science
Topics and developments in science and medicine, presented by Futurism.
The Linearity Crisis
When David Deutsch proposed his self-consistency condition for particles traversing closed timelike curves, he created more than a solution to temporal paradoxes. He exposed a fundamental crisis at the intersection of quantum mechanics and general relativity. The problem is simple to state but shocking in its implications: his model requires quantum evolution to become non-linear, violating one of the most sacred principles in physics.
By Abigail Goldwater19 days ago in Futurism
Satellites show that ice loss at Earth's poles is gradually getting worse.
Polar ice sheets do not suddenly break or collapse, according to satellite data. They slip most of the time, slowly and unrelentingly. Massive rivers of ice flow towards the sea every day from the centres of Antarctica and Greenland. The amount of ice that ends up in the ocean and the rate at which sea levels rise are determined by this motion.
By Francis Dami23 days ago in Futurism
Contrary to popular perception, far-side observations show that Earth's moon is not "dead."
For a long time, the moon appeared to be a world that had completed its major transformations before becoming silent. Although there are still scars on its surface from heavy impacts and past lava floods, many experts have viewed such features as remnants of a far older era.
By Francis Dami23 days ago in Futurism
New Plans for Resource Extraction Beyond Earth
For most of human history, the idea of mining resources beyond Earth belonged firmly to the realm of science fiction. Asteroids rich in precious metals, lunar factories producing rocket fuel, and self-sufficient colonies extracting materials from alien soil were staples of futuristic novels rather than serious policy discussions. Today, however, this vision is rapidly transforming into a concrete strategy supported by governments, private companies, and long-term economic planning. Humanity is approaching the dawn of an off-world resource economy—one that could fundamentally reshape our relationship with space and with Earth itself.
By Holianyk Ihor24 days ago in Futurism
Why New Telescope Data Is Once Again Questioning the Age of the Universe
For decades, the age of the Universe seemed like a settled question. According to the standard cosmological model, known as Lambda-CDM, the Universe is approximately 13.8 billion years old. This number appears in textbooks, documentaries, and scientific papers as a near-cosmic constant — stable, precise, and well supported by observations.
By Holianyk Ihor24 days ago in Futurism
The Era of Agentic AI
For the past three years, we’ve been smitten with "prompt engineering." We’ve interacted with AI as we would an oracle in an "answer cave": we came before its text box, articulated a question thoughtfully, and then waited for an answer. However, as we find ourselves in 2026, so is the passing of the era of "static prompts." We are now in the "Age of Agentic AI."
By Artical Media24 days ago in Futurism
Hubble Captures Stunning New Images, Including the Largest Known Planet-Forming Disk
More than three decades after its launch, the Hubble Space Telescope continues to deliver discoveries that reshape our understanding of the Universe. Despite the arrival of newer observatories, Hubble remains a cornerstone of modern astronomy, offering a unique view of cosmic phenomena in visible and ultraviolet light. Its latest series of observations has once again demonstrated its scientific power, revealing breathtaking images of one of the largest known protoplanetary disks ever observed, along with dramatic evidence of collisions in young planetary systems.
By Holianyk Ihor28 days ago in Futurism
Will Earth Remain the Center of Civilization?
For all of recorded history, Earth has been more than just a planet. It has been the unquestioned center of human civilization — the birthplace of culture, science, politics, and technology. Every empire, every revolution, every scientific breakthrough has unfolded on this single world. Yet for the first time, this central role is no longer guaranteed. As humanity takes its first serious steps into space, a profound question emerges: will Earth remain the center of civilization, or is it destined to become just one node in a much larger human network?
By Holianyk Ihor28 days ago in Futurism
Who Controls Earth’s Orbit?
At first glance, Earth’s orbit seems like a lawless void — a vast, silent expanse where no one truly holds power. Space is often imagined as infinite and free, untouched by politics or borders. Yet in reality, the space surrounding our planet has become one of the most crowded, strategic, and contested environments of the modern world. The question “Who controls Earth’s orbit?” is no longer philosophical. It is political, technological, economic, and increasingly existential.
By Holianyk Ihor29 days ago in Futurism
Starship: A Breakthrough or an Overhyped Project?
Few space projects in modern history have sparked as much debate as Starship, the ambitious launch system being developed by SpaceX. To its supporters, Starship represents nothing less than a revolution — a machine that could make humanity a multi-planetary species and dramatically lower the cost of spaceflight. To critics, it is an overpromised, underproven concept whose technical challenges may outweigh its potential benefits. So which is it: a genuine breakthrough or an overhyped gamble?
By Holianyk Ihor29 days ago in Futurism
Water on the Moon: Is There Enough for Permanent Human Bases?
For most of the twentieth century, the Moon was seen as a dry, lifeless world — a silent, dusty companion to Earth with no meaningful resources of its own. Early astronauts brought back rocks and soil that seemed to confirm this view. Water, the most essential ingredient for life and long-term habitation, appeared to be completely absent.
By Holianyk Ihorabout a month ago in Futurism
Is There a Limit to Our Knowledge of the Universe?
From the moment early humans looked up at the night sky, the Universe has provoked questions that seem both simple and impossibly deep. What are those lights above us? How big is everything? And perhaps the most profound question of all: can we ever fully understand the Universe, or is there a fundamental limit to human knowledge?
By Holianyk Ihorabout a month ago in Futurism
