New Scientist put together a slideshow of interesting experiments in microgravity, like you would experience on the International Space Station (ISS). (Of course, my favorite microgravity experiment is depicted in the the classic 2003 video where astronaut Don Pettit "eats"
High Tea on the ISS with chopsticks.) Here's the description of the images above, from New Scientist:
Microgravity tends to produce rounder, cooler flames, as this comparison of combustion in normal gravity (left) and microgravity (right) illustrates. Unlike on Earth, hot, less-dense air does not rise in microgravity. As a result, other processes, like the diffusion of particles from a high temperature to a low temperature area, dominate.
"
Giant crystals and spherical flames: science in microgravity"
report this ad
Here’s a wonderful feature about my favorite constellation and the galaxy’s most awesome telescope (at least one of them!) from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California.
Though 1967’s Outer Space Treaty says no country can lay claim to the moon (and thus no person can get a deed to lunar territory), the treaty does allow for commercial and scientific installations on Luna, and there are some very small, very valuable bits of crater rim that could be squatted in this way, […]
Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen funded the Allen Brain Observatory, a detailed, rich data-set derived from parts of a mouse-brain: what’s striking is that the Allen Institute released all the data into the public domain, at once, as soon as it was available, which is exactly what you’d want the publicly funded alternatives to do, and […]
Whether you’re trying to start a quirky news blog, open a local Irish pub, or sell handmade furniture out of your garage, one thing’s for sure: your business is not going to succeed if you don’t build it a professional-looking website. That’s why we’re excited to share the WordPress Wizard Bundle.This is a bundle that includes 12 courses about […]
If you’ve ever tried to quickly share a file with someone, you know there’s nothing actually quick about it. Between permissions, log-in credentials, size limitations, and download issues, it’s a miracle if you’re ever able to share the document at all. That’s why we think Droplr Pro is so essential.Droplr Pro lets you quickly, easily, and […]
You won’t want to hit another music festival without these essentials. Read on to find out what we’re packing for the final festivals of the year.This Smart Charger Always Knows Where The Car Is ParkedIn addition to charging your phone, the Zus Smart Car Charger and Locator ($29.99) helps you locate your car no matter […]
report this ad
The interesting thing to see here is that the microgravity flame is burning a lot more efficiently, a ‘clean-burn’ flame, no soot.
The blue part of the flame is usually the hottest, the yellow is cooler.
Weightlessness is awesome. That is all.
Don Pettit drinks his tea in microgravity with chopsticks:
I had a professor in college (U of Michigan Aerospace) who used to get his blood all angered up over the term Microgravity.
His point of contention was that earth’s gravitational pull at orbital height was something like 9/10s it’s value at sea level. It’s orbital velocity that creates the illusion of weightlessness. How can something that is 10% weaker be considered “micro”. Like most insanely smart people (and this dude was smart), he was also weird and eccentric.
Unfortunately, after hearing him state his case over and over, it rubbed off. An I am sad to say the phrase annoys me by proxy.