Black Hole Devours Cosmic Cloud - The Countdown #27
The Countdown is a biweekly video show highlighting the top space news stories. In this special episode: The Other Blue Planet, Neptune's New Moon, Sizing Up Neutron Stars, Meteorite Reveals History of Mars' Crust and Black Hole Devours Cosmic Cloud
Why Does Cooked Food Taste Good?
A chemical reaction discovered by French chemist Louis Camille Maillard (1878-1936) is responsible for the delicious flavors present in everything from baked bread to steak.Scientific American's Michael Moyer gives us a bite-size explanation.
Why Toothpaste Makes Orange Juice Taste Bad
We learn early not to drink juice after brushing our teeth. But it isn't just the mix of citrus and mint. The chemicals in toothpaste make your tongue more sensitive to bitter flavors ordinarily not detected in the juice.
A Map of the Local Universe - The Countdown #25
The Countdown is a biweekly show highlighting the top space stories. In this episode: Mars' Gigapixel Close Up Carving Out a Ride in Martian Soil, IRIS Focuses In on Sun's Chromosphere, Black Hole Sends Cool Breeze and A Map of the Local Universe.
The First Woman in Space: Valentina Tereshkova
On June 16, 1963, cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova launched into orbit as the pilot of Vostok 6.
What Is a Field?
Contributing editor George Musser explains how physicists think about the universe using the fundamental concept of "the field".
Hypervelocity Stars - The Countdown #24
The Countdown is a biweekly show highlighting the top space stories. In this episode: Lumpy Lunar Gravity, Curiosity's Next Journey, Tracking Space Warps, Smallest Galaxy Ever Found, and Hypervelocity Stars
Why Is Angry Birds So Addictive?
Angry Birds, one of the most popular mobile games, is pretty simple: you use a slingshot to fling outraged birds at the fortresses of greedy green pigs. So why do we play for hours on end? SA's Ferris Jabr takes a look from the inside out.
When Galaxies Collide - The Countdown #23
The Countdown is a biweekly video show highlighting the best stuff in space news. In this episode: Printing Pizza for Astronauts, Magnetar Glitch, Opportunity Breaks a Record, Kepler's Flywheel Woes and a Galactic Collision.
Cicadas - Making Sense of the 17-Year Emergence
In this video, we break down the complex science of periodical cicadas, one of nature's most intriguing creatures. Top image: tlindenbaum/Flickr.
Why Stress Is Good for You
Stress. It makes us sweat, gives us headaches and is blamed for all sorts of medical maladies. But did you know that stress, in small measure, can actually help us succeed? Scientific American MIND editor Ingrid Wickelgren explains.
Why Barns Are Red - The Countdown #22
The Countdown is a biweekly video show highlighting the best stuff in space news. In this episode: Why Barns Are Red, Light Pollution Gets Crowded, An X-Classy 'Af-flare', The Moon and Earth's Common Water Source and An Ancient Underground Oasis