Uncategorized
- Planetary Science
Slowdown on Saturn? Windy doings on the ringed planet
The winds in Saturn’s upper atmosphere are some of the swiftest in the solar system, but recent findings suggest there’s been a dramatic slowdown.
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19164
This article reports that, wearing a gecko-inspired glove, “a person could dangle from the ceiling.” How would that person let go? David D. JonesSt. Paul, Minn. The microscopic hairs on a gecko’s feet stick only when the angle at which they meet the surface is just right. To unstick its feet, a gecko peels them […]
- Materials Science
Caught on Tape: Gecko-inspired adhesive is superstrong
Researchers have emulated a gecko's sticking power to create a superstrong adhesive.
- Math
A Dog, a Ball, and Calculus
Some dogs live to play fetch, especially if the object of interest is a favorite tennis ball or toy. Others, like ours, fetch only when the reward is a particularly tantalizing tidbit. At least one dog, however, appears to take the enterprise seriously enough to figure out an optimal path to the target. Elvis and […]
- Math
A Dog, a Ball, and Calculus
Some dogs live to play fetch, especially if the object of interest is a favorite tennis ball or toy. Others, like ours, fetch only when the reward is a particularly tantalizing tidbit. At least one dog, however, appears to take the enterprise seriously enough to figure out an optimal path to the target. Elvis and […]
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19244
Your article noted that “. . . with food in it, a pan will never reach temperatures that produce toxic PTFE-derived gases.” However, to fry items like eggs and pancakes, the pan has to be hot before you put oil and food into it. The article was enough to send me out to replace my […]
- Earth
Sticky Situation: Nonstick surfaces can turn toxic at high heat
Nonstick cookware can, if overheated, sicken people and kill birds, according to a new analysis of research published over the past 40 years.
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Getting an Earful: With gene therapy, ears grow new sensory cells
Scientists have for the first time coaxed the growth of new sensory cells within the ears of an adult mammal.
- Humans
From the June 3, 1933, issue
TWO MECHANICAL MEN EXPLAIN BODY’S MECHANISM Mechanical men reveal to the visitors of the Century of Progress exhibition the physiology and chemistry of the human body. The famous transparent man, manufactured in Germany, as a life-sized display of the vital organs of human anatomy is a central exhibit in the medical section of the Hall […]
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Different Views of Molecules
Interested in viewing molecular structures from different angles? Part of a Web site devoted to crystallography research, these pages provide colorful, interactive images of common, biologically important molecules, including amino acids, hormones, and nucleosides. Users can view and rotate a three-dimensional image of each molecule and obtain such information as its chemical formula. Requires a […]
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Salamander moms use bacteria to save eggs from fungi
Salamander skin has bacteria that repel egg-destroying mold.
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19325
While the report of ballistic testing of bacteria is a fascinating study of bacterial survival, I’d be more concerned about the effects of severe extremes of heat, cold, and vacuum on the survival of bacterial spores. As the study stands, we’re still left wondering about these other important factors. Jon OngWoodland Hills, Calif. Bacteria can […]
