Many seabirds catch their prey through plunge diving, where they fly to a particular height, then fold their wings, and dive into the ocean. In busy waters, bubbles from all Keep reading
Month: October 2024
Universal Wingbeats
Eagles, butterflies, and whales don’t appear to have much in common, but a new study shows that they — along with over 400 other flying and swimming animals of all Keep reading
Star-Birthing Shock Waves
Although the space between stars is empty by terrestrial standards, it’s not devoid of matter. There’s a scattering of cold gas and dust, pocked by areas known as prestellar cores Keep reading
Warming Temperatures Increase Turbulence
After multiple high-profile injuries caused by atmospheric turbulence, you might be wondering whether airplane rides are getting rougher. Unfortunately, the answer is yes, at least for clear-air (i.e., non-storm-related) turbulence Keep reading
Dripping Viscoelastics
An ultrasoft viscoelastic fluid drips in this research poster from the Gallery of Soft Matter. Complex materials like this one have stretchy, elastic behaviors typical of a solid along with Keep reading
Vortex Rings at Dawn
Vortex rings blown from Mount Etna’s vents drift through the dawn light in this beautiful image from Dario Giannobile. Little is required to create vortex rings — they are a Keep reading
Rocky Exoplanet With an Atmosphere
In the past few decades, the number of exoplanets we’ve found has ballooned to over 5,000, but most of these worlds are gas giants closer to Jupiter than our rocky Keep reading
Building In a Stingless Hive
Honeybees, with their stingers, get lots of attention, but the Americas have plenty of stinger-less honeymakers, too. These stingless bees are native to Mexico, where beekeepers cultivate them for pollination. Keep reading
Melting Permafrost Stains Alaskan Rivers Orange
The swiftly melting permafrost of the Arctic is releasing toxic metals like zinc, cadmium, and iron into Alaskan waterways. The contaminant levels are so high that it’s staining many rivers Keep reading
Helping Fish Bypass Hydro Power Dams
Many dams in the U.S. were built at a time when their ecological impact was not a major concern. But, thanks to ongoing efforts to study affected species and upgrade Keep reading