November 2011
6 posts
It's Complicated
“It’s a little bit more complicated than we thought,” is usually a phrase that comes about when scientists find inconsistencies that could threaten a theory, and now the same can be applied to the formation of blue stragglers, a type of star. From certain properties, astronomers can determine properties of stars, such as magnitude, which can be used to determine luminosity, and color, which can be...
Meat in a Petri Dish?
In vitro meat production—the growth of meat in a controlled, laboratory setting rather than through the raising of livestock—is an idea that is quickly gaining attention in scientific and agricultural disciplines. This is due to supply issues that are arising globally. Population is increasing, and the amount of free land to raise livestock is decreasing, so the demand for meat, and relatively...
Charles Lyell: Uniformitarianism and Evolutionary...
Most people hear ‘evolution’ and immediately think of Charles Darwin. But Charles Lyell, a geologist who preceded most of Darwin’s work, had an important role that many seem to forget. Lyell (1797-1875) grew up learning the prevailing geological theory of catastrophism, which is the idea that the Earth’s features were developed through a few enormously catastrophic events. Lyell saw that the...
Nanotechnology: The New Hot Spot of Science
One of the distinct faces in current technology is the advent of nanotechnology. The development of nanotechnology has brought with it an astounding number of possible applications in all fields of science, whether it is electronics, biomaterials or medicine. Despite all the speculation, nanotechnology has immense potential in the medical field, offering exciting possibilities. Some techniques are...
Aurora Borealis Seen Farther South Than Ever...
Aurora Borealis, or the northern lights, were seen as far south as Arkansas on Monday night. The dazzling light show lasted for at least 15-20 minutes, lighting up the skies in several different colors. Aurora Borealis occurs when the sun releases subatomic particles into space that react with the Earth’s atmosphere and produce red and green lights. When magnetic solar winds strike the atmosphere...
An Easy Solution to Obesity?
A common emerging topic in healthcare is obesity. According to the Center of Disease Control, about one-third of all U.S. adults are considered to be obese. Of course, weight problems are often personal issues that even non-obese people take seriously. Consistent exercise and healthy eating has always been the typical answer to this problem; however, this may be difficult for many individuals....
