Imaginary Numbers Removed from Quantum Theory

Plus: What is a manifold?; How your brain creates 'aha' moments; The mystery of early universe's little red dots on The Quanta Podcast

Math and Science News from Quanta Magazine View this email in your browser QUANTUM PHYSICS | ALL TOPICS   Physicists Take the Imaginary Numbers Out of Quantum Mechanics By DANIEL GARISTO Quantum mechanics has at last been formulated exclusively with real numbers, bringing a mathematical puzzle at the heart of the theory into a new era of inquiry. Read the article TOPOLOGY   What Is a Manifold? By PAULINA ROWIŃSKA In the mid-19th century, Bernhard Riemann conceived of a new way to think about mathematical spaces, providing the foundation for modern geometry and physics. Read the article NEUROSCIENCE   How Your Brain Creates 'Aha' Moments and Why They Stick By NORA BRADFORD A sudden flash of insight is a product of your brain. Neuroscientists track the neural activity underlying an "aha" and how it might boost memory. Read the article THE QUANTA PODCAST   The Mystery of Early Universe's Little Red Dots Podcast hosted by SAMIR PATEL with CHARLIE WOOD Samir Patel speaks with physics staff writer Charlie Wood about how the strange little red dot is upending our assumptions of the first billion years of cosmic history. Listen (Apple) | Listen (Spotify) Read the article Follow Quanta Unsubscribe | About Quanta | My Bookmarks Privacy Policy | Terms | Contact Us   Copyright © 2025 Quanta Magazine, an editorially independent division of the Simons Foundation Simons Foundation 160 5th Avenue, 7th Floor New York, NY 10010