Matthew Chalmers

Journey to the heart of the universe

We ask Edward Witten, leading architect of string theory, how it feels to work in an area where its a problem telling other people what hes up to

Trouble with physics: Smashing into a dead end

The discovery of the Higgs boson completed the most precise scientific model in history – and thats where the problems start, says Matthew Chalmers

Particle headache: why the Higgs could spell disaster

If the particle discovered at CERN this July is all we think it is, there are good reasons to want it to be something else

Is it me you're looking for?

Chalmers examines collisions within CERNs showpiece particle smasher, the Large Hadron Collider. The two bumps have appeared independently, in the same place, in the latest data from the LHCs two big detectors, ATLAS and CMS. They point to the existence of a particle that dwarfs even the Higgs boson, the giver-of-mass particle discovered at CERN in Jul 2012. The latest LHC bumps were spotted in collisions that produce two high-energy photons of light. Such collisions should generally produce fewer very energetic photons, purely because these take more energy to make.

The longest decay

A hunt for one of natures most elusive processes could reveal why matter dominates our universe, finds Matthew Chalmers

Endangered earth: The secret battle to save our soils

We cant bury our heads in the sand any longer. More than a third of Earths top layer is at risk. Is there hope for our planets most precious endangered species?

Elements at the extreme

It is chemistrys poster child. From coppers conductivity to mercurys mercurial liquidity, the periodic table assigns the chemical elements to neat columns and rows and so reveals their properties. It is chemists fist reference point in all their endeavors, whether building better catalytic converters, making concrete set faster or looking for the best materials for medical implants. Here, Chalmers examines the physical and chemical properties of elements.

It's back

After a two-year makeover, could the rejuvenated LHC spy even wilder particles, asks Matthew Chalmers

Quantum weirdness: All in the mind?

The microscopic world seems to be a confusingly random and uncertain place – but that might be because we ourselves are uncertain about the world

Quantum mechanics: Searching for the master bit

An attempt to make our most successful theory of nature more real seems to imply the existence of a monstrous entity pulling realitys strings