Why Hurricane Milton Turned the Sky Purple
The strange, apocalyptic skies during the storm reveal how light behaves in the atmosphere when it’s filled with an unusual amount of water vapor, dust, and debris.
Solar Sails and Comet Tails: How Sunlight Pushes Stuff Around
It seems crazy, but light actually exerts a physical force on objects. It could power a new generation of spacecraft for deep-space missions.
Unlock the Secret of a Gravity-Defying Parkour Stunt—With Physics!
Yes, you really can climb a building by jumping back and forth between two opposing walls. Thank you, Isaac Newton.
The Problem With Spinning Spacecraft
To send astronauts on long-term space missions, it’ll take rotating habitats to produce artificial gravity. But that’s trickier than you might think.
How to Make a Microphone … From a Face Mask
The results won’t be high fidelity, but you can definitely turn sound into electric signals using an N95 and some physics knowledge.
The Physics of the N95 Face Mask
You’ve seen them a million times. You might be wearing one right now. But do you know how they work to block a potentially virus-carrying respiratory blob?
How to Ace Physics Class (Even if You Don’t Ace Physics)
It’s back-to-school season, so here are some tips on getting the most out of college science courses.
How Pi Keeps Train Wheels on Track
Happy 3/14! Here's how this mathematical constant keeps train cars from flying off their tracks during turns.
How to Use Your Speedometer to Figure Out Where Your Car Is
You should never drive in a car with no windows. But if you ever do find yourself in one, you can use physics to get your bearings.
What Even Is Friction, Anyway?
You might think of it as the force that slows things down, but you literally couldn't get anywhere without it.