Scientists studied how cicadas pee. Their insights could shed light on fluid dynamics
Cicadas, and the way they urinate, offer a 'perfect' lab for understanding fluid dynamics at very small scales, researchers say
physics
Just how big can a snowflake get? It depends on what you mean by 'snowflake'
The Guinness World Record folks would have us believe in a 19th century snowflake more than a foot wide, but some scientists are skeptical.
Global warming could be juicing baseball home runs, study finds
Baseball home runs appear to be getting a little extra help from climate change, a new study finds. That's because baseballs can fly farther through air that's made thinner by warmer conditions.
C.V. Vishveshwara's Revolutionary Black Hole Research Turns 50
Before scientists were even sure black holes existed, an Indian astrophysicist did the math behind Einstein's predictions of what would happen if two black holes collided.
How Snakes Fly (Hint: It's Not On A Plane)
A snake researcher always wondered how flying snakes propelled themselves. Then, someone told him he should work with the snakes in The Cube — a vast theater space with cameras everywhere.
'Brief Answers To The Big Questions' Is Stephen Hawking's Parting Gift To Humanity
The physicist's posthumous book highlights his belief in the rationality of nature and in our ability to uncover its secrets — and a faith in science's ability to solve humanity's biggest problems.
'Accessory To War' An Uncomfortable Wake-Up Call For Some
An "unspoken alliance" between scientists and the military had been brewing for millennia prior to Hiroshima. Neil deGrasse Tyson and Avis Lang excel at detailing this union and its possible future.
Pizza Physics: Why Brick Ovens Bake The Perfect Italian-Style Pie
Brick transfers heat to dough more slowly than steel, allowing both crust and toppings to simultaneously reach perfection. In a home oven, that balance is elusive — but you might be able to get close.
Physicists Go Small: Let's Put A Particle Accelerator On A Chip
A tiny accelerator could be useful in medicine as well as basic science. Instead of speeding up beams of electrons through giant tunnels, the aim here is to build accelerators on semiconductor chips.
'The Dialogues' Takes On Physics And Reality In Words And Pictures
Commentator Adam Frank interviews physicist Clifford Johnson, who has taken a new approach to the exploration of questions about the nature of the universe — the graphic novel.