Science

The gallon challenge is the nightmare of even the most experienced food challengers. I however have a method that led to my victory, even though I only weigh 144 pounds. The rules dictate the the...

They can gently manipulate a china cup on the bottom of the ocean, 2 1/2 miles beneath the surface, or inspect the bottom of a boat's hull at the nearest marina.You see them "swimming" around...

One of the basic skills of a biology lab is streaking a petri dish with a microbial sample. The ability to do this well, with an understanding of the method and goals, will allow better and...

New breakthroughs in science, such as the completion of the human genome project, define milestones in biology. The project was accomplished in February 2001 and provided new knowledge, such as a...

Holograms are made by recording the light from a laser onto a holographic film. The result is an image that will change as the viewer's orientation changes, making the image appear to be...

When working with electronics it is easy to make mistakes, and to top things off, it can often be difficult to spot these mistakes until the project can be tested. Luckily a mistake doesn't mean...

Direct sunlight is important in the natural world and elsewhere because it provides the energy which fuels the growth of plants that are necessary for the survival of all life forms on the planet.

Physics seeks to study and explain atomic and subatomic particles that cannot be seen with the naked eye or even with an ordinary microscope. A number of tools can be employed to help with this...

Crystals grown from a chemical dissolved in solvent or from a melt possess a definite geometry. Crystal geometry is categorized into standard types, including rhombic, monoclinic, triclinic, etc....

The invention of the CPAP machine allows doctors to effectively treat patients with sleep apnea. CPAP stands for continuous positive airway pressure. CPAP machines are available by prescription....

Soil probes are used in a variety of industries to collect samples of dirt. The probe is a long, hollow structure that gathers a cylindrical segment piece that allows researchers to analyze the...

A science experiment using a ramp can illustrate principles involving kinetic energy, gravity, force and friction. Use objects around the house or classroom to construct a simple ramp, building a...

Although Einstein is known for his theories of relativity, he is also responsible for making a great contribution to the understanding of quantum mechanics via his study of light relating to the...

Black lights can be seen at amusement parks, in haunted houses and even bowling alleys. They have been used in a wide variety of ways over the years, from forensic science to poster lighting and...

The theory of lattices is one of the most important theories in algebra. Lattices are made up of partially ordered sets in which any of their elements represent a least upper bound and a greater...

Just about everyone has heard the expression "Two heads are better than one." When it comes to research, this adage comes to life and is improved upon in the form of think tanks.

The moon is our closest celestial companion. Its gravitational forces affect the Earth's tides, with both the full and new moons responsible for the highest tides. The moon's gravitational pull is...

Cyanoacrylate adhesive effectively bonds materials together and has a wide range of uses. Many department stores and home improvement centers carry this relatively inexpensive adhesive.

Ammonia is gas in natural form. With technological advances, scientists have found a way to manipulate the properties, like the physical state, of matter in order to take advantage of its...

Morphogenesis, or the process of change as an organism develops, is regulated by genes and hormones that control developmental changes in cells. In Nicotiana tabacum, or cultivated tobacco, floral...

Electromagnetic therapy as a system of healing has existed for more a century. Though often considered too advanced during the 1900s, the practice has made a comeback among those looking for...

The human spine is made up of approximately 32 vertebrae and houses the spinal cord and provides an overall stability to the human body. These instructions will help you to create an impressive...

Developed by the Swedish company SAGAB, Volt Stick is the brand name for a line of pen-sized instruments used to detect electricity (specifically, the magnetic field generated by the flow of...

While laser pointers are available for just a few dollars almost anywhere, laser guns like those seen on Star Trek can't be purchased at your local drugstore. It is possible to put a laser inside...

The vertebral column, also referred to as the spine or spinal column, is essential to the form and function of the human body. It physically supports the body and protects other parts of the body...

Mercury is the densest liquid at standard conditions for temperature and pressure (STP). Also called quicksilver, mercury has been known for more than 3,500 years. It is an important metal in...

Root hair cells occur in the outermost layer of a plant's roots, generally toward the bottom tips of the root. These hair-like protrusions have very thin walls and jut out into the soil in order...

When you decide to observe natural phenomena in detail, a good starting point is keeping a field book. The most commonly used system for keeping field books is naturalist Joseph Grinnell's....

Although digital two-way radios may be more expensive and harder to learn to operate, they have several technical advantages over analog radios that may make them worth the additional price.

Ice melts faster in water than in soda. This is because soda has sodium (salt) in it, and adding sodium makes ice melt more slowly than it will in plain water. In order for ice to melt, the...

Permanent magnets can weaken with time. If they're subjected to mechanical shock, stored improperly with other magnets, or exposed to extreme heat, the magnetic field will weaken. Some magnets can...

Over the past century the marine environment has experienced significant changes in sea levels, water temperature, salinity, and pH levels. The observed decrease in pH levels is impacting...

On the spectrum of electromagnetic radiation, infrared light is between radio waves and visible light. Infrared light is invisible light that consists largely of thermal radiation. One of the main...

Temperature can affect the amount of electricity produced by a wind generator or wind turbine in several ways. Depending on the temperature, efficiency of the turbine can either be decreased on...

Stem cell research is a relatively young technology that involves the use of primitive cells for therapeutic purposes. Stem cell research is generally divided into two categories: adult stem cell...

Frequency is used to describe oscillatory motion. It describes the time it takes for a motion to repeat itself. It is measured in hertz, which is one oscillation per second. The frequency of the...

Frequency describes the time it takes for the motion of an object to repeat itself. Its units are in hertz, which is defined as one oscillation per second. A radian is a unit used to indicate the...

The vertebral column is another name for the backbone. It performs many vital functions in the body and has a large impact on our lives. A healthy spinal column is vital to an active and enjoyable...

Holographic images can be a lot of fun to make and even more fun to look at. Using readily available holography kits that contain lasers, holographic plates and processing chemicals, you can make...

Frequency is a way to describe oscillatory motion, such as that by a particle or wave. It describes the time it takes for a motion to repeat itself. It is measured in hertz, which is one...

The binocular dissecting microscope, also known as a stereo microscope, is commonly used in classrooms to view dissected specimens (as its name implies). Specimens considered too large to view...

DNA profiling is a component of forensic science that identifies individuals based on their DNA profile. First applied by Sir Alec Jeffreys in 1984, DNA fingerprinting has become a important...

Wind generators can have two or three blades and can produce from 100 kilowatts up to several megawatts of power. They can be single units or placed in large groups to form a power plant to serve...

Atoms unite to form molecules by means of available electrons. Bonds can form by electron transfer or by electron sharing. Many chemical bonds are intermediate between those two. Elements combine...

Most inductors are wire coiled around a cardboard core. Knowing the coil diameter, wire diameter and number wire coils (turns), inductance can be calculated. Knowing this value (in Henrys) allows...

Silicone is a water-resistant and chemically durable material used in a wide variety of applications. The basis of silicone's utility lies in its chemical structure and the way it is created.

You can use light emitting diodes (LED) in many applications to provide status lights and illumination. LEDs are true diodes, meaning that they will only conduct electricity in one direction. LEDs...

Meteorologists employ a diverse assortment of instruments to observe weather conditions. These instruments allow a meteorologist to forecast the weather by relaying information to them about many...

A Zener diode is a diode designed to operate in the breakdown region. Normal diodes will become destroyed, but a Zener will conduct. It may be used for voltage regulation. To check one, use a...

Agarose gels and acrylamide gels are used in biotechnology laboratories for a process called electrophoresis, which is used to separate molecules of different sizes. Electrophoresis is used for...