Since the 4th of July is just around the corner, here’s an interesting video featuring John Conkling, a leading expert in the field of pyrotechnics, who talks all about the chemical composition of fireworks, how mortars work, how colors are formed, and he even gives a couple of explosive demos. Check it out! Thanks Kirk!
Bill details how a microwave oven heats food. He describes how the microwave vacuum tube, called a magnetron, generates radio frequencies that cause the water in food to rotate back and forth. He shows the standing wave inside the oven, and notes how you can measure the wavelength with melted cheese. He concludes by describing […]
[Via Fake Science]
Astronomers have discovered hundreds and hundreds of exoplanets–worlds circling faraway stars. Bill shows us one of the ways they find these planets that are still too distant to be seen by even the most powerful telescopes. [planetarysociety]
So geeks, if you’re planning on partying hard next weekend, here’s a few things you can do to prevent that god awful hangover the next morning. Before you start drinking, be sure to eat some fatty food and carbs. And don’t forget to drink water before, during, and after consuming alcohol. The next morning, having […]
Wow, that left me totally out of breath, how about you guys? :) RADICAL OPENNESS: An anthem on the power of IDEAS created by Jason Silva at Therapy Studios. [Jason Silva]
I don’t know about you guys, but from my perspective, this video completely misses the mark when it comes to promoting scientific careers to women girls. This thing looks like an ad for a fashion magazine, certainly not something that would encourage ladies to pursue a career in a scientific field. Thoughts? [Via]
Bill explains that the hardest step is making the proper type of uranium. Weapons and power plants require uranium that contains a greater amount of the isotope uranium-235 than found in natural uranium, which is mostly uranium-238. He outlines the key difficulty in separating the two isotope: They have nearly identical properties. He explains the […]
After hitting the play button, be sure to hit the full screen button and put the video in 720p mode. On June 5 2012, SDO collected images of the rarest predictable solar event–the transit of Venus across the face of the sun. This event happens in pairs eight years apart that are separated from each […]
I have to admit, I’m not particularly knowledgeable in the area of neuroscience, my experience being limited to second-hand information from my sister (who is a doctor) and from Grey’s Anatomy (the latter being the greater influence, sadly enough). So I can’t particularly put any weight behind an opinion on this, but self-proclaimed “armchair neuroscience […]