Get curated editors’ picks, peeks behind the scenes, film recommendations and more.
Built on the quantum physics breakthroughs of the 1920s, the Standard Model of particle physics is, according to the physicist David Tong at the University of Cambridge, the most successful scientific theory in history. But, unlike other revolutionary theories such as evolution by natural selection, heliocentrism or even general relativity, the Standard Model is quite difficult to sum up in brief. And so, no surprise, it’s nowhere near as widely understood. In this animated explainer, Tong does his best to bridge this knowledge gap without skimping on the complexities. With the aid of some nifty visuals, he details how the Standard Model describes the interactions between 12 elementary particles and three fundamental forces, as well as what’s missing from the model, and why it isn’t quite a theory of everything.
Video by Quanta Magazine
Producers: Emily Buder, Adrian Vásquez de Velasco
video
Engineering
A close-up look at electronic paper reveals its exquisite patterns – and limitations
9 minutes
video
Cognition and intelligence
What’s this buzz about bees having culture? Inside a groundbreaking experiment
8 minutes
video
Earth science and climate
The only man permitted in Bhutan’s sacred mountains chronicles humanity’s impact
22 minutes
video
Cosmology
The Indian astronomer whose innovative work on black holes was mocked at Cambridge
13 minutes
video
Astronomy
Seven years later, what can we make of our first confirmed interstellar visitor?
59 minutes
video
Physics
Is it possible to design a shape to roll along any fixed path?
4 minutes
video
Biotechnology
The two women behind a world-changing scientific discovery
14 minutes
video
Medicine
Why surgery and barbering were one occupation in the Middle Ages
6 minutes
video
Space exploration
Mind-bending speed is the only way to reach the stars – here are three ways to do it
5 minutes