Applied Physics

Pump More Oil, Save The Environment- Electric Fields Boost Keystone Pipeline Flow

A strong electric field applied to a section of the Keystone pipeline can smooth oil flow and yield significant pump energy savings, found a new study. The physics basis is to electrically align particles within the crude oil, which reduces viscosity (thic ...

Article - News Staff - Feb 27 2015 - 11:30am

Danceroom Physics: Seeing The Atomic World Through Art

by Marsha Lewis, Inside Science (Inside Science TV) – Scientists often examine matter that is invisible to the naked eye. This hidden atomic world is a mystery for most people, but now a scientist created a way for people to imagine what they might see as ...

Article - Inside Science - Mar 1 2015 - 9:30am

Amazing Metamaterials Mechanical Properties

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 scientific term is both cool sounding and precise, but the wo ...

Article - Inside Science - Mar 4 2015 - 9:00am

Why Don’t Birds Break Their Necks When They Dive?

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 that are remarkable once you think about them. Here’s one ...

Article - Inside Science - Mar 5 2015 - 8:30am

K’nex Test Tube Rack

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 rods support the structure, can be raised and lowered if neede ...

Blog Post - Steve Schuler - Mar 5 2015 - 8:26am

Plumbonacrite: The Red Lead Reason Van Gogh's Paintings Are Fading

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 why.  A combination of X-ray diffraction mapping and tomog ...

Article - News Staff - Mar 10 2015 - 2:19pm

Erector Set Stand Chip Clip Mount

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 Needed Erector set right angle bracket 3-hole (mine is a ...

Blog Post - Steve Schuler - Mar 18 2015 - 6:45am

LaserOscope

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 motor with an optical coupler, or optocoupler. An optocoupl ...

Article - Steve Schuler - Mar 31 2015 - 7:42am

My All-Time Favorite April Fool's Day Gag

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 few times to make sure I was seeing what I was seeing ...

Blog Post - Steve Schuler - Mar 25 2015 - 11:45am

Phonons Controlled: Magnets Manipulate Sound Too

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 magnetic field roughly the size of a medical MRI reduced the amount of ...

Article - News Staff - Mar 23 2015 - 11:57am