Charlie Wood
Charlie Wood

Charlie Wood is a journalist covering developments in the physical sciences both on and off the planet. His work has appeared in Quanta Magazine, Popular Science, Scientific American, The Christian Science Monitor, and other publications. Previously, he taught physics and English in Mozambique and Japan, and holds an undergraduate degree in physics at Brown University. 

Articles by: Charlie Wood

A white dwarf star hurtling through the Milky Way could have survived a cataclysmic supernova (depicted in this illustration).

Runaway star caught streaking across Milky Way at 2 million mph ... in the wrong direction

By Charlie Wood

Astronomers say a weird star careening through the Milky Way could have survived the explosive powers of a supernova.

The CHIME radio telescope in British Columbia, Canada has detected more than 1,000 fast radio bursts (FRBs) as of mid-2020.

Mysterious flashes of radio light come in two 'flavors,' new survey finds

By Charlie Wood

They might provide a new way to see the cosmos.

Physicists take steps toward a quantum internet with a new way to link light particles.

Physicists link 'quantum memories' in early step toward quantum internet

By Charlie Wood

Two novel demonstrations bring the backbone of the quantum internet, quantum repeaters, a little closer.

Abstract spheres represent the three-body problem in physics.

Physicists get close to taming the chaos of the 'three-body problem'

By Charlie Wood

The intractable "three-body problem" gets closer to being solved with breakthrough study.

St. Elmo's fire seen at night.

What Is St. Elmo's Fire?

By Charlie Wood

Reference Article: Facts about St. Elmo's fire.

A bottlenose dolphin and a white shark.

What Is Convergent Evolution?

By Charlie Wood

Why do dolphins look so much like sharks? Why do pandas have thumbs? Because evolutionarily speaking, sometimes there tends to be one best way to get the job done.

A big bang in space.

The Big Bang Theory: How the Universe Began

By Charlie Wood

The Big Bang Theory describes the first fraction of a second of the universe's existence.

The universe is full of stars, gas clouds, galaxies, black holes and a whole lot more. Cosmologists ask, "Why?"

Cosmology: Uncovering the Story of the Universe

By Charlie Wood

Cosmologists ask the big questions. And sometimes, they find big answers.

Infographic: the chemical elements organized according to the number of protons in each nucleus

How Are Elements Grouped in the Periodic Table?

By Charlie Wood

Don't worry, the periodic table of elements isn't as confusing as it looks.

A blobfish.

What the Heck Is a Blobfish?

By Charlie Wood

The blobfish may be ugly on land, but it's rather handsome where it belongs — deep under the ocean.

A security check-point at Dulles International Airport July 2, 2007, in Dulles, Virginia.

Mental Bias Puts Airport Security at Risk, and This Tech Could Help

By Charlie Wood

Remote screening stations at airports could use technology to minimize the effect of a little-known cognitive bias called satisfaction of search.