I stumbled across this randomly on YouTube today and had to share. The first 3/4 of the video are a chemistry experiment breakdown of what goes into a glow stick and what each of those ingredients is meant to do. But what makes me LOVE it is that, at the end, all of this coalesces into a fine explanation of the difference between light-absorbing dyes and fluorescent dyes. Come for the glow-stick "how to", stay for the better understanding of how light works and how it influences what you see!
The science of glow sticks
How to fly a helicopter on Mars
On Sunday, Ingenuity—the small helicopter delivered to the surface of Mars by the Perseverance rover—will, hopefully, take its first flight. The distance between Earth and Mars means that lagtime precludes real-time remote control. The helicopter flies autonomously, but the helicopter's digital twin had a lot of practice in simulations back on Earth. At IEEE Spectrum,… READ THE REST
Can you slap a chicken until it's cooked?
Turns out, you can — if you can get the slapping machine to stay alive long enough for the 135,000 slaps required to get it to a minimum safe temperature to eat. Science! Image: Screengrab READ THE REST
Concrete gets tougher with graphene
Perhaps someday we will once again achieve Roman levels of concrete artistry. Graphene Exponent: In July 2020, Thomas Swan, a global chemical manufacturing company signed an agreement with Concrene for a graphene-enhanced concrete product. That concrete product is now planned to be available in the US market in April 2021. The products in the lineup… READ THE REST
The Patriot mask is 100% made in the USA — and right now, it's up to 60% off.
The Patriot mask is 100% made in the USA — and right now, it's up to 60% off. The world has changed. And while the ravages of a global pandemic may be slowly subsiding, some of the aftereffects promise to linger for years to come. Masks are now a part of our daily lives, with… READ THE REST
Adjust your bass and listening experience with the Skullcandy Crusher Evo headphones
Maybe you're just like Meghan Trainor. Maybe you're really just all about that bass. If you can't imagine listening to your favorite music without some low-end register all but guaranteed to rattle your gut and shake loose a few internal organs, it's worth giving the Skullcandy Crusher Evo Sensory Bass Wireless Headphones a healthy listen. And… READ THE REST
This optical illusion area rug will shred your room's space-time continuum (it won't)
There are area rugs that tie together a space. There are area rugs that offer a unique aesthetic to give a room a different look or feel. Then there are area rugs that do both of those things while also filling in the Venn diagram of supremely messing with your mind. And you better be ready.… READ THE REST