Physics

Why Roller Coaster Loops Are Never Circular

Many extreme roller coaster these days have vertical loops. Have you noticed that these loops are never circular? Why is this? They all, also, seem to have the same similar ‘inverted teardrop’ appearance. Why is this? Clearly there is the same physics and mathematics involved in their designs. Let’s take a look and see if…

Physics & Chemistry Nick Berry - Data Genetics Mar 24

Why “Critical Density” Could Determine the Fate of the Universe

What’s the average density of the universe? One look out at the night sky will confirm that space isn’t a dense place — but still, its actual density could affect everything from the way it’s shaped to how it will end. What Einstein Told Us We used to see the universe as a big empty…

io9 Esther Inglis-Arkell Mar 24

MIT’s Living E. Coli Materials Could Provide Self-Aware Surfaces

Researchers at MIT have been busy creating a new type of biolfilms—sheets of living E. Coli cells combined with materials such as gold nanoparticles and quantum dots—that could provide large, self-aware surfaces. The new materials are grown using E. Coli bacteria as a substrate. E. Coli naturally forms itself in thin sheets, known as biofilm,…

Physics & Chemistry Jamie Condliffe Mar 24

Why Don’t 3D Glasses Work Backwards?

It’s a question that has occurred to anyone who has ever sat in a theater fiddling with their theater-provided 3D shades waiting for the promos to finish rolling up: Why don’t these work if I flip them around? Here’s the physics behind the persnicketiness of 3D glasses. In this thread, commenter (and physicist) FlowerGirlPhysicist explained…

io9 Ria Misra Mar 21

Adhesive Tape Has Some Weird Superpowers

Tearing tape off the roll can be a satisfying way to entertain yourself in the office. But you’re not just wasting office supplies — according to new scientific studies, that tape is also emitting X-rays and ultrasonic sounds. Though you might not guess this from experience, peeling adhesive is actually a version of fracturing. It’s…

io9 Annalee Newitz Mar 21

Disordered Hyperuniformity: A Weird New State of Matter in Chicken Eyes

Despite what you learned in school,there are way more than four states of matter. One possible new one, disordered hyperuniformity, was recently found in the weirdest place – the eyes of chickens. Classical States of Matter To better understand an exotic state of matter like disordered hyperuniformity, it may be helpful to review the characteristics…

Physics & Chemistry Melissa - TodayIFoundOut.com Mar 21

These Amazing Science Books Deserve To Become Documentaries

Thanks to Cosmos, astronomy has a great series to communicate the wonder of space to the public. But what about the other sciences? How can we get a new generation hooked on science in general? Here are some brilliant nonfiction books about science, that absolutely must become documentaries or TV series. These are grouped by…

io9 Esther Inglis-Arkell Mar 19

Translating Physicist to Human

Watching Andrei Linde and Renata Kallosh hear that BICEP-2 found gravitational waves is heartwarming. But with a bit of translating of everything left unsaid, it becomes even more gut-wrenchingly awesome. Allow me to translate for you to see this through a physicist’s eyes. https://gizmodo.com/have-physicists-detected-gravitational-waves-yes-1545591865 The first thing Dr. Chao-Lin Kuo says when the doctors open…

Physics & Chemistry Mika McKinnon Mar 19

Star Trek Actually Got Tractor Beams Right

We’ve made another step forward in building real-life tractor beams. Turns out that the trick is in the angle of the beam, and Star Trek did a pretty good job of representing what a real tractor beam could look like. When a regular beam of light or sound hits an object head-on, the beam pushes…

Physics & Chemistry Mika McKinnon Mar 18

Hilarious slow-motion video turns Neil deGrasse Tyson into a stoner

Astrophysicist and Cosmos host Neil deGrasse Tyson, in addition to being a general badass, is most famous for his wildly infectious exuberance for all things science. Unless, of course, NDT is stoned out of his mind. In which case, that vigor would probably turn into the masterpiece you see below. Discovered by Reddit user bakkouz,…

Sploid Ashley Feinberg Mar 18

Why the Big Bang Discovery Is Even More Important Than You Think

As you’ve probably heard, yesterday a team of scientists identified evidence of cosmic inflation right after the Big Bang, a finding which helps explain how the entire Universe originated. Amazing as that sounds, it’s way more important than you even imagine. https://gizmodo.com/astronomers-discover-first-direct-proof-of-the-big-bang-1545525927 To truly grasp the significance, let’s start with what exactly it is that…

Space & Spaceflight Jamie Condliffe Mar 18

Do yourself a favor and read Einstein’s paper on special relativity

One of the most famous concepts in science was introduced in a paper with the uninspiring title, “On the Electrodynamics of Moving Bodies.” A little reading can give you the basics of relativity, right from the source. In 1905 Albert Einstein rearranged the universe. That is well-known. What’s relatively unknown is the title of the…

io9 Esther Inglis-Arkell Mar 17

Incredible Discovery Provides Evidence for the Big Bang Theory

Today, Harvard’s servers were brought to their knees dealing with international demand to watch a press conference about … gravitational waves. It’s no surprise: as physicist Marc Kamionkowski reflected, “It’s not everyday you wake up and learn something completely new about the early universe.” Kamionkowski and his team were there to announce that B-modes of…

Space & Spaceflight Mika McKinnon Mar 17

Astronomers Discover First Direct Proof of the Big Bang Expansion

Somebody’s going to win a Nobel Prize. At least that’s what the physics community is saying after the announcement on Monday that a Harvard team has found the first direct evidence of cosmic inflation right after the Big Bang. It’s more proof that the Big Bang really was the beginning of it all. https://gizmodo.com/this-animation-explains-the-big-bang-better-than-school-1535824886 The…

Space & Spaceflight Adam Clark Estes Mar 17

There’s something strangely satisfying about watching water roll uphill

This is no optical illusion – the water droplets you see here are actually rolling uphill. But how? What you’re looking at is a unique demonstration of the ever-fascinating Leidenfrost effect. Named after 18th Century German doctor Johann Gottlob Leidenfrost, the phenomenon occurs when liquid comes into contact with a surface that is much, much…

io9 Robbie Gonzalez Mar 16

These optical helmets are like funhouse mirrors for your face

The optical helmets of Korean artist Hyungkoo Lee are delightfully creepy. Carefully positioned lenses of varying surface curvature make dysmorphic playthings of the wearers’ features – shriveling mouths, inflating noses, and multiplying eyes in cartoonish displays that are as captivating as they are disturbing. The helmets are part of Lee’s ongoing series of wearable, body–modifying…

io9 Robbie Gonzalez Mar 15

New study suggests humans could become radiation-resistant

In the event of a nuclear accident or blast, humans can be exposed to ionizing radiation that causes cancer and heart disease, among other problems. But now a group of scientists have bred a strain of bacteria that can repair its own radiation damage. This has implications for us, too. One of the ways that…

io9 Annalee Newitz Mar 14

What Is Reality, Anwyway?

Forgive us while we get a little philosophical on a Friday morning but: what the hell is reality anyway? One way of thinking about it is as everything that would be here if we weren’t around—but that’s not particularly satisfying as, to the best of our knowledge, we do exist. Or hope we do. So,…

Physics & Chemistry Jamie Condliffe Mar 14

The physics of curling are actually really fascinating

They’re also surprisingly counterintuitive. For instance: who here thinks that the sweepers’ job is to increase or decrease the friction of the ice in front of the stone to make it curl? I definitely did. Turns out that’s totally wrong. And it’s still not even the weirdest thing about the physics of this sport. In…

io9 Robbie Gonzalez Mar 13

Listening to the Secret Sounds of the Large Hadron Collider

From the Golden Gate Bridge to an ancient Japanese bell, the physical structures around us are humming with secret sound. Artist Bill Fontana has made a career of capturing these haunting and complex soundscapes. As an artist at residence at CERN, he’s mostly recently been listening in on the world’s largest particle collider. Last week,…

Physics & Chemistry Sarah Zhang Mar 12

Why Roller Coaster Loops Are Never Circular

Why “Critical Density” Could Determine the Fate of the Universe

MIT’s Living E. Coli Materials Could Provide Self-Aware Surfaces

Why Don’t 3D Glasses Work Backwards?

Adhesive Tape Has Some Weird Superpowers

Disordered Hyperuniformity: A Weird New State of Matter in Chicken Eyes

These Amazing Science Books Deserve To Become Documentaries

Translating Physicist to Human

Star Trek Actually Got Tractor Beams Right

Hilarious slow-motion video turns Neil deGrasse Tyson into a stoner

Why the Big Bang Discovery Is Even More Important Than You Think

Do yourself a favor and read Einstein’s paper on special relativity

Incredible Discovery Provides Evidence for the Big Bang Theory

Astronomers Discover First Direct Proof of the Big Bang Expansion

There’s something strangely satisfying about watching water roll uphill

These optical helmets are like funhouse mirrors for your face

New study suggests humans could become radiation-resistant

What Is Reality, Anwyway?

The physics of curling are actually really fascinating

Listening to the Secret Sounds of the Large Hadron Collider

Disney’s Massive Layoffs Have Seemingly Hit Marvel Hard

Anthropic Is Jacking Up the Price for Power Users Amid Complaints Its Model Is Getting Worse

Bose SoundLink Max Bluetooth Speaker Quietly Drops to Its Lowest Price, Now Cheaper Than Last Week’s Low

The Wicked Stepmother of ‘The Testaments’ Is So Much Fun to Hate

Apple’s Smart Glasses Are Stepping Into a Privacy Minefield

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Anker Nebula P1i Portable Projector Debuted at CES 2026 and Now Hits Record Low Just Weeks After Launch

There’s No Saving Windows 11. It’s Time for Windows 12

Sony Inzone H6 Air Review: A Perfect Case for Open-Back Gaming Headsets

Anker’s EufyMake E1 Finally Brings Printers Out of the Dark Ages

The Soundboks Mix Is Going to Make You the Most Popular Guy at the Park

Asus Zenbook A16 Review: Start Considering Snapdragon on PC, for Real

Aqara Thermostat Hub W200 Review: Almost Better than My Ecobee

HP Omen Max 45L Review: 4K60 Gaming Has Never Been So Easy

Ecovacs Winbot W3 Omni Review: Window Cleaning Robots Have a Long Way to Go

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