It’s springtime, and the city is magnificent; this year’s snow looked like it was on top of winter. However, as we consider what gave us joy during this challenging period, birds were at the top of many people’s happy lists. Those we saw from our windows—or on the street in New York City—in particular. House…
Associate professor at Australian Catholic University, Sam BaronThe warp drive, a futuristic way to sneak around the universe’s absolute speed limit by twisting the structure of space, was suggested by physicist Miguel Alcubierre in 1994 as a radical invention that enables faster than light travel. It was an exciting concept — NASA’s Eagleworks laboratory has…
In war, Russia is using machines to direct the target of its tanks. The Armata tank, Russia’s next major piece of frontline armor, will be equipped with a gun that will automatically find and track targets, requiring only human interference to accept or deny the shot lined up. It’s both a small step toward a…
Ultrahigh-energy cosmic rays have captivated scientists since their observation in the 1960s, who are curious about where they originate from. Like all cosmic rays, they are arguably misnamed: they are subatomic particles zipping through space, not “rays” of radiation. These ultrahigh energies are the product of ultrafast speeds that exceed the speed of light. A…
Not only lepidopterists but also chemists have long been enthralled by the bright blue hues of morpho butterfly wings. The complicated nanoscale protein structures layered inside the wings pique the latter’s curiosity: their shapes behave as prisms, representing a beautiful cerulean colour. Materials scientists plan to use the properties of these structures to create things…
Physicists have been unable to solve the puzzle of what happened when a vanishingly tiny seed exploded into the cosmos for a long time. Now, one physicist believes he understands why scientists haven’t been able to come up with a physical explanation for inflation: the world won’t let us. The physicist explains a recent theory…
The genes of monkeys, modern humans, and Neanderthals were compared. According to a new analysis, creativity may have been one of the critical reasons Homo sapiens survived and prevailed over similar animals, including Neanderthals and chimps. According to recent research, humans could spread out and conquer the world due to a new DNA alteration (or…
Karen D. Holl is a professor at the University of California, Santa Cruz, who specializes in restoration ecology. Professor of Forest Restoration at the Universidade de So Paulo, Pedro Brancalion This article first appeared in The Conversation. Arbor Day was observed in the United States on the last Friday in April for 149 years. To…
According to a recent report, the melting glaciers redistributed enough water to allow the polar wander to transform and accelerate eastward in the mid-1990s. The migration of the North and South poles is being altered by water loss due to ice melting and other human-caused causes. The writers of the study conclude that the lack…
It’s Sunday, February 26, 1984, and you’re watching “Star Wars” (aka “Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope”) on CBS like millions of other kids around the country. When Chewbacca comes onscreen, your father says, “Is that Bigfoot?” You manage to say, “No, Dad.” You’ve even told your father about Chewbacca. The action figure…