MS-PS4-2
Develop and use a model to describe that waves are reflected, absorbed, or transmitted through various materials.
- Earth
Explainer: Telling a tsunami from a seiche
Waves that hit coastlines with ferocious power, tsunamis are one of the planet’s most devastating forces of nature. And seiches: They’re tsunamis little, but still potentially deadly, cousins.
- Animals
Quieter vibes for city spiders
How much a web vibrates affects how well a spider senses when that web has captured prey. But webs attached to concrete, plastic and other artificial materials vibrate less than do those built on natural materials, such as twigs or leaves.
- Space
Waves from the birth of time
Inflation is the idea that in the split-second after the Big Bang, the universe exploded into huge-ness. Although the hypothesis is 30 years old, evidence to confirm it had been lacking. Until now.
- Humans
Mummies share their secrets
Cutting-edge technology such as CT, or CAT, scans and endoscopes are allowing scientists to see not just what’s underneath the wrappings but also what’s inside a mummy’s body.
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- Earth
Tsunami’s trek traced in the sky
Scientists photograph atmospheric ripples that followed the March tsunami across the Pacific.
- Tech
Lasers of a feather
A nifty light trick in bird feathers inspires researchers to create a new kind of laser.
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Kids’ ingenuity honored at Intel ISEF
Young scientists receive awards in international competition.
- Tech
Cell phones on the brain
When an active cell phone is pressed against the ear, the brain gets busier.
- Environment
Underwater racket
The oceans are getting louder, and scientists want to know what that means for marine residents.
- Physics
Explainer: What is a laser?
Lasers are the brightest source of light on Earth and produce the purest form of color possible.
- Physics
Explainer: How a synchrotron works
Giant magnets direct superfast light into beams up to 30 million times as bright as those produced by a laser pointer.
