Tag Archives: Strange Science

Strange Science: Connections between Music and Science

There are many connections between music and science, and the Kennedy Center’s ArtsEdge website has loads of articles on these connections, including things like sound waves and acoustics, why the holes on violins are shaped the way they are, and … Continue reading

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Strange Science: A Reinterpretation of Saber-Tooth Cats

Paleontologists working with fossilized saber-tooth cat remains found preserved in the La Brea tar pits in California have determined that some of what we previously believed about these prehistoric big cats may be incorrect. Many illustrations of saber-tooth cats show … Continue reading

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Strange Science: Waterfall Formation

By simulating a river in a lab, scientists have learned that sometimes waterfalls can be created spontaneously. Previously, geologists believed that outside factors were required for the formation of a waterfall. Events like an earthquake might cause a shift in … Continue reading

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Strange Science: Butterflies That Thrive at Military Installations

Scientists have found that once-endangered butterfly species are thriving at military installations, and the explanation behind it is truly unexpected. Historically, these butterflies were present in areas where roaming animals and intentional fires kept the plant life managed in such … Continue reading

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Strange Science: Love and Turning Stomachs Inside Out?

You’ve probably heard of oxytocin, commonly called the “love hormone” in humans. But did you know that in starfish, oxytocin causes them to turn their stomachs inside out and feed? Scientists find this fact to be a little unusual, because … Continue reading

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Strange Science: Aqua Regia

Our story this week uses aqua regia to transport gold unnoticed. But that’s not a fictional element of the story! Aqua regia is more commonly used to remove impurities from gold, but it’s entirely possible for gold to be dissolved … Continue reading

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Strange Science: Light in Slow Motion

Scientists have developed a camera that can capture moving light in slow motion, by taking 10 trillion frames per second! The setup is actually a pair of cameras–one “streak” camera and one stationary camera–and it doesn’t actually capture all 10 … Continue reading

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Strange Science: Inventions for 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea

When filmmakers decided to make a movie of the classic Jules Verne novel 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea in 1916, they faced a few challenges in rendering the scenes from the book into film. But with the help of three … Continue reading

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Strange Science: Prehistoric Island Construction

Archaeologists studying crannogs, constructed islands in the Scottish lochs, have found evidence that suggests that these islands are far older than originally believed. Originally, the crannogs had been dated to approximately 800 B.C. Newer investigations point to an origin of … Continue reading

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Strange Science: Scientific Explanations for Horror Creatures

Vampires, zombies, and werewolves have all appeared in a variety of cultures and legends, as well as an inordinate number of horror stories, novels, TV shows, and films. But there are potential scientific explanations for these creatures of the horror … Continue reading

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