All Stories
-
Snap, Whistle, Pop at Sea
The depths of the ocean are a noisy place. Sample the sounds of the croaker fish and other denizens of the sea. Listen to the calls of various marine mammals and the racket created by a bed of snapping shrimp. Then ponder the pinging pitter-patter of rain as heard from down under. Go to: http://www.jandaenterprises.com/sounds.htm, […]
- Humans
Quack Gadgets
Have you ever heard of the Battle Creek vibratory chair, the psychograph, or the violet-ray generator ? The Minneapolis-based Museum of Questionable Medical Devices provides information about these and many other items in its large collection. Includes photos, brief histories, and links to related Web sites. Go to: http://www.mtn.org/quack/devices/devindx.htm
- Earth
Past and Future Earth
Curious about what Earth’s continents and oceans might look like 50 million years from now? Geologist Christopher R. Scotese of the University of Texas at Arlington has created a Web site devoted to plate tectonics and Earth’s geography and climate, from the deep past to the distant future. The site features maps of Earth, animations, […]
- Math
Dimensions of Math
A colorful, interactive poster serves as a portal to the realm of dimension, with destinations ranging from Flatland to hyperspace. Meet authors Madeleine L’Engle (A Wrinkle in Time), E.A. Abbott (Flatland), and Michio Kaku (Hyperspace). Ponder Penrose tilings, gravitational lenses, and tic-tac-toe on a torus. Play with geometric shapes. This fascinating Web site was originally […]
- Physics
Bunches of atoms madly morph
While investigating the instability of tiny clusters of atoms, scientists observe ultrasmall salt grains switching shapes at a stupendous rate.
- Astronomy
Ordinary matter: Lost and found
Astronomers believe they have finally found the whereabouts of most of the ordinary matter in the universe.
- Health & Medicine
Abortion-cancer link is rejected
A workshop report concludes that abortions do not increase a woman's chance of developing breast cancer.
- Math
Scrambled Grids
Amazingly simple mathematical operations can lead to intriguingly complex results. Consider, for instance, the iterative geometric process of creating flaky pastry dough. Flatten and stretch the dough, then fold it over on top of itself. Do it again and again and again. Repeating the pair of operations–stretch and fold–just 10 times produces 1,024 layers; 20 […]
- Humans
From the August 23, 1930, issue
alt=”Click to view larger image”> STRICTLY AMERICAN Indian architects and sculptors of the American tropics in prehistoric times had strikingly original ideas. On the cover you see the entrance to the beautiful Temple of the Warriors at Chichen Itza, in Yucatan. The Toltecs, who conquered the Mayas at Chichen Itza, remained in the city and […]
- Animals
Vampire bats don’t learn from bad lunch
For the first time, a mammal has flunked a controlled test for developing a food aversion after getting sick just once, and that unusual creature is the common vampire bat.
- Health & Medicine
Protective virus ties up HIV docking sites
A harmless virus that seems to keep HIV infections from progressing to AIDS appears to do so by occupying key molecular receptors on immune cells.
- Physics
New approach smooths wrinkle analysis
A simple new theory of wrinkle formation predicts basic traits of wrinkled surfaces, such as how close together the folds will be, without miring scientists in impossible-to-solve equations.
