James Halverson

James Halverson, an assistant professor of physics in the College of Science, uses artificial intelligence to untangle knots and uncover the secrets of the universe. Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University

Why you need a computer to understand strings and knots

Some questions are simply too big for humans to answer alone. “How does the universe work?” is a good example. James Halverson and Brent Nelson, physicists at Northeastern, are getting a little extra help from artificial intelligence to uncover the secrets of why we exist.

by Emily Arntsen August 26, 2020

James Halverson, an assistant professor of physics at Northeastern, uses data science to study the many possibilities in string theory. Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University

Can machine learning help physicists answer puzzling questions in string theory?

James Halverson, an assistant professor of physics at Northeastern, is working at the intersection of string theory and machine learning to better understand physical laws that govern the universe.

by Brittany Flaherty - contributor August 5, 2019

“We haven’t even come close to explaining why the world is the way it is,” James Halverson says. “But we demonstrated a selection mechanism that could someday be an important piece of the final answer.” Photo by Adam Glanzman/Northeastern University

Think of a flea on a tightrope. You’re unravelling the nature of the universe.

Theoretical physicists at Northeastern have teamed up with network scientists to find a new way to examine the fundamental nature of our universe.

by Laura Castañón March 5, 2019

Why you need a computer to understand strings and knots

Can machine learning help physicists answer puzzling questions in string theory?

Think of a flea on a tightrope. You’re unravelling the nature of the universe.

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