Why Are Barns Red?
By Bora Zivkovic
This article was published in Scientific American’s former blog network and reflects the views of the author, not necessarily those of Scientific American
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Image of the Week #92, May 21th, 2013:From:Why Barns Are Red, and More - The Countdown, Episode 22 by Eric R. Olson, Sophie Bushwick and Oliver S. Wharton at The Countdown. Source: Rob Shenk/Flickr Why are barns red? If you're looking for a quick, earthly explanation, the low cost of red paint certainly fits the bill. But Eric Olson at The Countdown has a surprisingly different and much deeper explanation, one that connects us to the furthest reaches of the cosmos and the death of a star. It's a reminder that even the most pedestrian of human activities can be linked to larger processes in the universe; uncovering these deep connections is just a matter of asking the right questions.
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