What are the major discoveries in physics of the 21st century?.

The 21st century has seen transformative discoveries in physics, profoundly advancing our understanding of the universe. Notable achievements include:

Key Facts

• Higgs Boson Discovery (2012): Confirmed the last missing piece of the Standard Model of particle physics, enhancing our understanding of mass.
• Gravitational Waves Detection (2015): The first direct observation of gravitational waves confirmed Einstein's theory of general relativity and opened a new field of astrophysics.
• Quantum Computing Advances (2020s): Significant progress in quantum computing technology, promising revolutionary applications across various fields.
• Dark Matter and Energy Investigations: Ongoing research continues to explore the nature and implications of dark matter and dark energy in the cosmos.

Examples or Use Cases

• The detection of gravitational waves has allowed scientists to observe events such as black hole mergers and neutron star collisions, providing new insights into the universe's behavior.
• Quantum computing advancements are being explored for applications in cryptography, drug discovery, and complex systems modeling.

FAQs

• What is the Higgs boson? The Higgs boson is a fundamental particle responsible for giving mass to other particles through the Higgs field.
• Why are gravitational waves important? They provide evidence for the existence of black holes and neutron stars and help us understand the universe's expansion.