Classically, light can be thought of in two ways: either as a particle or a wave. But what is it really? Well, the ‘observer effect’ makes that question kind of difficult to answer. So before we get ...

Thomas Young, born 250 years ago this week, was a polymath who made seminal contributions in fields from physics to Egyptology. But perhaps his most enduring legacy is proving Isaac Newton wrong about ...

Light is well known to exhibit both wave-like and particle-like properties, as imaged here in this 2015 photograph. What's less well appreciated is that matter particles also exhibit those wave-like ...

The concept of photons -- that is, particles of light -- has been around since 1905, explained by Albert Einstein as the "photoelectric" effect. This effect occurs when light hits a metal surface, ...

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. Breaking space news, the latest updates on rocket launches, skywatching events and more! You are ...

Quantum objects are notoriously shifty. Take the photon, for example. The quantum of light can act as a particle one moment, following a well-defined path like a tiny projectile, and a wave the next, ...