Physics
- Archaeology
Let’s learn about radiocarbon dating
Through the power of radioactivity, carbon dating can reveal the age of many fossils and artifacts.
- Materials Science
This teen materials scientist wants to save the Great Salt Lake
Thermo Fisher JIC finalist Sophia Zhang investigated hydrogels that might conserve water in farming — a big stressor of the lake’s water supply.
- Tech
Bird-inspired airplane wings could boost flight performance
Rows of flaps inspired by a bird wings’ feathers improve airfoil performance to boost lift and reduce drag.
- Physics
Shark intestines inspire pipes with a strictly one-way flow
The pipes contain a twisty coil that lets liquids flow in one direction but not the other.
- Computing
A new frontier awaits — computing with light
Today’s computers process using electrical signals. But light shows promise as a new means of computing, especially for AI.
- Materials Science
Experiment: The surprising strength of eggshells
Architecture is full of arched doors, windows and other structures. But how strong is the natural arch of eggshells?
- Animals
To clear loops, Sonic the Hedgehog must hit the right speed
Most animals don’t run through loops. Sonic would need the physics behind roller coasters and race cars to clear one.
- Health & Medicine
Science works to demystify hair and help it behave
Research explores new ways to classify hair — from loose curls to tight coils — along with ways to control it and improve its looks and health.
- Earth
It’s electric! Long-sought new field found in Earth’s atmosphere
This ambipolar electric field is weak. Yet it’s still strong enough to control the evolution of Earth’s upper atmosphere — and maybe life as we know it.
- Math
Math reveals how skateboarders can ramp up their half-pipe power
To pick up speed, half-pipe skaters pump — move between crouching and standing — as they roll. A new study shows the fastest way to the top.
- Materials Science
Scientists Say: Quantum dot
Quantum dots are nanosized specks whose properties are governed by the strange rules of quantum physics.
- Physics
Let’s learn about entanglement
Entanglement is a special connection between particles that syncs up their properties — even when the particles are far apart.
