Books in brief: A history of plaster; Einstein for the general reader; influencers’ literary antecedents
Reviews of new works by Alain Corbin, Diana Kormos Buchwald and Michael D Gordin, and Nicola Wilson
Albert Einstein
Read more articles about Albert Einstein, the German-born physicist best known for developing the theory of relativity
Embracing infinity: could surreal numbers shape the future of physics?
Perhaps physicists should embrace infinity instead of trying to banish it from their theories
Will physics ever explain consciousness?
We may be pushing physicalism too far in asking it to account for the mind, as this ignores the primacy of perception
The creative sweet spot: you can find it in your (very early) sleep
Research shows accessing a hypnagogic state as you drift into sleep can unlock creativity
Learning with dyspraxia: ‘I finally got a reason for my clumsy nature’
Biggest challenges for young people with condition are usually in school
Hirschfeld and early rights activism
German doctor studied gender and sexuality and coined ‘transsexual’ term in 1920s
Lifting of restrictions in Ireland greeted as vindication by those who refused vaccine
‘I was called an anti-vaxxer, and I took exception to that. My children are vaccinated’
Doomsday Clock remains at 100 seconds to midnight as world faces ‘dangerous moment’
Climate threats among reasons time is set at its closest-ever point to global catastrophe
Pele returns to hospital in Brazil for more colon tumour treatment
Three-time World Cup winner expected to be discharged in coming days
Fintan O’Toole: Boris Johnson is running out of people to betray
Ireland’s pact with the British prime minister on the North was a deal with a deceitful cheat
Did death cheat Stephen Hawking of a Nobel Prize?
Black holes behave as the physicist predicted. But the ultimate award is beyond his reach
Einstein’s theory of relativity: Handwritten calculations to be auctioned for €3m
Manuscript is ‘a fascinating dive into the mind of the greatest scientist of the 20th century’
New film pushes Japan to confront a wartime taboo
Tokyo Letter: Gift of Fire tells the story of Japan’s efforts to build a nuclear bomb
Pandemic has highlighted our interconnectedness as one global family
The virus has taught us that as long as one person is at risk, we are all at risk
The Irish Times view on a Swiss breakthough: Pi precisely ... ish
Pi provides a constant mathematic conundrum
The story of Britney Spears is a classic fairy tale
From childhood we are inured to fables about females having their powers taken away
Wales through to knockout stages despite defeat in Rome
It was an outcome that suited both teams, even if Ampadu’s red card will rankle
Portmarnock’s decision could lead to future hosting of Open Championship
After 127 years an overwhelming majority vote in favour of opening membership to women
How does Santa deliver billions of gifts in one night? Quantum physics . . .
TCD scientists speculate Santa uses ‘macroscopic superposition’ to be in many places simultaneously on Christmas Eve
Fostering inventiveness is critical for society
Human success depends on our ability to co-operate and organise while technology makes life easier
NPHET reaches for the sledgehammer as Irish Covid-19 fight hits impasse
Analysis: Officials need to explain what second lockdown would change if public accept more heavy restrictions
Truth as commodity: History warns us to watch out in wake of Covid-19 vaccine
After Weimar-like exuberance will come Covid-19 scapegoating and ongoing lies
Computing poised to make quantum leap
Quantum computers could perform billions of times faster than current supercomputer
The world on a string – a primer
String theory is beautifully explained by Brian Greene in The Elegant Universe
Cornelius Lanczos: Inspired by Hamilton’s quaternions
That’s Maths: Influential Hungarian took up position in Dias in 1954
Inspiring educators: How coronavirus has given us a new appreciation of teachers
Many of us see the levels of patience, persistence and personal attention that goes into the role of an educator
Matt Williams: To stop rugby going south, teams could simply go south
Australia and New Zealand are perfectly placed to help the rugby phoenix rise again
Unprepossessing Joe Biden has a great chance to make his mark on history
Janan Ganesh: Little was expected from US president Harry Truman but he proved a surprise
Dead white men: What have they ever done for us?
William Reville: We have good reason to be proud of our European heritage
Matt Williams: There will be nothing new in how Ireland will dominate Scotland
Andy Farrell knows tight-five domination will lay platform for more expansive game
Dire economic straits fuel protests throughout Lebanon
Baalbek Letter: Penal charges for internet service push people out on to the streets
Is your ‘true self’ a kind of ghost?
Unthinkable: One of philosophy’s great debates may be down to a misunderstanding
Footballer by trade, golf pro by vocation: the extraordinary life and times of Ronnie O’Brien
Former Republic of Ireland star played for Carlo Ancelotti’s Juventus in his early career
Parisian rats outnumbering humans nearly two to one
Paris Letter: The city has budgeted €1.5m annually since 2017 for the war on rats
Nobel Prize for Physics awarded for cosmology and exoplanet breakthroughs
James Peebles, Michel Mayor and Didier Queloz are jointly awarded the 2019 prize
Exhibition recognises Irish input in major astronomical discoveries
Rathmines-made solar telescope among items on display in Above and Beyond show
Germany seeks to reclaim Weimar Republic from fascism that followed
Taking stock of dark and light legacy of a first experiment in democracy 100 years on
Moon boy: The Irishman who helped Apollo 11 land on the moon
I worked for Nasa in the 1960s, playing a small part in a major historic event
Einstein, Eddington and the 1919 eclipse
Observations of solar eclipse confirmed accuracy of theory of relativity
Solar eclipse experiment which supported Einstein’s theory had Irish link
Science world marks 100th anniversary of test which provided first evidence of relativity
How a team of Irish astronomers eclipsed their more famous rivals
A landmark experiment in 1919 set out to prove Einstein’s theory of relativity by observing a total eclipse. Irishmen Andrew Crommelin and Howard Grubb played central roles
Making waves: The future of the boating industry is electric
‘I think the industry has been too traditional’, says the Elon Musk of the nautical world
The rise and rise of women in maths
Once a field dominated by men, brilliant women mathematicians are finally getting the recognition they deserve
Joe Biden is a good bet for 2020, and Trump knows it
Weary Americans could well see the insider as a perfect escape from four years of drama
Rethinking stereotypes about science and the arts
Unthinkable: Prof Tom McLeish identifies eight stages of creation common to disciplines as diverse as painting and biology
First close-up picture of ‘supermassive black hole’ unveiled
Feat described as equivalent to ‘locating an apple on the surface of the moon’
First photo of black hole expected in astrophysics milestone
Black holes are dense entities formed when large stars collapse at end of life cycle
Can the inventor of the web save its future?
On system’s 30th birthday, Tim Berners-Lee hopes to ensure it stays safe and open
US Senate to hold hearing into Boeing 737 MAX 8 crashes
US FAA says its ongoing review ‘provides no basis to order grounding the aircraft’
Ranelagh says no: foiled Metro plan spreads cheer in Dublin 6
Businessman’s joy that Metro will not come south echoed up and down Dunville Avenue
Figuring out why women don’t figure in Stem industries
How do we encourage more girls to defy the stereotypes and take up Stem subjects?
Crosswords & Puzzles
Crosswords & puzzles to keep you challenged and entertained
Stardust
Inquests into the nightclub fire that led to the deaths of 48 people
Common Ground
How does a post-Brexit world shape the identity and relationship of these islands
Family NoticesOpens in new window
Weddings, Births, Deaths and other family notices