Scientists are fascinated by the organized patterns that can emerge from non-living systems. Here, researchers study micron-sized magnetic particles, immersed in a viscoelastic fluid and subjected to an oscillating magnetic Keep reading
Month: December 2023
Painting in Sediment
Pale plumes of sediment flow off these islands in the Gulf of Mannar between India and Sri Lanka. As waves erode the land, currents and tides carry the sediment outward, Keep reading
Uranus’s Polar Cyclone
Uranus is an oddity among the planets of our solar system. Where other planets spin around an axis roughly in line with their orbital axis, Uranus spins on its side, Keep reading
The Destructive Power of a Blank
Removing the slug does not make a bullet harmless, as the Slow Mo Guys demonstrate in this video. They’re shooting blanks — casings that still contain propellant but no projectile. Keep reading
Antarctic Icebergs
Antarctica is nearly fully covered in ice and doubles in surface area each winter as the surrounding sea freezes. So it’s an especially spectacular place for viewing icebergs, like these Keep reading
Fish Fins Work Together
Researchers studying how fish swim have long focused on their tail fins and the flows created there. But a fish’s other fins have important effects, too, as seen in this Keep reading
Relax With Hummingbirds
Quick, agile, and fierce, the hummingbird is an amazing creature. Small for a bird but much larger than an insect, it’s able to hover in place and eat nectar directly Keep reading
Gravity Changes Droplet Shapes
With small droplets, gravity usually has little effect compared to surface tension. An evaporating water droplet holds its spherical shape as it evaporates. But the story is different when you Keep reading
Staying Cool in the Sun
For humans, staying cool in the summer heat often means expending energy on air conditioners, fans, and other cooling devices. But scientists are exploring other, less energy-intense options for beating Keep reading
Fresh Fissures
North of Iceland’s Fagradalsfjall, a new volcanic fissure opened in July 2023. This drone footage from Isak Finnbogason captures that fissure on its first night. Lava fountains jet from the Keep reading