과학 기사

Cell phones have sure come a long way since the first 2.5 lb monster was unveiled just 40 years ago. Thanks to innovative companies like Apple Inc., we have evolved from keypad to touch-screen. But if you think that we are done with phone innovation, think again - Thanks to some Canadian inventors we may soon be swapping our rigid & thick (yes thick!), smart devices with flexible, paper-thin versions....

It weighs less than air and is extremely strong, yet flexible enough to bounce back to its original shape, after being compressed. And, it does not float away either, because a 10cm×10cm×10cm cube does not displace 1000 cubic centimeters of air, since a lot of air stays in the pores of the 'sponge'. But best of all, it can absorb up to 250-500 times its own weight of oil at a rapid pace of 68.8 grams per second. This is not a material scientist's dream, but a description of the most recent 'lightest' solid created by a research team from China's Zheijang University....

It is a well-documented fact that humpback whales gather their prey by creating 'bubble nets'- that is, blow bubbles underwater to confuse shoals of fish and cause them to herd together, giving the whales a perfect opportunity to devour them in one gulp....

On February 8th 2013, scientists from European Space Agency (ESA) announced that their weather satellite that is equipped with an instrument specifically designed to sense ozone concentrations showed revealed the seasonal ozone 'hole' above the Antarctica had shrunk to record levels!...

Coral reefs are not just beautiful to look at, but also, extremely useful. Considered the marine equivalent of tropical rainforests, they cover only 2% of the ocean bottom but harbor almost 25% of all marine life. However, like many other species, this amazing ecosystem that has been around for five hundred million years is in danger of being eradicated completely, if something is not done soon....

In February 2013, US multimillionaire Dennis Tito announced that his non-profit organization, Inspiration Mars Foundation, was planning to sponsor two 'qualified' people for a flyby to Mars in 2018. While one would think that an announcement this ambitious from a man whose closest encounter with Space has been as the first paying guest of the International Space Station would arouse some skepticism, such is not the case....

While ants may appear to be just pesky insects whose sole purpose in life is to annoy humans, they are in reality, quite amazing - they can survive the biggest floods by morphing into living rafts, find their way anywhere, thanks to a built-in GPS and now it turns out, may even have the ability to predict earthquakes - Something even the world's best brains have been unable to do so far!...

Though it is common knowledge that lack of gravity makes life in space a tad different from that on earth, very few of us ever think about how different. There is of course the fact that Astronauts are always suspended and floating around, but what about beyond that? Something as basic as shedding a tear or two of joy or sorrow?...

After being slammed by severe winter storms, some areas of the East Coast of the United States are now getting ready for another onslaught - This time, from the millions of cicadas that are about to emerge from the ground for the final three months of their lives....

Last week, Japan's Tokyo Sea Life Park unveiled its latest exhibit - A transparent fish that has no scales and clear blood. The specimen of the Ocellated Ice Fish, believed to be the only one of its kind in captivity, was brought to the center by Japanese krill fisherman in 2011....

A 2005 study by the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture Forest Service revealed that over 80 million birds are killed each year due to collisions with motor vehicles. However, one smart bird species that resides in some areas of the Western United States like Nebraska, seems to be bucking the trend and if two researchers are to be believed, it is all to do with evolution....

'Green' or environmentally responsible buildings that use minimal resources by depending on solar energy or recycled water are becoming increasingly common. However, the Torre de Especialidades Tower currently being constructed as an extension of a hospital in Mexico City, is taking that concept to a whole new level, with a new innovative tile that is capable of absorbing pollution from the atmosphere....

The image of a fresh vegetable garden in subarctic weather may be a little difficult to conjure up. However, believe it or not, thanks to global warming this is not as rare a sight and as years go by, one that may become increasingly common especially, in areas like Greenland....

Last year's spectacular London Summer Olympic games may seem like an event of the past, but its legacy is still manifesting itself in impressive ways. 'Speed of Light,' an art performance combining technology and athleticism to showcase the travel of light using human generated kinetic energy, is one of the most stunning examples....

If you are planning to fly from New York City to Amsterdam aboard KLM airlines sometime soon, you may want to bring along some fries or fried catfish - Not because the airline has decided to stop feeding its passengers, but because mixed in with the normal jet fuel is cooking or biofuel from the kitchens of Louisiana!...

Humans are naturally curious - They like to seek out the wildest adventures even if it means intruding on the habitats and lives of other species. Nowhere is this fact more obvious than Stingray City in the Cayman Islands. The popular tourist destination attracts over a million visitors each year, all eager to swim and pet the stingrays that flock to the shallow sandbars in droves....

Thanks to the efforts of Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon.com, two engines from the Apollo rockets that delivered man to the moon, have been dug up from their watery grave, more than 40 years after they landed back on earth....

We all know that coffee can get humans all wired up and active, but powering a truck? That has to be a first! However, it is what engineer Martin Bacon and a group of volunteers from Teesdale Conservation in Durham, England were able to successfully demonstrate, on February, 19th, 2013....

While many companies have attempted to create gesture controlled devices, there are as intuitive as Leap Motion, which uses actions that come naturally to computer users effectively, putting the control right at their fingertips!...

If you happen to live near a farm or are one of those city dwellers that have a chicken coop complete with a rooster, you are probably used to being awakened by their customary crows at the crack of dawn. However, given that these birds also crow noisily at the slightest disturbance, made two animal physiology researchers wonder if the roosters truly knew that it was morning or, if they were just faking it. Curious to know what they discovered? Read on . . ....

What can one do in a minute? Read a page, have a short conversation with a friend or if you are as fast as Usain Bolt, maybe even run 600 meters? While these may seem like big accomplishments, they will seem woefully little, once you realize what happens in an 'Internet' minute....

While all of us cannot be as enterprising as Felix Finkbeiner, the 13-year-old German school boy that has spearheaded a global eco campaign, we can still help reverse global warming trends with small things - Like switching off all lights and electronic devices for an hour, which is what hundreds of millions of people all over the world are planning to do from 8.30-9.30 on Saturday, March 23rd, in celebration of Earth Hour. Believe it or not, this minor action will go a long way in helping global warming....

Imagine lighting a fire to a hard-packed snowball or the mud deep inside the ocean bed. While that may sound impossible, it is not only feasible, but the government of Japan believes that they can use this energy to fuel the entire country, for at least a century....

Since 2006, US based Evolo magazine has held an annual contest challenging architects and designers to envision skyscrapers of the future. What makes the competition fun is that the entrants are not rewarded for the practicality of the design but their novel use of materials, technology and aesthetics. This allows the creators to run wild with their imaginations and results in some pretty cool, gravity defying structures....