Science Blogs – Page 11

October 10, 2016

The Physics of Nutballs Somersaulting in an Indoor Skydiving Tube

Indoor skydiving looks magical—but it's just physics. Here's how it works. The post The Physics of Nutballs Somersaulting in an Indoor Skydiving Tube appeared first on WIRED.

October 6, 2016

Let’s Put the Water Back on Top of Antarctica

How much energy would it require to move 1 meter depth of water from the ocean to the top of the Antarctica ice sheet? The post Let's Put the Water Back on Top of Antarctica appeared first on WIRED.

October 3, 2016

What A Crazy Weekend for Volcanoes, Huh?

The earthquakes rattling Katla in Iceland have slowed, but a new swarm hit Tenerife in the Canary Islands. Meanwhile, Mexico's Colima exploded impressively. The post What A Crazy Weekend for Volcanoes, Huh? appeared first on WIRED.

October 3, 2016

Let’s Physics the Bejesus Out of Rubber Bands

There is a classic experiment that looks at the end of a falling slinky. Could you repeat this with a rubber band and a mass? No, it doesn't work—here's why. The post Let’s Physics the Bejesus Out of Rubber Bands appeared first on WIRED.

September 30, 2016

Earthquake Swarm at Iceland’s Katla Volcano Raises Alert Status to Yellow

A new earthquake swarm at Iceland's Katla has become intense enough for officials to raise the alert status at the ice-capped volcano. The post Earthquake Swarm at Iceland's Katla Volcano Raises Alert Status to Yellow appeared first on WIRED.

September 29, 2016

An Eruption at Rinjani in Indonesia Traps Hundreds of Tourists

An unexpectedly powerful explosion from Barujari at Rinjani prompted evacuations of over 1,000 tourists, with some still possibly in danger. The post An Eruption at Rinjani in Indonesia Traps Hundreds of Tourists appeared first on WIRED.

September 28, 2016

What’s Your Ideal Running Speed to Conserve Energy?

Clearly running faster uses more energy. But at what speed does a human use the least amount of energy? Here is a model with estimates. The post What’s Your Ideal Running Speed to Conserve Energy? appeared first on WIRED.

September 27, 2016

If Europa Has Ice Plumes, Maybe They Work Like Earth’s Volcanoes

Europa joins a growing list of planetary bodies that likely have ice volcanism and possibly liquid water. The post If Europa Has Ice Plumes, Maybe They Work Like Earth’s Volcanoes appeared first on WIRED.

September 27, 2016

What College Physics Students Can Learn from Little Kids

When it comes to ideas about force and motion, children and adults mostly think the same way. Why? The post What College Physics Students Can Learn from Little Kids appeared first on WIRED.

September 23, 2016

We Might Have Gotten a Little Carried Away With Physics This Time

Why do you always make a graph in physics lab? It's not just for fun, there is a reason. Here is an example. The post We Might Have Gotten a Little Carried Away With Physics This Time appeared first on WIRED.