If COVID-19 has improved one skill of the masses other than bread baking, it’s recognizing people without their face. From six feet away with masks covering most of their faces, people have now become recognizable by their mannerisms, clothing choices and occasionally (if you can hear them through their masks) their voices. Not being able […]
Contact tracing and privacy Read More »
The Earth is constantly awash with energy. During the day, photons literally fall from the sky, pumped out by fusion reactions in the Sun, and power countless processes on Earth. Humans have not evolved photosynthesis (yet), but a technological workaround has been developed. Solar panels now cover the roofs of homes and acres of solar
Sunlight and Semiconductors Read More »
Bubbles are the subject of fascination for young children and legendary physicists alike; though pretty to observe, they also offer intriguing lessons in fluid dynamics. Looking closely at the surface of a soap bubble, a shimmering, iridescent surface swirling with activity can be observed. These mesmerizing patterns are due to the Marangoni effect. This phenomenon
The Science of Soap Bubbles Read More »
Turning off lights when you leave a room; unplugging chargers when they are not in use; taking shorter showers; carpooling and using public transportation. All of these actions, while important to adapt to the age of global warming, leave very little impact in the long run. In order to keep rising temperatures below 2 degrees
For decades, Mars has been the planet in vogue: the possibility of exploration, even colonization, beyond the Earth system captured the imagination of the public (as well as certain billionaires). But such a mission might be more technically challenging than we’re ready for. Transit of up to a year each way makes it difficult to
Wreaking HAVOC on Venus Read More »
Heartache is never good, but for individuals with Cardiac Valve Disease, having a broken heart can take on quite a literal meaning. A faulty heart can be the result of birth defects, infection, age, or other factors. There are many manifestations of this debilitating condition such as valvular stenosis, when the heart valve cannot fully
Fixing a Broken Heart: Treatment of Cardiac Valve Disease Read More »
Imagine you and three friends are cruising down the street in a driverless car. The car turns a sharp corner when suddenly it sees a group of four children playing hopscotch in the middle of the road. The car has two options: either continue on its path, tragically hitting the group of children, or swerve
The Fast and Furious Rise of Automated Technology: Driverless Cars Read More »
Scientists studying exoplanets are about to take a step into the future with the launch of NASA’s newest darling, the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS). Once launched in April 2018, TESS will be able to detect exoplanets using the transit method, one of several methods astronomers use to detect planets around other stars. When a
Planet Spotting with TESS Read More »