Latency is so ingrained into modern communication we almost forget about it but in live or recorded events, like performances or rehearsals over a long distance, it is crippling.  When recording…

Researchers have discovered proof that acoustic phonons, the elemental particles that transmit both heat and sound, have magnetic properties.  In a new paper, the authors describe how a…

My wife and I were in an airport newsstand. I was looking through the magazines to find something to read on the flight when I saw something that didn't make sense. Quite confused, I had to blink a…

Build a laser oscilloscope using Lego, littleBits, Erector set, and the Kano Computer. In honor of The International Year of Light I’ll demonstrate how use the Kano computer to drive a littleBits…

In a previous blog post, I demonstrated how to build a magnetic optical mount for a laser using Erector set parts. Here's another method of attaching a chip clip to the Erector set stand. Parts…

Red lead is familiar to us due to rustproof paint but artists have treasured the brilliant color for its durability since ancient times. Yet it has limits and now scientists are learning more about…

Northern gannets avoid buckling their necks by choosing the right diving speed. Credit: Jean-Jacques Boujot By Ben Stein, Inside Science (Inside Science Currents Blog) -- Animals perform many feats…

I often see K’nex sets at second-hand stores like Goodwill or Salvation Army so I decided to see if K’nex can be co-opted for science and used them to build a test tube rack. The upright K’nex…

I often see K’nex sets at second-hand stores like Goodwill or Salvation Army so I decided to see if K’nex can be co-opted for science and used them to build a test tube rack. The upright K’nex…

A “mechanically programmable” metamaterial held by Bastiaan Florijn, Leiden University. Photo credit: Ben P. Stein By Ben Stein, Inside Science (Inside Science Currents Blog) -- It’s rare when a…