Catalysts speed up chemical reactions without being consumed themselves. In “Catalysis” the Beauty of Science team shows 5 different examples of catalytic reactions, from acetone oxidation to yeast fermentation. The Keep reading
Month: March 2025
Sand Traps
Antlion larvae catch prey by digging conical pits in sand. The steep walls of the trap are near the angle of repose, the largest angle a granular material can maintain Keep reading
Following the Flow
In early December 2020, the world’s largest iceberg — roughly 135 km long by 44 km wide — was heading straight for South Georgia Island. Luckily for the island, iceberg Keep reading
Uncovering Erosion Patterns
Gypsum and limestone cliffs sometimes form patterns of long, parallel grooves known as rillenkarren. Recent research shows that these patterns form when a thin layer of water flows over a Keep reading
Breaking Bubbles
What do a nineteenth-century war ship, a sardine-hunting shark, and a viral bottle trick have in common? Cavitation! The phenomenon of cavitation occurs when a fluid is accelerated such that Keep reading
Bubble Array
Surface tension tries to minimize a bubble‘s surface area, which is why bubbles assume a spherical shape. But when many bubbles clump together, a curved interface is not always the Keep reading
Hedgehogs Atop Waves
Since Michael Faraday, scientists have watched the curious patterns that form in a vibrating liquid. By adding floating particles to such a system, researchers have discovered spiky, hedgehog-like shapes that Keep reading
Stabilizing Foams
Bubbles in a pure liquid don’t last long, but with added surfactants or multiple miscible liquids, bubbles can form long-lasting foams. In soapy foams, surfactants provide the surface tension gradients Keep reading
The Galloping Starfish
Starfish won’t win any sprints, but they’re actually quite good at moving around as they hunt for prey. Without brains, starfish are led by their feet, which pull in the Keep reading
Oil in Water
In the decade since the Deepwater Horizons oil spill, scientists have been working hard to understand the intricacies of how liquid and gaseous hydrocarbons behave underwater. The high pressures, low Keep reading