Wednesday, 23 May, 2012

How violins make sound. And why the ear is the world’s most sophisticated spectrum analyzer.

Giant volcano at Yellowstone erupts on schedule. The last eruption covered about 20 states with ash. If Yellowstone blows, think big: Think REALLY BIG!

Worldwide thirst for oil, Hurricane Katrina, political instability, conservation failures add up to record demand and record prices for fuel. Can inherently “safe designs” reduce the risk of meltdown? Should we support a revival of fission power?

Nanobelts join nanotubes in the world of nanotechnology.

How bad is the asteroid threat to Earth, and what are they doing to find any killer asteroids out there? Read the delightful debate between the no-problem and the killer-asteroid schools of thought.

New searches are finding lots of asteroids. None of them are aimed at us — yet. How much damage have asteroids done in the past?

New push for renewable energy: Solar hydrogen, wind farms and fuel cells all have potential — and problems.

So what’s the deal with the simple water spider? This eight-legged marvel speeds across the water fast enough to escape predators, find prey, and chase off intruding spiders. But how does it move? It must be pushing the water backwards, but what is doing the pushing?

Why does damp sand hold the shape of a container after you dump it out? Sand + water = physics!

New, large radio telescope gets better view of the universe. Want to tune in?