Philae lander makes historic touchdown on comet
Source: The Guardian
Watch a video of, and read about, the historic landing of the first ever robotic spacecraft on a comet.
Science & Nature
Magnified photos expose the secret beauty of sand grains
Source: Mashable
Dr. Gary Greenberg uses high-quality microscopes to magnify and photograph grains of sand from beaches all over the world. Read this brief article to learn more. Make sure to click the link to view his spectacular images.
How Animal Camouflage Works
Source: How Stuff Works
If an animal isn’t as fast or strong as its predators, then it has to be smarter to avoid being eaten. Find out about one adaptation that helps some animals outsmart the enemy.
Are We Genetically Inclined To Be Materialistic?
Source: NPR
Culture can help people to learn to share freely. Listen to this report comparing people in modern economies like those of the United States to hunter-gatherers.
Running the risk: why experience matters when making decisions
Source: The Conversation
Psychologist Ben Newell explains how previous experience affects risky decisions.
How Nature Resets Our Minds and Bodies
Source: The Atlantic
Something as simple as a window with a view of trees can help improve the recovery of hospital patients. This article explores how exposure to nature can help people suffering problems from ADD to cancer.
Grit: The power of passion and perseverance
Source: TED
It is difficult to predict who will succeed at long-term tasks. In this talk, Angela Duckworth argues that a person’s persistence, or “grit,” is what will help them overcome challenges.
Social Insects Inspire Design of Autonomous Robots
Source: ASME
Robotics may seem to owe little to nature and everything to technology. But engineers have used the actions of social insects to guide the movements of robots that are not directly controlled by humans. Read this article to discover what robots can learn from ants.
Eureka!
Source: Smithsonian
“One sometimes finds what one is not looking for,” said Alexander Fleming, whose chance observation of a contaminated experiment led to the the world’s first antibiotic. This Smithsonian article discusses inventions and discoveries that centered on a flash of insight in a mind prepared to see what it wasn’t looking for.
Hurricane Katrina
Source: History
What contributed to the devastating power of Hurricane Katrina? History® provides text, videos, and links on the formation and impact of Hurricane Katrina in 2005.