Hard granular materials — sand, gravel, glass beads, and so on — can flow, but, in narrow regions or under large forces, they can also jam up, essentially turning into Keep reading
Year: 2024
Martian Auroras
Auroras happen when energetic particles — usually from the solar wind — interact with the atmosphere. Here on Earth, they’re most often found near the poles, where our strong global Keep reading
“Ink In The Water. Mix One.”
In this ASMR video, black ink diffuses in water. When the video starts, the ink is so diffuse that it’s not apparent the video is playing backward. It’s only as Keep reading
Water Suspected Beneath Mars
The surface features of Mars — crossed by river deltas and sedimentary deposits — indicate a watery past. Where that water went after the planet lost its atmosphere 3 – Keep reading
Breaking Down a Water-Powered Timer
In his latest “cutaway” video, Steve Mould takes a look at how you can nest siphons to create a system that periodically flushes itself. This kind of water-powered timer is Keep reading
Shaped Splashes
When a raindrop hits a leaf, it spreads out into a rimmed sheet that breaks up into droplets. These tiny drops can carry dust, spores, and even pathogens as they Keep reading
A Triangular Prominence
Our Sun is a maelstrom of light and heat, a constant battlefield for plasma and magnetic fields. This recent prominence, captured by Andrea Vanoni and others, bore a striking triangular Keep reading
“Starlit”
In “Starlit,” filmmaker Roman de Giuli leverages paint, ink, water, and oil to create astronomical views. Colorful droplets spin past like neon exoplanets. Shards of glitter form comets. Satellite droplets Keep reading
Catching Krill With Bubble Nets
On their own and in groups, some humpback whales enclose their prey in bubbly columns before feeding. The whales build these bubble nets intentionally, swimming in a ring at a Keep reading
The Art of French Drains
Civil engineers face a constant challenge trying to protect their structures from water — both above and below the ground. Subsurface water can build up enough pressure to lift and Keep reading