Today in Science Blog Posts
Coastal Erosion Uncovers Buried Tracks from Throughout History
In 2018, a series of winter storms caused severe erosion along a U.S. coastline, uncovering footprints and horse-and-buggy tracks from centuries earlier.
Happy Birthday, Pierre-Simon Laplace
Pierre-Simon Laplace contributed to celestial mechanics and helped develop an equation for pressure across a curved surface. He also had his demons. The Laplace demon thought experiment, that is.
Happy Birthday, Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein, Nobel prize winner and “Person of the Century”, is known for developing the special and general theories of relativity and the law of the photoelectric effect.
Happy Birthday, Joseph von Fraunhofer
Joseph von Fraunhofer is known for developing the spectroscope and discovering a set of spectral lines that are now known as Fraunhofer lines.
Happy Birthday, Frances Spence
Frances Spence worked on the first digital computer, Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer (ENIAC), during WWII. Learn more about her dedication to computer programming and STEM.
Happy Birthday, Alessandro Volta
Alessandro Volta started out by studying how static electricity generates a physical response in frog legs. The unit of electric potential and electromotive force, the “volt”, is his namesake.
Happy Birthday, Robert Maillart
Balancing structural engineering and artistic capabilities, civil engineer Robert Maillart designed some of the world’s most impressive bridges, including the Salginatobel and Schwandbach.
Studying the Safety of Tattoos with Mass Spectrometry and X-Rays
When you get a tattoo, what happens to the ink once it enters your skin? In an attempt to answer these questions, researchers turned to mass spectrometry and X-ray fluorescence.
Happy Birthday, Ernst Ruska
Ernst Ruska is an optical engineer from Germany who is known for developing the first electron microscope, earning him a Nobel Prize in Physics in 1986.
Happy Birthday, Christian Doppler
The Doppler effect is observed both on Earth (such as the change in pitch when a siren passes you) and in space (such as the red shift of a planet). Learn about this phenomenon’s namesake.
Happy Birthday, Johannes Diderik van der Waals
Johannes Diderik van der Waals made many groundbreaking contributions to our understanding of liquids and gases, but his greatest passion was for education.
Happy Birthday, Margaret Hutchinson Rousseau
Margaret Hutchinson Rousseau, the first woman to join the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE), is known for designing the first commercial penicillin plant during WWII.
Designing an Ultrasensitive Imaging System Based on Mantis Shrimp
Mantis shrimp have one of the most advanced visual systems. Researchers used these organisms as inspiration for a medical imaging method that could help improve cancer detection.
When Stars Align (and Collide): A Historic Gravitational Wave Discovery
Imagine going from only reading textbooks with no pictures to seeing a 3D movie. Thanks to a 2017 discovery, astrophysicists experienced a comparable improvement in how they see the universe.
Happy Birthday, George Westinghouse
If you’ve ever ridden on a train or used electricity, than you have American inventor George Westinghouse to thank. Learn about how he changed the way we think about and use alternating current.
Happy Birthday, Sir Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya
Sir Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya was a civil engineer who used his talents to make many significant contributions to India’s infrastructure. His birthday is celebrated as Engineer’s Day in India.
Happy Birthday, Osborne Reynolds
Osborne Reynolds was an Irish physicist whose work focused on mathematics, thermodynamics, and — most notably — fluid mechanics.
Celebrating the Life of Robert Hooke
Robert Hooke was a Renaissance-era scientist who developed a law of elasticity (now called Hooke’s law) and published a well-known textbook on microscopy.
Happy Birthday, Wilhelm Röntgen
Wilhelm Röntgen, a German physicist, is best known for discovering X-rays. Fun fact: The first X-ray ever taken is of the hand of his wife, Anna Bertha.
Happy Birthday, Galileo Galilei
Galileo Galilei was a renowned astronomer who changed the way we think about mathematics, physics, and astronomy.
Investigating Whale Behavior with an Innovative Tagging Device
Using a durable tracking device, marine biologists and oceanographic researchers can enhance their understanding of whale behavior and investigate ocean conditions.
Happy Birthday, Albert A. Michelson
Did you know that Albert A. Michelson, inventor of the Michelson interferometer, was the first person to accurately measure the diameter of a distant star near the Sun?
Why Is Ice Slippery Enough for Skiing and Skating?
The original theory for why ice is slippery involves the concept of pressure melting. However, the true answer involves more research, debate, and thought.
Happy Birthday, Marie Curie
Did you know that Marie Curie coined the word “radioactive”? We discuss the life, work, and accolades of this Nobel Prize-winning scientist.