Video link. While I'm thinking about particle physics, here's something that might interest those of you who puzzle over why the dried fruit often ends up on the top of your cereal, or why cashews and Brazil nuts often end up pouring out on top in a can of mixed nuts. It's because of a phenomenon called granular convection, also known as the muesli effect or the Brazil nut effect. Shaking the contents of a container effectively liquidizes them, causing the bigger ones to float and cluster together. The phenomenon has been of interest to scientists since the 1930s.
Brazil nut effect: why larger mixed nuts "float" to surface
The Arecibo radio telescope will be demolished
The National Science Foundation announced that it will decommission and demolish the iconic Arecibo radio telescope in Puerto Rico. This comes after two cables suspending the telescope's 900-ton receiver platform above its massive dish broke while others are weakening. Completed in 1963, the Arecibo Observatory has been a key instrument in the development of radio… READ THE REST
Playing video games makes you happy, say scientists working with EA and Nintendo
A paper out of Oxford University, "Video game play is positively correlated with well-being", reports that playing video games makes you happy. The study tracked 518 players of Plants vs. Zombies: Battle for Neighborville and 2,756 players of Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Key findings include: • Actual amount of time spent playing was a small… READ THE REST
Germany's new COVID-19 spot is very clever and funny, stay-at-home couch potatoes are national heroes
"Our couch was the front line and our patience was our weapon." Absolutely amazing coronavirus 'stay at home' spot from the German government, above. You might not think of humor as an effective way to drive home the message that staying at home helps slow the spread of COVID-19. But that's what's most amazing about… READ THE REST
The awesomely simple TimeFlip2 can keep your entire day on-schedule
Unless you're a ravenous clockwatcher, it's easy to work, tinker with a project, or do a basic activity, then realize the hour you thought you'd spend on it has turned into 2…or 3…or more. Of course, we're all busy people, so heavy time spent in one area usually means something else is getting the short… READ THE REST
Save half off a 1-year Sam's Club membership and get some free food!
Saving money has always been important. However, you could make the case that every instance of saving a dollar these days has never been more important. Meanwhile, we're all trying to limit our exposure to the outside world as well. So, if you can hit a big warehouse store, load up on every household essential,… READ THE REST
These vibrant colored pens are also ultra-powerful magnets–and a fidgeter's dream come true
Who doesn't want fun things to play with on their desk? The problem is that too many fun toys make it look like you're not doing any work. So, the trick is to find functional, seemingly innocent-looking items that can satisfy all your fidgety idle hand needs. If you need more useful, yet fun entertainment… READ THE REST