과학 기사

When one thinks of nature's most fierce predators, the images that come to mind are those of lions and sharks. While they are certainly dangerous there are other unlikely ones, that are even more so. Among them are the Tasmanian devil, the honey badger and . . . the mantis shrimp?...

Just when we thought we had seen all the magical things that 3D printing can do, here comes another - A working prosthetic leg that has transformed the life of a little Canadian duckling called Dudley, who had been struggling to get by after losing a leg in an epic battle with a chicken!...

Though you must have all imagined how terrified Peeta and Katniss were when they were competing in the Hunger Games and then again in Catching Fire, you probably did not feel like you were in their shoes and living the experience with them. That, is what researchers at MIT's Media Lab are trying to achieve with a new device that they call Sensory Fiction....

While smog is a problem in many of the world's urban cities, few have it as bad as China. Most of last year, the air around Beijing was so polluted that on certain days it went beyond what was once considered the worst possible level. The residents of Harbin, in northeast China, have not had it easy either. On days when the haze is really bad, residents are unable to even see across streets and airplanes have a hard time landing....

The industrious honey bee not only provides us with delicious honey, but also, helps pollinate about a third of the world's fruits and vegetables. It is therefore no wonder that the ongoing deaths of millions of the tiny insects throughout the world, a phenomenon scientists call Colony-Collapse Disorder, has researchers extremely worried. What's even worse is that despite extensive investigation, the cause still remains a total mystery....

On Monday, January 27th, residents of Ohio, Pennsylvania and Illinois woke up to a special treat - Giant snow rollers. Often described as nature's snow sculptures, the beautiful giant columns are a rare meteorological phenomenon....

Over the years, there have been many unusual modes of personal transport invented - There is the Segway, the Solowheel, the Uno . . . and the list goes on. However, none have been quite like this latest entrant to the market. Called RYNO or 'Ride Your New Opportunity', it is an electric motorcycle with just a single 25-inch wheel!...

This February, there's more reason to tune in to the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia than just the sporting events - The chance to see thousands of lucky visitors make their own mark by having their faces displayed on the side of the Olympic Village's 2,000 square-meter (21,527 square-feet) MegaFon Pavilion....

Seems as though every time you turn around there is a 3D printer with a new functionality invented. They can be used to build (faux) cars, help with school projects and even bring a virtual Minecraft world to life. While they are all cool, none have managed to hit the 'sweet' spot quite like the Chef Jet - the world's first on-demand 3D candy printer!...

For Americans, this year's winter has been an interesting dichotomy. While the eastern part of the country has been inundated with snow, the west has seen very little precipitation. One of the most affected is the State of California, which according to experts may be facing its worst drought since record-keeping began, about a century ago....

Though doctors have been patching up tears in heart muscle tissues for many years, the solution is far from perfect. Stitches and staples that work perfectly well in sealing other muscles, do not do as well in wet environments and when subjected to pressure - Both of which are inevitable around the heart. Now there may be a perfect solution - super glue!...

The next time you utter the words 'I am bored', don't be surprised if someone asks you what kind? That's because scientists have discovered that there are five nuances of this one emotion - indifferent, calibrating, searching, reactant and apathetic!...

The polar vortex that greeted many Americans at the start of the year, served as a rude reminder of the detrimental effects that global warming could have on our weather patterns. The fact that something has to be done to reverse or at least halt climate change is obvious, but the question for most of us is what and how? Turns out, that it doesn't take much money or resources - Just some ingenuity and will, both of which the founders of U.K. based design firm Studio Swine, seem to have in abundance....

While powering personal devices with solar energy has become commonplace, harnessing wind energy to do the same has never been contemplated, because it would involve the arduous task of carrying around windmills. But what if the windmills could be reduced to a size so small that up to a thousand could fit comfortably inside the sleeve of a cell phone case?...

This holiday season, while most people were cuddled up in front of a fireplace, a few were striving to achieve what no human had been able to do - Peddle across the Antarctica! The three-way race between Britain's Maria Leijerstam, Spain's Juan Mendez and America's Daniel Burton began in mid-December from the Novo Russian airbase in Queen Maud Land, Eastern Antarctica....

At most schools 'going green' means generating less trash or making a conscientious attempt to recycle. But at New York's Riverdale Country School, it means being encouraged to run and even jump in the hallway. That's because on January 7th, 2014, the school became the first American venue for the specially designed Pavegen floor tiles....

Water is normally thought to be the solution to extinguish fires, not ignite them. But when subjected to certain conditions, normal H2O can do the exact opposite. In order to create this magical liquid that scientists call 'supercritical water', it is first compressed at 217 times the air pressure found at sea level and then heated above 703°F (373°C)....

For those that have always wished for superhuman strength, here is some good news - A group of engineering students from the University of Pennsylvania have invented a way to make it happen instantly! And while it may not be enough to save a damsel in distress, it is guaranteed to impress your friends....

On Monday, January 6th, more than 140 million Americans woke up to frigid temperatures - ones that had not been experienced in at least 25 years. The Midwestern part of the country bore the brunt of the cold. Fort Wayne recorded a bone-chilling high of -13°F, while Chicago reported an even lower -16°F. And those numbers were without the windchill, (the effect the wind has on lowering the temperature), factored in....

The Romanian town of Costesti is home to one of the world's most amazing natural phenomena - rocks that grow. Named Trovants or 'cemented sand' the spherical shaped stones are believed to have first appeared on earth about six million years ago, following a powerful earthquake....

The fact that Twitter, the social networking and microblogging site which enables users to send 'tweets' or 140 character messages to their followers is popular, is no secret. However so far the service was being used only by humans. Now it appears that some sharks that frequent the coastal regions of Western Australia have also joined the fray....

On December 23rd, Melbourne residents witnessed an unusual sight - A roadster made almost entirely from Lego bricks cruising down the streets. Assembled from 500,000 of the versatile bricks, the stunning black and yellow vehicle that is being hailed as a technical marvel, is the brainchild of 20-year-old Romanian student, Raul Oida....

With the recent snowstorms that have been blanketing many parts of the country, it may appear that winter has been here for sometime now. Unfortunately, that is not the case. Tomorrow, December 21st, is Winter Solstice, the official start of the season for the residents of the Northern Hemisphere. Of course, the opposite is true for the lucky folks that live in the Southern Hemisphere who will be celebrating the first day of summer....

On November 21st, Japanese Coast Guards released photos of a brand new island created by an eruption of an underwater volcano in the Pacific Ocean, about a thousand kilometers south of the country's capital, Tokyo. While exciting, it received a somewhat lukewarm reception, given that most such islands tend to disappear within a short period of time. However now it seems that the volcanic landmass that has been called Niijima, may be here to stay!...