FOR READERS: There’s Science in my Sci-Fi!
FOR READERS Today’s reader topic comes from QSFers Sydney Blackburn and Naomi Tajedler: How much science do you like in your sci-fi? Does it matter to you if orbital mechanics … Read more
Science
recreating the Smells of 16th Century Europe
History is written, read, told — but rarely ever is it smelled. Historians and scientists across Europe have now gotten together with perfumers and museums for a unique project: to … Read more
This One’s for Frank
Duck-billed, egg-laying platypuses just got a little weirder: It turns out their fur glows green and blue under ultraviolet (UV) light. Under visible light a platypus’s extremely dense fur — … Read more
Science Explains Fairy Circles
Fairy circles might finally make sense. These regular barren patches that pop up in grasslands in Australia and Namibia have long created controversy, with some researchers arguing that they might … Read more
Building a Better Wormhole
Wormholes, or tunnels in the fabric of space-time, are ferociously unstable. As soon as even a single photon slips down the tunnel, the wormhole closes in a flash. But what if … Read more
Some Tardigrades Have Light Shields!
Scientists have discovered yet another reason to be impressed with tardigrades; some of these microscopic, nearly indestructible creatures wear a glowing “shield” that protects them from ultraviolet radiation. Tubby tardigrades … Read more
Meet the Zeptosecond
Scientists have measured the shortest unit of time ever: the time it takes a light particle to cross a hydrogen molecule. That time, for the record, is 247 zeptoseconds. A … Read more
SCIENCE: Penis Transplant Surgery Could Soon Become a reality
The doctor that has pioneered penis transplant surgery believes that soon it will become possible to operate a successful transplant. “This would be a quantum leap if you were able … Read more
“Zombie” Parasite From Cats Can Make You Take More Risks
There’s a single-celled parasite called Toxoplasma gondii, and it can turn a normally risk-averse mouse into a bold, cat-seeking rodent. Cats that devour such mice can then pass the parasite … Read more
U=(N/T)M*G: Stellar
White dwarf star remnants – because they aren’t actually stars, I found out – are the meat and potatoes of our cosmic stew. These guys are everywhere and they’re telling … Read more