The world of physics is as much dependent on rules and laws as it is on phenomena that break them. At times, the physical properties and behaviors of particles are characterized as precise and accurate; other times, they are anomalous. Even when particles behave as expected, the answer to why they behave like they do […]
Quantum spin liquids and ices: Challenging universal constants Read More »
While the idea of spending three months of co-op in Antarctica sounds isolating and lonely, it is, in fact, the opposite. I discovered this while on my co-op from December 2021 to March 2022 working with the French Polar Institute to improve long-term penguin observation systems. Every day is heightened by the close community of
Summer campaign in the Antarctic Read More »
Since early expeditions to the farthest regions of the planet, scientists have been intrigued by the presence of visually similar creatures residing in both the Arctic and Antarctic. Hundreds of nearly identical worms, insects, and other small sea creatures have been discovered in both locations. These seemingly bipolar species, living at both the North and
International travel on the ocean floor: How species move between global poles Read More »
The neat-freak and the slob, the good girl and the bad boy, the introvert and the extrovert. All are recurring tropes in our media (and maybe everyday life too) that seem to embody the phrase “opposites attract.” The saying is used to justify every seemingly insignificant or extremely vast difference within romantic couples. But are
Do opposites really attract? Predicting romantic interest before meeting Read More »
Light tends to come with life, and with darkness, death. This theme extends throughout the animal kingdom, but what if there was a way to see light in the darkness? Just ask the mantis shrimp, a 340-million-year-old carnivorous marine crustacean with an amazing gift. This little critter has perhaps the best vision in the history
The littlest eyes make the biggest impact Read More »
With a radius of over nine and a half times that of Earth’s and an atmosphere consisting of almost entirely hydrogen and helium, Saturn is a gas giant. But most notoriously, Saturn is known for the beautiful rings of ice and rock particles that orbit around its equator. However, lesser known to most is its
The hexagon: Explaining Saturn’s north pole pattern Read More »
A solitary dung beetle rolls its round cargo across the South African grassland, looking for a suitable place to bury its prize. It quickly distances itself from other beetles at the dung pile and avoids circling back to its original location, all while moving a ball of dung much larger than itself. However, in a
Seeing in the dark: Polarized light helps these animals find their way at night Read More »
With 79 moons and a magnetic field 20 times stronger than that of Earth, Jupiter is a unique planet in the context of our solar system. The gas giant is the fastest spinning and most massive of our planets, not to mention home to a virulent storm called the Great Red Spot that has captivated
Peculiar properties of a polar planet Read More »
Across the barren landscape of Antarctica, a team of scientists spent the months of December 2013 through February 2014 collecting bird poop from seabird nesting regions. After carefully preserving these samples and sections of muscle tissue from seabird carcasses, these researchers transported their data collection to Griffith University in Australia for analysis. Why pick up
Pollutant poop: How the south polar skua brings toxic chemicals to Antarctica Read More »