Phase transitions are a fundamental piece of physics and chemistry. We’re all familiar with different phases of water, for example, but this idea of a system of particles changing what it looks like and how it behaves is really ubiquitous in science. And while we know the outcome of water changing into ice, the precise process leads to many different kinds…
Tag: Sides
A moon rock decorates Biden’s Oval Office
A lunar sample collected during Apollo 17, the final mission to the moon, is now on display in President Biden’s Oval Office. Source: https://earthsky.org/human-world/moon-rock-in-president-bidens-oval-office…
Look for Cassiopeia and the Big Dipper
Watch the celestial clock and its 2 great big hour hands – Cassiopeia and the Big Dipper – as they swing around the North Star every night! Source: https://earthsky.org/tonight/cassiopeia-and-big-dipper…
Plaid Pulled Plug on Visa Deal Over Price, Not Antitrust Concerns
Visa will no longer be buying fintech upstart Plaid, as the companies on Tuesday announced the “mutual termination” of the $5.3 billion agreement that was signed one year ago and opposed by U.S. antitrust regulators. From a report: This is more about the rising value of fintech companies than it is about the U.S. Justice Department. It also turns Plaid into…
Top 4 keys to understanding moon phases
How can you understand what causes the various phases of the moon? Four tips, here. [video src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7f/Orbit_of_the_Moon_in_2013.ogv" poster="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7f/Orbit_of_the_Moon_in_2013.ogv"]Source: https://earthsky.org/moon-phases/understandingmoonphases…
Will America’s Next President Break Up Facebook?
With 25 days until Joe Biden becomes America’s next president, Politico writes that throughout the US government, “From lawmakers on Capitol Hill to antitrust enforcers at the Federal Trade Commission, Washington is training its sights on the world’s largest social network like never before.” Biden’s antitrust enforcers will take ownership of a lawsuit the FTC filed this month threatening to dismantle…
Bull’s head: The Hyades star cluster
Meet the bright star Aldebaran, part of a V-shaped pattern of stars called the Hyades. This easy-to-find star cluster represents the face of Taurus the Bull. Source: https://earthsky.org/favorite-star-patterns/v-shaped-hyades-star-cluster-easy-to-find…
Microplastics Revealed in the Placentas of Unborn Babies
Microplastic particles have been revealed in the placentas of unborn babies for the first time, which the researchers said was “a matter of great concern.” From a report: The health impact of microplastics in the body is as yet unknown. But the scientists said they could carry chemicals that could cause long-term damage or upset the foetus’s developing immune system. The…
Judge Orders Tim Cook and Craig Federighi To Testify in Epic Case
A judge has ordered Apple to produce Tim Cook and Craig Federighi to testify for the Apple versus Epic lawsuit, and they must produce required documents before the next hearing. From a report: The Apple versus Epic lawsuit continues as publicly filed court documents tell us a bit more about the upcoming trial. Epic wants Apple to produce extensive documentation surrounding…
Is that a UFO?! There’s probably an explanation
Most Unidentified Flying Objects aren’t actually unidentified. Here’s a list of phenomena, either natural or human-made, that people often mistake for UFOs. Source: https://earthsky.org/space/if-its-not-a-ufo-what-is-it…