Frame-dragging may explain an odd pattern seen in the brightest supernovae. Some of the most extreme explosions in the universe […]
Tag: Physics
Don’t lick that cold metal pole in winter—if you do, don’t panic
Skip to content Highest risk of part of tongue being torn off is with temps between -5° and -15° C […]
Flexible feline spines shed light on “falling cat” problem
Why do falling cats always seem to land on their feet? Scientists have been arguing about the precise mechanism for […]
Asteroid defense mission shifted the orbit of more than its target
The binary asteroid’s orbit around the Sun was affected by the impact. Italy’s LICIACube spacecraft snapped this image of asteroids […]
Photons that aren’t actually there influence superconductivity
Despite the headline, this isn’t really a story about superconductivity—at least not the superconductivity that people care about, the stuff […]
The physics of squeaking sneakers
We’re all familiar with the high-pitched squeak of basketball shoes on the court during games, or tires squealing on pavement. […]
Scientists crack the case of “screeching” Scotch tape
In 1953, Russian scientists peeling Scotch tape in a vacuum reported detecting electrons with sufficient energy to emit X-rays. Other […]
Did Edison accidentally make graphene in 1879?
Graphene is the thinnest material yet known, composed of a single layer of carbon atoms arranged in a hexagonal lattice. […]
Physicists 3D-printed a Christmas tree of ice
Physicists at the University of Amsterdam came up with a really cool bit of Christmas decor: a miniature 3D-printed Christmas […]
No sterile neutrinos after all, say MicroBooNE physicists
Since the 1990s, physicists have pondered the tantalizing possibility of an exotic fourth type of neutrino, dubbed the “sterile” neutrino, […]