Quanta Magazine Explainer Articles

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load with other machines.</p> </div> </div> </div> <div class='card clearfix mv05 pv1 '> <div class='card__image mr1 mb1' data-toggle-hover='card'> <a href='https://www.quantamagazine.org/meet-the-eukaryote-the-first-cell-to-get-organized-20241028/' class='relative'> <span class='screen-reader-text'>Meet the Eukaryote, the First Cell to Get Organized</span> <div class='image mx0 relative image--standard'> <div class='image__inner absolute fit-x is-loaded'> <img width="520" height="292" src="https://www.quantamagazine.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/EukaryoteExplainer-crKristinaArmitage-Default.webp" class="absolute fit-x fill-h fill-v mxa" alt="An illustration shows a cell with its organs arranged by shape, as if in separate compartments." decoding="async" /> </div> </div> </a> </div> <div class='card__content '> <div class='mb1 pb025 mt0 h6t card__kicker'> <a class="kicker theme__accent theme__text-hover uppercase" href="/tag/explainers/">explainers</a> </div> <a href='https://www.quantamagazine.org/meet-the-eukaryote-the-first-cell-to-get-organized-20241028/' data-toggle-hover='card'> <h3 class='card__title noe mv0 theme__accent-hover transition--color h2t'> Meet the Eukaryote, the First Cell to Get Organized </h3> </a> <div class='card__meta mb0 mt025 flex flex-items-center flex-wrap'> <div class='byline relative flex flex-items-start merriweather mv025 mr1 gray3 h6t theme__text-hover'> <em class='byline__by gray4 mr075'>By </em> <a href='https://www.quantamagazine.org/authors/mollyherring/'> <span class='byline__author uppercase kern light small'>Molly Herring</span> </a> </div> <span class='o-divider o-divider--vertical mr1 relative h6'></span> <div class='card-date h6 flex flex-items-center mv05'> <div class='uppercase mr1 kern small gray3'>October 28, 2024</div> <span class='o-divider o-divider--vertical mr1 relative'></span> </div> <div class='card__actions h6 flex flex-items-center mv05'> <div class='comments-button mr05 flex flex-items-center theme__accent-hover ' data-name='comment-bubble' > <a href='https://www.quantamagazine.org/meet-the-eukaryote-the-first-cell-to-get-organized-20241028/#comments' class='flex flex-items-center pangram'> <svg viewbox='0 0 50 50' enable-background='new 0 0 50 50' xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' class='o2'><title>Comment</title><path fill='currentColor' d='M9.4 4.2h31.2c8.6 0 9.4 7 9.4 15.6s-.7 15.6-9.4 15.6h-2.2l-.9 9.4-18.8-9.4H9.4c-8.6 0-9.4-7-9.4-15.6S.7 4.2 9.4 4.2z'></path></svg> <div> <span class='comments-button__count ml075 small mbold disqus-comment-count' data-disqus-identifier='142896 https://www.quantamagazine.org/?p=142896'></span> </div> </a> </div> <span class='o-divider mh075 relative'></span> <div class='relative'> <button class='bookmark-button mh05 flex flex-items-center theme__accent-hover ' data-toggle-hover='tooltip' data-id='142896' data-active-class='' aria-expanded='false'> <svg class="icon" viewbox="0 0 50 50" enable-background="new 0 0 50 50" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><title>Save Article</title><path fill="currentColor" d="M2.1 0h45.8v50L25.5 37.5 2.1 50V0z"></path></svg> </button> <div class='q-tooltip hidden force-mobile-placement w-32 ml-n16 -top-10'> <div class='q-tooltip-content'> <div class='q-tooltip-arrow -bottom-3'></div> <div class='q-tooltip-inner py-1 pl-1' role='tooltip'> <div class='h6t relative z1 uppercase kern--w mx025'> <span class='small no-wrap'>Read Later</span> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class='card__excerpt h5 pangram o6 mb4 mt025'> <p>All modern multicellular life — all life that any of us regularly see — is made of cells with a knack for compartmentalization. Recent discoveries are revealing how the first eukaryote got its start.</p> </div> </div> </div> <div class='card clearfix mv05 pv1 '> <div class='card__image mr1 mb1' data-toggle-hover='card'> <a href='https://www.quantamagazine.org/the-two-faces-of-space-time-20240925/' class='relative'> <span class='screen-reader-text'>The Two Faces of Space-Time</span> <div class='image mx0 relative image--standard'> <div class='image__inner absolute fit-x is-loaded'> <img width="520" height="292" src="https://www.quantamagazine.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Spacetime_Duality-crKristinaArmitage-Default.webp" class="absolute fit-x fill-h fill-v mxa" alt="Two silhouettes facing each other, decorated with stars, form the shape of a vase in between." decoding="async" /> </div> </div> </a> </div> <div class='card__content '> <div class='mb1 pb025 mt0 h6t card__kicker'> <a class="kicker theme__accent theme__text-hover uppercase" href="/tag/explainers/">explainers</a> </div> <a href='https://www.quantamagazine.org/the-two-faces-of-space-time-20240925/' data-toggle-hover='card'> <h3 class='card__title noe mv0 theme__accent-hover transition--color h2t'> The Two Faces of Space-Time </h3> </a> <div class='card__meta mb0 mt025 flex flex-items-center flex-wrap'> <div class='byline relative flex flex-items-start merriweather mv025 mr1 gray3 h6t theme__text-hover'> <em class='byline__by gray4 mr075'>By </em> <a href='https://www.quantamagazine.org/authors/charlie-wood/'> <span class='byline__author uppercase kern light small'>Charlie Wood</span> </a> </div> <span class='o-divider o-divider--vertical mr1 relative h6'></span> <div class='card-date h6 flex flex-items-center mv05'> <div class='uppercase mr1 kern small gray3'>September 25, 2024</div> <span class='o-divider o-divider--vertical mr1 relative'></span> </div> <div class='card__actions h6 flex flex-items-center mv05'> <div class='comments-button mr05 flex flex-items-center theme__accent-hover ' data-name='comment-bubble' > <a href='https://www.quantamagazine.org/the-two-faces-of-space-time-20240925/#comments' class='flex flex-items-center pangram'> <svg viewbox='0 0 50 50' enable-background='new 0 0 50 50' xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' class='o2'><title>Comment</title><path fill='currentColor' d='M9.4 4.2h31.2c8.6 0 9.4 7 9.4 15.6s-.7 15.6-9.4 15.6h-2.2l-.9 9.4-18.8-9.4H9.4c-8.6 0-9.4-7-9.4-15.6S.7 4.2 9.4 4.2z'></path></svg> <div> <span class='comments-button__count ml075 small mbold disqus-comment-count' data-disqus-identifier='140659 https://www.quantamagazine.org/?p=140659'></span> </div> </a> </div> <span class='o-divider mh075 relative'></span> <div class='relative'> <button class='bookmark-button mh05 flex flex-items-center theme__accent-hover ' data-toggle-hover='tooltip' data-id='140659' data-active-class='' aria-expanded='false'> <svg class="icon" viewbox="0 0 50 50" enable-background="new 0 0 50 50" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><title>Save Article</title><path fill="currentColor" d="M2.1 0h45.8v50L25.5 37.5 2.1 50V0z"></path></svg> </button> <div class='q-tooltip hidden force-mobile-placement w-32 ml-n16 -top-10'> <div class='q-tooltip-content'> <div class='q-tooltip-arrow -bottom-3'></div> <div class='q-tooltip-inner py-1 pl-1' role='tooltip'> <div class='h6t relative z1 uppercase kern--w mx025'> <span class='small no-wrap'>Read Later</span> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class='card__excerpt h5 pangram o6 mb4 mt025'> <p>A mysterious phenomenon known as duality often leads to new discoveries in physics. This time, space-time itself can sometimes be two things at once.</p> </div> </div> </div> <div class='card clearfix mv05 pv1 '> <div class='card__image mr1 mb1' data-toggle-hover='card'> <a href='https://www.quantamagazine.org/how-embeddings-encode-what-words-mean-sort-of-20240918/' class='relative'> <span class='screen-reader-text'>How ‘Embeddings’ Encode What Words Mean — Sort Of</span> <div class='image mx0 relative image--standard'> <div class='image__inner absolute fit-x is-loaded'> <img width="520" height="292" src="https://www.quantamagazine.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/EmbeddingsExplainer-crSamuelVelasco_KristinaArmitage-Default.webp" class="absolute fit-x fill-h fill-v mxa" alt="A robot picking words from a pile" decoding="async" /> </div> </div> </a> </div> <div class='card__content '> <div class='mb1 pb025 mt0 h6t card__kicker'> <a class="kicker theme__accent theme__text-hover uppercase" href="/tag/machine-learning/">machine learning</a> </div> <a href='https://www.quantamagazine.org/how-embeddings-encode-what-words-mean-sort-of-20240918/' data-toggle-hover='card'> <h3 class='card__title noe mv0 theme__accent-hover transition--color h2t'> How ‘Embeddings’ Encode What Words Mean — Sort Of </h3> </a> <div class='card__meta mb0 mt025 flex flex-items-center flex-wrap'> <div class='byline relative flex flex-items-start merriweather mv025 mr1 gray3 h6t theme__text-hover'> <em class='byline__by gray4 mr075'>By </em> <a href='https://www.quantamagazine.org/authors/john-pavlus/'> <span class='byline__author uppercase kern light small'>John Pavlus</span> </a> </div> <span class='o-divider o-divider--vertical mr1 relative h6'></span> <div class='card-date h6 flex flex-items-center mv05'> <div class='uppercase mr1 kern small gray3'>September 18, 2024</div> <span class='o-divider o-divider--vertical mr1 relative'></span> </div> <div class='card__actions h6 flex flex-items-center mv05'> <div class='comments-button mr05 flex flex-items-center theme__accent-hover ' data-name='comment-bubble' > <a href='https://www.quantamagazine.org/how-embeddings-encode-what-words-mean-sort-of-20240918/#comments' class='flex flex-items-center pangram'> <svg viewbox='0 0 50 50' enable-background='new 0 0 50 50' xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' class='o2'><title>Comment</title><path fill='currentColor' d='M9.4 4.2h31.2c8.6 0 9.4 7 9.4 15.6s-.7 15.6-9.4 15.6h-2.2l-.9 9.4-18.8-9.4H9.4c-8.6 0-9.4-7-9.4-15.6S.7 4.2 9.4 4.2z'></path></svg> <div> <span class='comments-button__count ml075 small mbold disqus-comment-count' data-disqus-identifier='140975 https://www.quantamagazine.org/?p=140975'></span> </div> </a> </div> <span class='o-divider mh075 relative'></span> <div class='relative'> <button class='bookmark-button mh05 flex flex-items-center theme__accent-hover ' data-toggle-hover='tooltip' data-id='140975' data-active-class='' aria-expanded='false'> <svg class="icon" viewbox="0 0 50 50" enable-background="new 0 0 50 50" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><title>Save Article</title><path fill="currentColor" d="M2.1 0h45.8v50L25.5 37.5 2.1 50V0z"></path></svg> </button> <div class='q-tooltip hidden force-mobile-placement w-32 ml-n16 -top-10'> <div class='q-tooltip-content'> <div class='q-tooltip-arrow -bottom-3'></div> <div class='q-tooltip-inner py-1 pl-1' role='tooltip'> <div class='h6t relative z1 uppercase kern--w mx025'> <span class='small no-wrap'>Read Later</span> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class='card__excerpt h5 pangram o6 mb4 mt025'> <p>Machines work with words by embedding their relationships with other words in a string of numbers.</p> </div> </div> </div> <div class='card clearfix mv05 pv1 '> <div class='card__image mr1 mb1' data-toggle-hover='card'> <a href='https://www.quantamagazine.org/how-the-higgs-field-actually-gives-mass-to-elementary-particles-20240903/' class='relative'> <span class='screen-reader-text'>How the Higgs Field (Actually) Gives Mass to 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flex-items-start merriweather mv025 mr1 gray3 h6t theme__text-hover'> <em class='byline__by gray4 mr075'>By </em> <a href='https://www.quantamagazine.org/authors/mattstrassler/'> <span class='byline__author uppercase kern light small'>Matt Strassler</span> </a> </div> <span class='o-divider o-divider--vertical mr1 relative h6'></span> <div class='card-date h6 flex flex-items-center mv05'> <div class='uppercase mr1 kern small gray3'>September 3, 2024</div> <span class='o-divider o-divider--vertical mr1 relative'></span> </div> <div class='card__actions h6 flex flex-items-center mv05'> <div class='comments-button mr05 flex flex-items-center theme__accent-hover ' data-name='comment-bubble' > <a href='https://www.quantamagazine.org/how-the-higgs-field-actually-gives-mass-to-elementary-particles-20240903/#comments' class='flex flex-items-center pangram'> <svg viewbox='0 0 50 50' enable-background='new 0 0 50 50' xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' class='o2'><title>Comment</title><path 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role='tooltip'> <div class='h6t relative z1 uppercase kern--w mx025'> <span class='small no-wrap'>Read Later</span> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class='card__excerpt h5 pangram o6 mb4 mt025'> <p>In this article adapted from his new book, "Waves in an Impossible Sea," physicist Matt Strassler explains that the origin of mass in the universe has a lot to do with music.</p> </div> </div> </div> <div class='card clearfix mv05 pv1 '> <div class='card__image mr1 mb1' data-toggle-hover='card'> <a href='https://www.quantamagazine.org/how-our-longest-nerve-orchestrates-the-mind-body-connection-20240826/' class='relative'> <span class='screen-reader-text'>How Our Longest Nerve Orchestrates the Mind-Body Connection</span> <div class='image mx0 relative image--standard'> <div class='image__inner absolute fit-x is-loaded'> <img width="520" height="292" src="https://www.quantamagazine.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/VagusNerve-cr.SallyCaulwell-Default.webp" class="absolute 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Douglas Fields</span> </a> </div> <span class='o-divider o-divider--vertical mr1 relative h6'></span> <div class='card-date h6 flex flex-items-center mv05'> <div class='uppercase mr1 kern small gray3'>August 26, 2024</div> <span class='o-divider o-divider--vertical mr1 relative'></span> </div> <div class='card__actions h6 flex flex-items-center mv05'> <div class='comments-button mr05 flex flex-items-center theme__accent-hover ' data-name='comment-bubble' > <a href='https://www.quantamagazine.org/how-our-longest-nerve-orchestrates-the-mind-body-connection-20240826/#comments' class='flex flex-items-center pangram'> <svg viewbox='0 0 50 50' enable-background='new 0 0 50 50' xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' class='o2'><title>Comment</title><path fill='currentColor' d='M9.4 4.2h31.2c8.6 0 9.4 7 9.4 15.6s-.7 15.6-9.4 15.6h-2.2l-.9 9.4-18.8-9.4H9.4c-8.6 0-9.4-7-9.4-15.6S.7 4.2 9.4 4.2z'></path></svg> <div> <span class='comments-button__count ml075 small mbold disqus-comment-count' data-disqus-identifier='140053 https://www.quantamagazine.org/?p=140053'></span> </div> </a> </div> <span class='o-divider mh075 relative'></span> <div class='relative'> <button class='bookmark-button mh05 flex flex-items-center theme__accent-hover ' data-toggle-hover='tooltip' data-id='140053' data-active-class='' aria-expanded='false'> <svg class="icon" viewbox="0 0 50 50" enable-background="new 0 0 50 50" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><title>Save Article</title><path fill="currentColor" d="M2.1 0h45.8v50L25.5 37.5 2.1 50V0z"></path></svg> </button> <div class='q-tooltip hidden force-mobile-placement w-32 ml-n16 -top-10'> <div class='q-tooltip-content'> <div class='q-tooltip-arrow -bottom-3'></div> <div class='q-tooltip-inner py-1 pl-1' role='tooltip'> <div class='h6t relative z1 uppercase kern--w mx025'> <span class='small no-wrap'>Read Later</span> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class='card__excerpt h5 pangram o6 mb4 mt025'> <p>Like a highway system, the vagus nerve branches profusely from your brain through your organs to marshal bodily functions, including aspects of mind such as mood, pleasure and fear.</p> </div> </div> </div> <div class='card clearfix mv05 pv1 '> <div class='card__image mr1 mb1' data-toggle-hover='card'> <a href='https://www.quantamagazine.org/how-colorful-ribbon-diagrams-became-the-face-of-proteins-20240823/' class='relative'> <span class='screen-reader-text'>How Colorful Ribbon Diagrams Became the Face of Proteins</span> <div class='image mx0 relative image--standard'> <div class='image__inner absolute fit-x is-loaded'> <img width="520" height="292" src="https://www.quantamagazine.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/RibbonModel-crJaneRichardson-Default.webp" class="absolute fit-x fill-h fill-v mxa" alt="Hand-drawn curls of ribbon and pointed arrows represent a protein’s structure." decoding="async" /> </div> </div> </a> </div> <div class='card__content '> <div class='mb1 pb025 mt0 h6t card__kicker'> <a class="kicker theme__accent theme__text-hover uppercase" href="/tag/molecular-biology/">molecular biology</a> </div> <a href='https://www.quantamagazine.org/how-colorful-ribbon-diagrams-became-the-face-of-proteins-20240823/' data-toggle-hover='card'> <h3 class='card__title noe mv0 theme__accent-hover transition--color h2t'> How Colorful Ribbon Diagrams Became the Face of Proteins </h3> </a> <div class='card__meta mb0 mt025 flex flex-items-center flex-wrap'> <div class='byline relative flex flex-items-start merriweather mv025 mr1 gray3 h6t theme__text-hover'> <em class='byline__by gray4 mr075'>By </em> <a href='https://www.quantamagazine.org/authors/yasemin-saplakoglu/'> <span class='byline__author uppercase kern light small'>Yasemin Saplakoglu</span> </a> </div> <span class='o-divider o-divider--vertical mr1 relative h6'></span> <div class='card-date h6 flex flex-items-center mv05'> <div class='uppercase mr1 kern small gray3'>August 23, 2024</div> <span class='o-divider o-divider--vertical mr1 relative'></span> </div> <div class='card__actions h6 flex flex-items-center mv05'> <div class='comments-button mr05 flex flex-items-center theme__accent-hover ' data-name='comment-bubble' > <a href='https://www.quantamagazine.org/how-colorful-ribbon-diagrams-became-the-face-of-proteins-20240823/#comments' class='flex flex-items-center pangram'> <svg viewbox='0 0 50 50' enable-background='new 0 0 50 50' xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' class='o2'><title>Comment</title><path fill='currentColor' d='M9.4 4.2h31.2c8.6 0 9.4 7 9.4 15.6s-.7 15.6-9.4 15.6h-2.2l-.9 9.4-18.8-9.4H9.4c-8.6 0-9.4-7-9.4-15.6S.7 4.2 9.4 4.2z'></path></svg> <div> <span class='comments-button__count ml075 small mbold disqus-comment-count' data-disqus-identifier='140004 https://www.quantamagazine.org/?p=140004'></span> </div> </a> </div> <span class='o-divider mh075 relative'></span> <div class='relative'> <button class='bookmark-button mh05 flex flex-items-center theme__accent-hover ' data-toggle-hover='tooltip' 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