You may have seen it happen in the movies, or on TV: an astronaut swims their way through space to get from point A to point B. It may look a little fun, but unfortunately, humans can’t swim through space because there’s not enough stuff to swim through.What Is the Physics of Swimming?We can easily swim through water because water is dense enough to allow us to push back on it with our hands and get something for our effort. By conservation of momentum, when we push on the water, the water p ...read more
The last few years have brought a new autumn ritual. Starting in September, drug stores and supermarkets run promotions for flu shots and COVID-19 vaccines. Customers who get jabbed at the in-store pharmacy earn a $10 off coupon or maybe a gift card. Both vaccines can be given at once, and for some people, a Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) vaccine might also be recommended.Is this the new vaccine normal for COVID-19? An annual shot along with others to protect against seasonal viruses?Some epi ...read more
Along the Equator in the eastern Pacific Ocean, the El Niño climate phenomenon has been coming on strong in recent weeks. You can see that strength in the image above, which shows how temperatures at the ocean surface vary from normal right now. El Niño's fingerprint is seen in that broad yellow, orange and red swath along the Equator, indicative of abnormally warm water. We're Now in Strong El Niño Territory"El Niño is currently chugging along, and forecasters expect it to continue for th ...read more
Decades after the late 1970s, the death of disco has officially hit Europe. That's because the governing body behind most of the continent has banned the sale of several types of plastic glitter, due to the dangers they pose to the environment and to human health. The ban, which went into place on Oct. 17, 2023, comes as part of a larger commitment by the European Commission to reduce the release of microplastics. So, what makes glitter such a terrible threat to ecosystems, and which sorts of gl ...read more
When parents arrive at a daycare at the end of the day, their human toddlers often race into their arms while joyfully screaming, “Mommy!” or “Daddy!” That’s how parents know their kids recognize them.Cats, on the other hand, can be much harder to read. Do they really know the difference between you and your neighbor? Do Cats Recognize Their Owners?(Credit: Anastasiya Tsiasemnikava/ Shutterstock)For many cat owners, the answer to this question is a big fat “duh! Of course, my cat kno ...read more
Author Vishay SinghPosted on Categories Discover Magazine