How X-Ray Technology Is Helping Examine Millets Artwork In the 1840s, a new painting by Jean Francois Millet was unveiled in Paris. But, horror of horrors, no one seemed to like it! Some critics thought the images were too violent; others thought the...
Popcorn Makes A Perfect, Healthy Snack Dear A Moment of Science, I love to snack, but I also want to lose weight. The problem is, I really hate vegetables and fruit, at least as snack foods. I want something with a little salt, a little crunch. So ar...
Why Does Plastic Wrap Cling To Itself? What makes kitchen plastic wrap cling so maddeningly to itself, and so conveniently to the sides of bowls and plates? Plastic wrap clings for two reasons: its elastic and its sticky. That probably seems pretty o...
Why Are Nights More Calm Compared To The Day? More often than not, the wind dies down at night after a blustery day. Where does the wind go? Why are nights generally more calm than days? The difference between calm nights and windy days is the sun. D...
What Are Reflexes? If youve ever blinked at a sudden light, jerked your hand away from something hot, or jumped at a loud noise, then you know that these are not actions we consciously plan. Rather, they happen involuntarily. Such sudden, unconscious...
Cooking Under Pressure When you boil potatoes on the stove top, it can take half an hour to cook them til tender. But, when you boil them in a pressure cooker, instead presto, theyre ready in about five minutes. Whats the difference? What makes press...
What Are Solar Tornadoes? Large, Earth bound tornadoes are pretty impressive weather events. Those dark, giant funnel clouds inspire much awe and fear. But theyre nothing compared to so called solar tornadoes solar gases swirling in monstrous formati...
How Does Your Body Know Which Way Is Up? Your body uses three senses to keep you balancedto tell you whats up and down. One of the senses is your eyes. They tell you how youre oriented with the world around you. Then theres your body sense. Its the s...
Greek Island Shows Signs Of Volcanic Unrest Fira is a typical Greek city overlooking the Aegean Sea. Sitting atop a twelve hundred foot cliff on Santorini Island, its an ideal vacation spot. But this island wasnt always a paradise. Thirty five hundre...
Sex And Violence Did you ever stopped to wonder why sex and violence so often go hand in hand? How come nobody complains about violence and gardening, say, or sex and bowling? There may be a biological basis for this, as we can see when we look at ot...