Uncategorized
- Space
Supermassive black holes might trace back to huge, ancient stars
Hefty stars might have collapsed into “intermediate mass” black holes — the building blocks of supermassive ones, a teen’s research suggests.
- Physics
Physics explains why sneakers squeak on the basketball court
We’re hearing a shoe’s sole wrinkling in bursts that repeat thousands of times each second.
- Physics
Scientists Say: Discharge
In physics, this release of energy can rebalance electrical charges. In biology, such a release might cool you down on a hot day.
- Physics
Could a Star Wars lightsaber work?
The main problem with real-world lightsabers is that they would pass through each other. This means no intergalactic duels between Jedis and Siths.
- Microbes
Analyze This: Which cells are the speediest?
The cellular Olympics would be an amazing spectacle. Some cells move at mind-boggling speeds by jumping, gliding, swimming, expanding or shrinking.
- Climate
Rockin’ farm fields suck up tons of CO2
Called enhanced rock weathering, spreading crushed basalt on crop lands can deliver farmers yet another bonus: bigger harvests.
- Animals
Intricate silk helps net-casting spiders trap prey in webs
Rufous net-casting spiders can adjust the stiffness and stretchiness of their webs thanks to looping strands of silk.
- Planets
Let’s learn about Venus
Venus’ surface is hot enough to melt lead, studded with volcanoes and shrouded in clouds of corrosive acid.
- Archaeology
Ancient pottery shows the earliest evidence of humans doing math
The numbers of petals painted on 8,000-year-old pottery showed a distinct numerical pattern.
- Tech
These smart robots are smaller than a grain of salt
Such tiny robots could someday explore the cellular realm to study health and treat diseases.
- Earth
Scientists Say: Cave Popcorn
This type of cave formation can occur as glossy, soaplike bubbles or as a bristly, cauliflower-like clusters.
- Archaeology
60,000-year-old poison arrowheads show early humans’ hunting tactics
Traces of poison on the South African arrowheads hint that people used poisoned weapons 50,000 years earlier than previously thought.
