Spray It and Hear It

Antennas have been around for decades and are a necessity for wireless communication of any sort.  The old TV antennas which used to be seen on most homes have given way to cable or satellite dishes.  And many antennas are bulky and large. Now scientists have developed an antenna that is thinner than human hair and that can be sprayed onto any surface and used to capture waves of energy.  Read this fascinating article from newatlas.com about these sprayable antennas.

Four Dimensions, Imaginary Numbers and Algebra

Algebra is used in multiple fields worldwide. But how did the discovery and pursuit of four dimensions and algebra spark a breakthrough in algebra?  This article in Wired has some interesting insights.

Tying Lasers Into Knots

Scientists using formal knot theory mathematics and optic technology have been able to "tie" laser light into knots in the shape of figure 8's and torus knots.  By tuning the up-and-down and side-to-side motion of the beams and using technology that is used in polarized sunglasses, the scientists were able to accomplish this feat.  The article appeared in livescience.com. 

Snapchat Dysmorphia

It's similar to body dysmorphia, a disorder where people ask for plastic surgery and body sculpting to look a certain way, but more disconcerting and of higher concern to doctors as more and more young people and older ones are requesting to be resculpted to look like pictures of themselves on Snapchat when enhanced by filters such as the butterfly filter.  Pictures of the difference this makes can be found in the in-depth article that appeared on inverse.com. The article explains some of the psychology behind this disorder and why it is so unrealistic and dangerous. 

Scutoid - A New Shape

Scientists and mathemeticians have discovered a new shape that surprisingly appears more often in the natural world than realized.  In fact, it shows up quite often in living things, including humans.  This shape found in the formation of cells, streamlines and more efficiently uses energy when replicating.  It's another example of how God never wastes anything but instead does things efficiently and wisely.  Check out the whole in-depth article as found in the New Yorker. 

Toxic, Dangerous, Acidic - Cashew Nut Shells

Have you ever seen a cashew nut shell?  Probably not. Why? Because of their caustic nature and dangerous acids.  They first go through a process wherein the oils are destroyed and the shells discarded.  But lo, these oils may be medicinal and could help control or stop anti-resistant pathogens.  Read the in-depth article here. 

A Grain of Rice is Monstrous

The University of Michigan has created a computer which is a tenth the size of IBM's smallest computer.  Sitting next to a grain of rice, the rice looks like a blimp!  This tiny computer could be used for multiple health applications and other projects which require a "tiny" computer.  Check out the article from Flipboard. 

Tick-Tock, Tock-Tick, Ding-Dong or Dong-Ding - Which Sounds Correct?

English grammar rules are so weird.  It's a language that has so many little nuances and rules that it's no wonder people trying to learn English have such a difficult time.  Check out this snippet from a Twitter tweet from Writer's Digest.  You'll see what I mean.

Rossby Waves Half a Million Miles Wide Detected on the Sun

According to LiveScience, the sun is roiling with waves almost half a million miles wide.  These Rossby waves, or planetary waves, exist in all rotating fluids and have now been detected in the sun.  Interestingly, they move in opposite direction to the rotation of the sun.

Trained Jumping Spiders

Typically, spiders that jump get squished.  However, scientists, in an endeavor to understand the biomechanics needed to make jumping micro-robots, have trained a regal jumping spider to jump on command. How they performed this feat is highlighted in this fascinating article in National Geographic.