If You Trace The Orbits Of Earth And Venus Over 8 Years, This Is The Pattern That Emerges

This room starts charging your phone as soon as you walk in. Inspired by Tesla’s vision of global wireless power, scientists at Disney Research company explored how wireless charging works in large spaces. The copper pole at the room’s center sends currents through the walls and floor that charge phones and laptops without harming humans. Source Source 2

Devices can be charged regardless of their orientation in the room thanks to a new receiver design

The setup outside the room

The setup inside the room

What have eclipses ever done for science? Quite a lot, actually!

The first measurement of the width of the Atlantic ocean in the 16th Century

When British settlers arrived in Virginia in the US, they weren’t sure how far across the globe they’d gone. They recorded the local time of a total eclipse of the moon - which is seen all across the night-time side of the planet. Their colleagues in London did the same, and when the travellers returned they could figure out the five hour time difference.

Edmond Halley discovered that the moon is moving away from the Earth

Halley realised you could back-calculate when previous eclipses would have occurred. But he noticed a mismatch between his predictions and the history books. The reason, he discovered, what that he was assuming the moon stayed the same distance from the Earth. It is actually getting further at about the rate your fingernails grow. And that means that one day (in a few million years, that is), the moon will be too far away to create any more total solar eclipses.

In 1919 a solar eclipse proved Einstein’s theory of relativity

Einstein’s theory predicted that the sun’s gravity should bend the light of nearby stars, meaning that in theory we should be able to see stars that are hidden just behind the sun. However, sunlight always blocks our view of these stars, and it was only during a solar eclipse that there was a short window to see if hidden stars were visible, as predicted. Astronomer Arthur Eddington travelled to West Africa and took photos that proved Einstein right.

Scientists still use solar eclipses today

It’s very hard to study the sun’s corona - a tenuous hot gas, which just one millionth of the light intensity of the sun. The shapes and lines of the corona show the nature of the sun’s magnetic field, and are only visible to study during an eclipse. NASA are also using this opportunity to help create the first thermal map of Mercury!

Want to know more? Watch our full video.

Crows Are So Scarily Clever They Can Judge Weight Using a Technique We've Only Seen in Humans

When we look at the way an object moves, humans are able to use this context to infer weight - whether it is light or heavy.

Crows and ravens are pretty well known for their incredible smarts. In this experiment, psychologists sought to determine how well New Caledonian crows can infer weight.

apparently one whale years ago was observed doing this for hours and now more and more whales in the area are seen copying it so we think it’s a whole new behavior and it seems to be a response to shrinking food sources.

Instead of expending any energy actively hunting, the whale just holds its mouth open wherever fish are being hunted by birds. To escape the birds, the fish try to hide in the whale’s mouth because it’s a darker area that looks like shelter. …They’re turning into giant, sea-mammal pitcher plants.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/mms.12557?referrer_access_token=bXLTS5BeSw_vlIKHkM0bYIta6bR2k8jH0KrdpFOxC654HjreJ8D19K86UreR5JPsSRb0CuGhiJSV1L1ht-N1Gf_K_1a9MREFzQGU9oJDNctsKDin_HXcYEdsLg3EbcTl

Impressive artwork.

Dr. Greg Dunn (artist and neuroscientist) and Dr. Brian Edwards (artist and applied physicist) created Self Reflected to elucidate the nature of human consciousness, bridging the connection between the mysterious three pound macroscopic brain and the microscopic behavior of neurons. Self Reflected offers an unprecedented insight of the brain into itself, revealing through a technique called reflective microetching the enormous scope of beautiful and delicately balanced neural choreographies designed to reflect what is occurring in our own minds as we observe this work of art. Self Reflected was created to remind us that the most marvelous machine in the known universe is at the core of our being and is the root of our shared humanity.

h-t New Scientist: Brain images display the beauty and complexity of consciousness

Dude, bullets are literally made to shatter on impact. It's to prevent over-penetration. Bullets frequently shatter if they hit human bone inside a body, for example. So congrats, a katana is as good at stopping bullets as a human bone. Or a regular butter knife. Or even a regular piece of old steel. Like the ones used in a target range. Ever wonder why the steel plates at target ranges don't have holes in them even tho rifle caliber bullets hit them? It's cause the bullet shatters on impact.

To be very clear, the intention of the post was never to say that Katana is the ultimate sword. It was merely to enlighten the possibility of the bullet getting shattered by a sword/Knife.

Yes, bullets do shatter on impact.

But I am not so sure about what you say about the human bone though.

I believe it really depends on that kinetic energy of the bullet, the bullet size and the place of impact of the bullet on the body.

And even with the tissues surrounding the bone, there have been many instances where the Femur ( thigh bone ) fractured on impact.

If anyone reading this has a background in the field, would highly appreciate to hear your stance on this.

Thanks for asking anon ! :D

Alloys: 300 series Stainless Steel

When chromium is added to steel in sufficient amounts, it reacts with oxygen on the surface of the metal, creating a thin transparent layer that prevents further oxidation such as rusting. The layer is even self-healing, when damaged by scratches or wear. Steels that have over ten percent chromium added are classified as stainless steels, with high strength and toughness, in addition to the corrosion resistance - and there are hundreds of varieties of stainless steel.

As such, these alloys are divided into types, or series, often defined by their compositions or the methods of forming and working them. The 300 series of stainless steels are austenitic stainless steels, with an austenitic or face-centered cubic crystal structure. They contain anywhere from about 15-30% chromium, as well as up to about 20% nickel and other elements such as molybdenum. The nickel stabilizes the austenitic structure and increases ductility as well as high temperature strength and corrosion resistance. 

The 300 series alloys are non-magnetic in the annealed condition, though they can become slightly magnetic when cold worked, depending on the nickel content. Comparatively, these steels have high ductility, low yield stress, and high tensile strengths.

Commonly used 300 series stainless steels include 301, 302, 304, and 316, as well as the low carbon variations of these types, designated with an L, such as 316L. 304 stainless steel is also often called 18/8 stainless steel, given that it has 18% Cr and 8% Ni, or A2 stainless. The 316 grade is also know as A4, or marine grade stainless. 

In the photos above, the Gateway Arch in St. Louis is clad in type 304 SS, while the Chrysler Building in New York is clad with Nirosta stainless steel, a form of type 302.  

Sources: ( 1 ) ( 2 ) ( 3 ) ( 4 - images 1 and 2 ) ( 5 - image 3 )

This is how scientists think birds see the Earth’s magnetic field.

See how the black patches align over certain areas? That dark patch at the base of their vision shows South, with the reverse indicating North. Researchers think this might be how birds like pigeons can use magnetic fields to navigate.

Here’s how it works: there’s a protein in their eyes called cryptochrome. When blue light hits it, it becomes active, and stays active for a little while. How long it stays active for, though, depends on the Earth’s magnetic field, and since cryptochrome is known to affect the sensitivity of the birds’ retinas to light, we think this is the effect it has on their vision.

We have this very same molecule in our eyes, but the molecule that lets it stay active for long enough to be affected by the magnetic field, superoxide, is toxic, so the antioxidants in our eyes lock it down too quickly.  Researchers think we’ve traded longevity for magnetovision.

Want to know more? We made a whole video answering the question, do blind birds can navigate!? Watch it here: https://youtu.be/7yBMUrlpe5s

On the cross product

Understand the concept and not the definition.

If you have studied vectors, then the notion of a cross product is something that you might be familiar with.

Although it is taught in many colleges and schools in its mathematical glory, this post aims to supplement the same but with an real-life example.

The cross product

The magnitude of the cross product is the area of the parallelogram with two sides A and B.

The orientation of the cross product is orthogonal to the plane containing this parallelogram. 

Why on earth is it orthogonal ? Like seriously…

I mean this is one of the burning questions regarding the cross product and yet for some reason, textbooks don’t get to the bottom of this.

It is modeling a real life scenario!!

The scenario being :

When you try to twist a screw inside a block in the clockwise direction like so, the nail moves down and vice versa.

i.e When you move from the screw from u to v, then the direction of the cross product denotes the direction the screw will move.

That’s why the direction of the cross product is orthogonal. It’s really that simple :D

Have a good day!

A2A : Anonymous

Solar System: Things to Know This Week

10 Tools for the Armchair Astronaut, or  How to Explore the Solar System from Home

At this very moment, spacecraft are surveying the solar system, from Mars, to Saturn, to Pluto and beyond. Now you can ride along to see the latest discoveries from deep space. For this week’s edition of 10 Things, we’ve assembled a toolkit of 10 essential resources for the desktop astronaut.  

1. It’s Like Facebook, but for Planets

Or is it more of a Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Solar System? Whatever one calls it, our planets page offers quick rundowns, as well as in-depth guides, for all the major bodies in the solar system. Explore from the sun all the way to the Oort Cloud.

+ Peruse the planets + See how objects in the solar system stack up against each other

2. Keep Your Eyes on This One

If you still haven’t tried Eyes on the Solar System, you’re missing out. This free, downloadable simulation app lets you tour the planets and track the past, current and future positions of spacecraft–all in 3D. Eyes on the Solar System uses real NASA data to help you take a virtual flight across both space and time.

+ Prepare for departure

3. Dateline: Deep Space

With so much exploration underway, discoveries and new insights into the solar system come at a pace that borders on bewildering. NASA is rewriting the textbooks, literally, on a regular basis. Relax, though: there are several easy ways to stay up to date with what’s happening in space.

+ See the latest headlines + Stay connected on social media: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram + Find more top NASA social media accounts

4. Space? There’s an App for That

NASA offers phone and tablet apps for star gazing, pictures, news, 3D tours, satellite tracking, live NASA TV and many other kinds of info.

+ Start downloading + See other cool apps

5. A (Very) Long Distance Call

We’re in constant communication with spacecraft all over the solar system. The Deep Space Network is a global network of giant antenna dishes that makes it possible. With this online app, you can learn how it works – and even see which spacecraft are phoning home right now.

+ Deep Space Network (DSN) Now

6. Collect ‘Em All

Spacecraft 3D is an augmented reality (AR) application that lets you learn about and interact with a variety of spacecraft that are used to explore our solar system, study Earth and observe the universe. Print out the AR target and your camera will do the rest, making the spacecraft appear in 3D right in front of you. Learn more about these robotic explorers as they pop up on your desk, in your hand, or on your dog’s head.

+ Download Spacecraft 3D + See more cool 3-D resources from NASA

7. Ever Wanted to Drive a Mars Rover?

This site will give you a 3D look at the Mars Curiosity rover, along with some of the terrain it has explored. It will even let you take the controls.

+ Experience Curiosity

8. More E-Ticket Attractions

But wait, there’s more. NASA offers a variety of other fascinating (and free) online experiences, all based on actual data from real missions. Here are a few to explore:

+ Mars Trek + Vesta Trek + Moon Trek

9. The Universe Is Our Classroom

Studying the solar system makes for a compelling route into learning and teaching science, engineering and math. We have some great places to start.

+ Find resources for teachers + Build your own solar system with your classroom

10. Bring It on Home

After you’ve toured the far reaches of the solar system, you can always come home again. When you have spent time studying the harsh conditions on our neighboring planets, the charms of a unique paradise come into sharp focus, the place we call Earth.

+ Watch a real-time video feed from Earth orbit + See a daily global view of our planet from a million miles away + Hold the earth in your hands with the Earth Now mobile app

Discover more lists of 10 things to know about our solar system HERE.

Follow us on Tumblr for your regular dose of space: http://nasa.tumblr.com