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The standard model of particle physics consists of particles of matter interacting via three fundamental forces: the strong force that holds atomic nuclei together, the weak force that describes (radioactive) beta decay, and the electromagnetic force…

The highly respected theoretical physicist Cumrun Vafa from Harvard University has received one of the prestigious Humboldt Research Awards. Along with this award from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation comes an invitation for a stay of up to one…

The surface of the sun is like a bubbling cauldron of hot plasma. Sunspots - darker and cooler areas than the rest of the surface - come and go. Huge plasma magnetic field arcs form near them. Occasionally, magnetic short circuits hurl huge streams…

Since November 1, the Max Planck Institute for Physics (MPP) has had a new address. After 65 years, the institute is saying "goodbye" to its location at the Englischer Garten in Munich and moving to a new building at the Garching Research Center.…

MADMAX is an experiment currently being created to find a previously undetected particle. The sought-after axion could answer two central questions in particle physics: What is dark matter made of, and why is the interaction that holds atomic nuclei…

The Max Planck Institute for Physics is pleased to announce two successful applications to the European Research Council (ERC): 10 million euros will go to the project "UNIVERSE+: Positive Geometry in Particle Physics and Cosmology", coordinated by…

For more than 100 years, scientists have puzzled over the source of the high-energy cosmic rays that continuously pelt our Earth's atmosphere. Neutrinos are the only particles in the radiation that allow direct conclusions to be drawn about its…

In 2003, a success story of astrophysics began on La Palma: 20 years ago in October, the first MAGIC telescope was inaugurated on the Canary Island, a huge instrument with a mirror diameter of 17 meters. Five years later, the twin MAGIC II telescope…

For decades, we have known of the existence of matter. This "dark" matter is five times more abundant than ordinary matter and plays a crucial role in the evolution of the universe. However, we have not yet been able to identify the nature of this…

The workshop "Current Topics in Fundamental Physics" on the 16th of August will bring together experts from theoretical particle physics, cosmology and mathematics to discuss the latest developments at the interface of these three research areas.

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