwing Debris into Space
Before planets form around a young star, the protosolar disk is populated with innumerable planetesimals. Over time, these planetesimals combine…
Astronomy Cast Ep. 405: Method Not Found
Last week we talked about knowledge, what we do and don’t know. This week we talk about questions which are…
What is the Higgs Boson?
What is this thing we keep hearing about - the Higgs Boson, and why is it important? (more…)
Astronomy Cast Ep. 395: The Standard Model – Baryons and Beyond
In the last few episodes, we’ve been talking about the standard model of physics, explaining what everything is made up…
Astronomy Cast Ep. 394: The Standard Model – Bosons
All fundamental particles are either fermions or bosons. Last week we talked about quarks, which are fermions. This week we'll…
Astronomy Cast Ep. 393: The Standard Model – Leptons & Quarks
Physicists are getting a handle on the structure of the Universe, how everything is made of something else. Molecules are…
What if a Black Hole Met an Antimatter Black Hole?
Would shooting a black hole into an antimatter black hole destroy them both? (more…)
Astronomy Cast Ep. 382: Degenerate Matter
In some of the most extreme objects in the Universe, white dwarfs and neutron stars, matter gets strange, transforming into…
Astronomy Cast Ep. 374: Stern-Gerlach Experiment
In the world of quantum mechanics, particles behave in discreet ways. One breakthrough experiment was the Stern-Gerlach Experiment, performed in…
How Do We Know Dark Matter Exists?
Dark matter can't be seen or detected by any of our instruments, so how do we know it really exists?…