Space & Physics: AI ate math. Is science next?

Plus, did astronomers just see Planet Nine?                    

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November 12—This week, our top story asks a tough question: After this year’s AI-powered disruption of mathematics, when will the same thing happen to science? The answer is more complicated—and uncertain—than you might think. Elsewhere, we have stories on a claimed glimpse of Planet Nine, fresh details about NASA’s nuclear-powered moon rover, the math of finding a needle in a haystack and more. Enjoy! Thoughts? Questions? Let me know via e-mail (lbillings@sciam.com), X or Bluesky. —Lee Billings, Senior Editor, Physical Sciences

Top Stories

After math, will AI upend science, too? Mathematicians will remember 2026 as the year AI changed everything about their field. Scientists may be next in line for disruption Dan Garisto

NASA reveals new lunar rover, PROMISE, to launch to moon in 2028 At a press event on Saturday, the agency’s officials stressed that rovers and other infrastructure will be critical to ensuring human survival on the moon Claire Cameron

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Have astronomers spotted Planet Nine? Archived observations appear to show a moving object in the far-distant outer solar system, but its reality is unclear Phil Plait

Scientists confirm OpenAI’s blockbuster quantum physics result The company’s appointed team of experts has verified and released the groundbreaking AI-generated proof, which validates bedrock assumptions of the Standard Model of particle physics Joseph Howlett

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Nothing can be fully transparent, physicists discover Quantum researchers show how materials inevitably absorb light Matthew von Hippel

Mountain heights across the country are about to change. Gravity is to blame A national system that defines where things are across the country will get a complete overhaul Katherine Cusumano

Was Isaac Newton’s contribution to calculus stolen? Newton accused Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, another mathematical giant of the time, of stealing the concept of infinitesimals. Here’s the real story Manon Bischoff

This asteroid was born at the dawn of the solar system Ryugu might have formed in the very first generation of planetary building blocks Jacek Krywko

Newfound invisible object in space could be a rare supermassive neutron star Astronomers saw something strange in a distant star system—or rather what’s strange is what they didn’t see. Solving the mystery could reveal new astrophysics Adam Kovac

This is how hard it is to find a needle in a haystack We asked a statistics expert how difficult it would be to find a needle in a haystack—the answer is: just as hard as you think Adam Kovac

What We're Reading

Is the U.S. Trying to Censor Our View From Space? | The New York Times Pentagon mulls placing fleet of military satellites around the Moon | Ars Technica Vast data dump from Euclid space telescope reveals stunning galaxies | New Scientist

From the Archive

If AI can do math, what’s the point of mathematicians? What happens when machines surpass the most brilliant human minds? Mathematicians are finding out Joseph Howlett

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