Biology & Chemistry
DNA and Lasers
Stan Botchway explains how lasers have a dual purpose when studying DNA – doing the damage and then monitoring the repair process.
How to run: DOs & DON’Ts
Evolutionary biology professor Daniel Lieberman, whose studies are the scientific backbone for Chris McDougall’s BORN TO RUN, gives five pointers on how he thinks you can run long distances better and injury-free.
Top 10 tiny animals with enough poison to absolutely destroy you
Most people would steer clear of any snakes or oversized spiders that crossed our paths. We have a sort of logic when it comes to animals that tells us “Bigger = Deadlier.” But more often, you will often find that the opposite is true. Many animals make up for their small size with deadly venom, and so what may look like a regular snail could actually be your final downfall. Below are ten tiny, but incredibly deadly, animals.
3D printed bionic ear that can hear
Scientists at Princeton University created a functional ear by 3D printing technology, that can “hear” radio frequencies far beyond the range of normal human capability.
The terrifying promise of robot bugs
Imitating nature to build a better (or possibly more terrifying) future. We’ve been trying to build flapping-wing robots for hundreds of years. And now, ornithopters are finally being developed, and may be used mostly for military purposes.
What is freezer burn?
Why do ice cubes shrink, ice cream get frosty, and vegetables dry out in the freezer?
Creepy or cool? Portraits derived from the DNA in hair and gum found in public places
It started with hair. Donning a pair of rubber gloves, Heather Dewey-Hagborg collected hairs from a public bathroom at Penn Station and placed them in plastic baggies for safe keeping. Then, her search expanded to include other types of forensic evidence. As the artist traverses her usual routes through New York City from her home in Brooklyn, down sidewalks onto city buses and subway cars—even into art museums—she gathers fingernails, cigarette butts and wads of discarded chewing gum.
The times and troubles of the Scientific Method
Science is working tirelessly night and day to disprove its own theories about how the universe works (or at least, that’s what science thinks it’s doing). Hank tells us a quick history of how we came to create and adopt the scientific method and then gives us a vision of the future of science (hint: it involves a lot more computers and a lot less pipetting).
How to speak chemistrian
Learning to talk about chemistry can be like learning a foreign language, but Hank is here to help with some straightforward and simple rules to help you learn to speak Chemistrian like a native.
For some species, you really are what you eat
Animals naturally synthesize a pigment called melanin, which determines the color of their eyes, fur (or feathers) and skin. Pigments are chemical compounds that create color in animals by absorbing certain wavelengths of light while reflecting others. Many animals can’t create pigments other than melanin on their own. Plant life, on the other hand, can produce a variety of them, and if a large quantity is ingested, those pigments can sometimes mask the melanin produced by the animal. Thus, some animals are often colored by the flowers, roots, seeds and fruits they consume.
Chewing Gum
Rob Linforth is an expert on food chemistry and flavour science – even though one of his nostrils does not work properly!
100 days without washing shirt
Wool&Prince claim they have invented a shirt that stays clean even after 100 days of wear, made from wool which is also wrinkle free.
