Doing Loops in a Tomorrowland Jet Pack Might Kill You

In the movie Tomorrowland, people have jetpacks (or rocket packs). Here is an analysis of the acceleration of a rocket pack. The post Doing Loops in a Tomorrowland Jet Pack Might Kill You appeared first on WIRED.

Continue reading

Science

The Physics of Dropping Out of a Plane in an Inflatable Ball

The MythBusters wanted to test if you could survive a fall in an inflatable ball. But how high would you have to drop it to reach terminal velocity? The post The Physics of Dropping Out of a Plane in an Inflatable Ball appeared first on WIRED.

Continue reading

Science

LIGO Ain’t a Gravitational Wave Detector—It’s an Observatory

In order to use LIGO for astronomy, you need to know the location of the source of the gravitational waves. Here's how that works. The post LIGO Ain't a Gravitational Wave Detector—It's an Observatory appeared first on WIRED.

Continue reading

Science

The Volcanoes of Nicaragua Sure Have Been Cranky This Year

Five volcanoes in Nicaragua has been restless so far in busy 2016 for the Central American nation. The post The Volcanoes of Nicaragua Sure Have Been Cranky This Year appeared first on WIRED.

Continue reading

Science

Science Fairs Have Lost Their Way. Let’s Make Them Cool Again

If you have ever judged a science fair, you can easily see that there are some problems. How can we fix this? Here are some ideas. The post Science Fairs Have Lost Their Way. Let's Make Them Cool Again appeared first on WIRED.

Continue reading

Science

Calculating Calories by Burning Gummy Bears to Death

In a recent episode of the MythBusters, the team launched a rocket with Gummy Bear fuel and one with poop as a fuel. How do you know how much energy is stored?

The post Calculating Calories by Burning Gummy Bears to Death appeared first on WIRED.

Continue reading

Science