TagZero

Saying Oh for Zero

Mary Beth in Greenville, South Carolina, wonders: Why do we say four-oh-nine for the number 409 instead of four-zero-nine or four-aught-nine? What are the rules for saying either zero or oh or aught or ought to indicate that arithmetical symbol...

vacuum energy

vacuum energy  n.— «What quantum theory says is that, powered by nothing whatsoever, the universe will still vibrate with what is sometimes called “vacuum energy” or “zero-point energy.”» —“The dark matter is the anti-matter source of...

Mottness

Mottness  n.— «Understanding the detailed mechanism for how quantum traffic jams (technically referred to as “Mottness” after the late Sir Neville Mott of Cambridge, UK) impact superconductivity in cuprates may point scientists...