Mon, Nov 11, 2019
Mirrors seem simple enough. What we see in them is turned around backwards but other than that, simple. except mirrors aren't flat sheets or glass. They're sheet of molecules. And light isn't a slender beam but a wave. That means we have to consider quantum theory. And quantum theory says mirrors behave in a bunch of strange ways if you look in the right way.
Sun, Feb 23, 2020
Scientists and Engineers trying to fuse protons into Helium on Earth have found they need temperatures far beyond the temperature in the sun's core. Yet the sun has no trouble doing it. Its secret is an extremely low probability event called quantum tunneling. Forturately the sun has so many protons the tunneling occurs constantly.
Sat, May 30, 2020
We're used to thinking about orbits as neat little circles. Or if we're a little more ambitious, ellipses or parabolas. And as long as we're talking about two distant objects that works pretty well. But, of, course, there are many more objects in space that tug on each other which can lead to some complex orbits. Here are some examples.
Fri, Jun 12, 2020
About a hundred years ago scientists gave up the idea that gravity is a force. Now it is thought of as the curvature of space time. And here in the Science Asylum it caused specifically by the curvature of time. That is because a large mass causes time dilation that causes the near and far parts of an object to move at different rates which tilts its motion toward that mass.
Fri, Jan 15, 2021
A billion or three years from now the core of the sun, then comprised of helium, will shrink as it no longer has hydrogen to burn. As it collapses the surrounding hydrogen collapse with it reigniting nuclear fusion and causing the sun to expand in to a red giant. As more helium builds up the core will become hot enough to start helium fusion. But once again the core will run out of helium causing the core to collapse again. Outer layers will again fall inward reigniting nuclear fusion causing the sun to expand into an even larger red giant.
Sun, Jun 27, 2021
What is weight? Don't worry this is high school physics so you can handle it. Professor Lucid addresses all your questions complete with demonstrations (and a devil's advocate). Along the way you may learn what an orbit really is and see astronauts at play on the International Space Station.