Stonehenge has long been an astronomical wonder, but did you know it’s an aural wonder as well? A team of acoustic engineers and an archaeologist constructed and tested a 1:12 Keep reading
Category: History
Recreating Acoustics
The cultural heritage of a site is made up of more than its appearance; its soundscape is vital, as well. Acousticians and historians work together to preserve and recreate the Keep reading
Streamlining Circa 1936
This 1936 promotional film by Chevrolet explains the concept of streamlining objects to reduce their drag. And it actually does a pretty nice job of it, including some wind tunnel Keep reading
Aerodynamic Flight Testing
Flight testing models has a long history in aerodynamics. Above you see a Curtiss JN-4 biplane in flight with a model wing suspended below the fuselage. This test was conducted Keep reading
The Skipping Dambusters
During World War II, the Allies developed “dambuster” bombs that skipped repeatedly off the surface of the water before striking their target. The goal was to cleverly bypass their enemies’ defenses Keep reading
The Great Smog of London
Our atmosphere is active and ever-changing – except when it isn’t. Some areas, including many cities, are prone to what’s known as a temperature inversion, where a layer of cooler Keep reading
When the Mediterranean Flooded
Around 6 million years ago, the African and Eurasian plates moved together, cutting the Mediterranean Sea off from the Atlantic. Without an influx of water from the Atlantic, evaporation began Keep reading
Molasses Flood Press
My Molasses Flood project has gotten a bunch of press since my presentation earlier this week, including in the New York Times, the Associated Press, New Scientist, and on CBC’s Keep reading
Krakatoa
Volcanoes seem to be a common topic these days. Yesterday Nautilus published a great piece by Aatish Bhatia on the 1883 eruption of Krakatoa, which tore the island apart and unleashed Keep reading
Wing-Warping
This replica of the Wright brothers’ 1902 glider demonstrates one of the important innovations the brothers contributed toward powered heavier-than-air flight. To control an aircraft in roll, the Wright brothers developed Keep reading