We just arrived at an asteroid: OSIRIS-REx has reached Bennu!
The spacecraft OSIRIS-REx has spent the last 2 years traversing about 2 billion kilometers, to arrive today at the asteroid Bennu.
A frank look at gender inequality in science
I just read a fantastic blog post discussing gender inequality in science by Sabine Hossenfelder, a theoretical physicist, author, and Research Fellow at the Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies. Written partly in reaction to the recent Strumia debacle, she presents a frank summary of the issue of women’s representation in science, and physics especially.
The universe and your morning coffee
In a closed system, like the universe, entropy can only stay the same or increase over time. And yet we see rich complexity emerge, both here on Earth (including life itself!) and across the cosmos. How does this apparent order emerge in a system with increasing entropy? The answer lies in your morning coffee.
You will be missed, Stephen Hawking
Physicists are born in two ways–either lured in by the mysteries of particle physics or the wonder of the vast cosmos. For myself and many others, Stephen Hawking offered us one of our first glimpses of both worlds.
Yes, it is safe to drink and breastfeed
After a long pregnancy, I was looking forward to my first refreshing beer. But I worried about what impact having a drink would have on my breast milk. There’s a lot of conflicting advice out there.
Big Reaction: Nanoscale etching a penny
My lab is located at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBL), just up the hill from UC Berkeley. The lab is home to a wide range of cool research and cutting edge technology. The demo shown here, produced by the Molecular Foundry at LBL, showcases two different techniques for creating nanoscale features.
Big Reaction: A waterfall of light with Fluorescein
This riotous stream of oozy green color is produced by dropping Fluorescein dyes into water or alcohol. It’s an organic compound, the same stuff you find in highlighter markers.
An ode to scientifically literate politicians
With rampant anti-intellectualism running wild in the current administration, here are some anecdotes from a time when the White House’s chief occupant was more science-literate.
Big Reaction: Microwaving Ivory soap
The key to this reaction is using Ivory soap. This type of soap has little air pockets throughout (it floats in water). The microwave excites trapped water molecules, transferring heat to the air pockets. The air rapidly expands, creating the foam growths.
Big Reaction: Woodburning without a branding iron
Here’s a chemical reaction for the DIYer. Ammonium chloride (NH4Cl) mixed with water can be used as a “paint” to transfer designs to wood. Apply a little heat from a heat gun, and bam, instant woodburned art.