Uncategorized

  1. Math

    Deciphering the Wrinkles of Crumpled Sheets

    Crumpling is a ubiquitous, though poorly understood, physical phenomenon. It occurs when a fender absorbs the energy of a car crash, when Earth’s crust buckles at the interface between colliding tectonic plates to create a mountain range, when a blood cell’s membrane folds to allow the cell to pass through a narrow capillary, when a […]

    By Ivars Peterson
  2. Humans

    Test Flight: Young scientists earn—and spread—their wings

    A century after two brothers from Ohio launched the first powered aircraft, more than 1,200 students from 31 countries descended on Cleveland to participate in the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair.

    By Ben Harder
  3. Chemistry

    Detecting Lead: Sensor changes color for toxic metal

    A new sensor using gold nanoparticles and tailor-made DNA strands offers simple and reliable detection of lead in paint.