Photographer Andrew McCarthy constructed this spectacular 300-megapixel image of our sun by compositing thousands of individual images. Sunspots, coronal mass ejections, and feathery convective swirls abound. Check out his site Keep reading
Tag: convection
Making Lava Lamps
Since their invention in the 1960s, lava lamps have been a fascinating example of convection in action. In this video, we see how they’re manufactured, including blowing the glass bottles, Keep reading
Betelgeuse’s Flickering
Between November 2019 and March 2020 Betelgeuse, the red supergiant star in the constellation Orion’s left shoulder, experienced what’s being called the Great Dimming. Usually, the star is one of Keep reading
Why Food Sticks to Nonstick Pans
Whether you’re cooking with ceramic, Teflon, or a well-seasoned cast iron pan, it seems like food always wants to stick. It’s not your imagination: it’s fluid dynamics. As the thin Keep reading
Eyes on the Sun
Though it may look like the Eye of Sauron, this image is actually one of our best-ever glimpses of a sunspot. Captured by the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope, this Keep reading
Rocket Yeast
Usually, microbial colonies are grown on a solid substrate, but what happens when they grow on a liquid surface? That’s the question explored in this Gallery of Fluid Motion video Keep reading
The Undisturbed Waters of Lake Kivu
Deep in Africa lies one of the world’s strangest lakes. Lake Kivu, over 450 meters in depth, is so stratified that its layers never mix. The upper portion of Lake Keep reading
“Monsoon 6”
The stunning power and beauty of our atmosphere comes to life in Mike Olbinski’s latest short film, “Monsoon 6”. Over the years, I’ve probably watched dozens of Olbinski’s videos, yet Keep reading
Shear and Convection in Turbulence
In nature, we often find turbulence mixed with convection, meaning that part of the flow is driven by temperature variation. Think thunderstorms, wildfires, or even the hot, desiccating winds of Keep reading
“Vorticity 3”
Mike Olbinski’s “Vorticity 3” is a stunning view of storm chasing in the American West. I’ve learned after years in Colorado to always look up because dramatic skies are common Keep reading