The Science of Landing on Your Feet
Researchers found that when we fall from different heights, our bodies move differently to absorb the impact.
In the name of science, researchers yanked footstools from underneath
volunteers and observed how the victims stumbled and landed on their
feet. They found that when we fall from different heights, our bodies
tend to respond differently to absorb the impact.
READ FULL ARTICLE.
|
|
Hacking Our Eyes for Better VR Headsets
|
|
Smart Stent Monitors Artery Blood Flow
A
stent implanted in an artery has a sensor to track blood flow and sends
data on the patient's condition wirelessly to doctors.
Cardiovascular
disease is the leading cause of death among men and women. Placing a
stent in clogged arteries helps to improve blood flow and reduce the
risk of heart attack. But there is also a risk associated with stents:
plaque can build up, causing arteries to narrow again.
WATCH VIDEO.
|
|
The Extreme Challenges of Ultramarathons
Pain, gastrointestinal distress, blisters, chafing, mental fatigue and dehydration. Extreme challenges to a tough sport.
Ultramarathons force athletes to challenge their bodies and minds for
at least several hours. 50 miles, 100 miles, even longer. These races
offer extreme challenges, from pain in muscles and joints, to
gastrointestinal distress, to blisters, chafing, mental fatigue and
dehydration. What do competitors do to combat all the challenges faced
by the ultimate race?
WATCH VIDEO.
|
|
Highway Pileups for Black Holes
Astrophysicists
devised a new theory that may explain the formation of black holes with
masses exceeding 50 times that of our own sun.
Small
black holes may be crashing into each other while orbiting the
supermassive black hole at their galaxy's center, according to a new
theory proposed by astrophysicists
.
READ FULL ARTICLE.
|
|
The Subtle Biases That Influence Home-Court Advantage
New research finds that shot type, referees and scorekeepers matter -- and that taking more 3-point shots shrinks it.
The
NBA season tips off this week, and home-court advantage could play a
big role in determining who advances in the playoffs and eventually
claims the championship. But how much of an edge does the home team
actually get?
READ FULL ARTICLE.
|
|
Voyager 2 Spacecraft Crosses Into the Interstellar Void
Data
from the second probe to reach interstellar space helps scientists form
a more complete picture of the boundary between the sun and the stars.
The
Voyager 2 probe has now joined its twin in reaching interstellar space,
and has granted scientists the first direct look at the giant bubble
that was formed by the sun’s winds colliding with wind from other stars.
READ FULL ARTICLE.
Image credits
:
NASA JPL
|
|
Lab-Grown Mini-brains Show How Humans Differ From Monkeys and Chimpanzees
Tiny brainlike cell cultures called organoids offer clues about human evolution.
From
our earliest days in the womb, our brains develop rapidly, taking
thousands of developmental steps that send us along the "human" path
rather than that of, say, a chimpanzee. Now, researchers are gaining an
unprecedented look at those hidden developmental stages, thanks to
lab-grown objects called "brain organoids" that resemble miniature
brains the size of apple seeds.
READ FULL ARTICLE.
Image credits
:
Sabina Kanton
Rights information:
This image may only be reproduced with this Inside Science article.
|
|
The Search For A Better Airplane Fuel
As the air travel industry grows, we need to find alternative jet fuels that have less of an impact on the planet.
Airplanes
use a lot of fuel, and burning all that fuel releases carbon dioxide,
which contributes to global warming. To reduce flying's impact on the
planet, scientists are taking a closer look at the complex fuels that
power planes. The ultimate goal is to design fuels that will take planes
further with fewer harmful emissions.
WATCH VIDEO.
|
|
Archaeologists Find Evidence of the Iron Age Siege of Jerusalem
Recently uncovered archaeological evidence matches the Bible's account of Babylonian invasion 2,600 years ago.
In the 6th century B.C., the Babylonian king
Nebuchadnezzar II
,
fearful that the Egyptians would cut off the Babylonian trade routes to
the eastern Mediterranean region known as the Levant, invaded and laid
siege to Jerusalem to block them. His army destroyed the temple the
Hebrew king Solomon built there, and forced the city’s elite to exile in
Babylonia.
READ FULL ARTICLE.
Image credits
:
Dennis Jarvis via
flickr
.
|
|
Scientists Can Now Predict Which Invasive Insects Will Wipe Out Forests
Surprisingly, it’s the trees, not the bugs, that matter.
Plagues
of forest-destroying insects seem to arrive on our shores almost as
regularly as ocean waves. Their names -- hemlock woolly adelgid, emerald
ash borer, Asian longhorned beetle, spotted lanternfly -- only hint at
the damage they trigger. The dead trees they leave behind cost billions
to remove and add more than 5 million metric tons of carbon annually to
the atmosphere, an amount roughly equal to the annual output of 4.4
million cars.
READ FULL ARTICLE.
|
|
OUR MISSION
Striving to MAKE A DIFFERENCE in the lives of our students.
One
of the SVC’s long-term goals has always been to support charitable,
educational, and scientific activities. As its first initiative, the
Foundation created a scholarship program aimed at supporting
enterprising students and practitioners who have an interest in
furthering their education in the field of vacuum coating
technology.
The
Foundation also grants travel awards to students to attend and present
technical papers at the annual SVC Technical Symposium. Since its
inception, both programs have awarded over $250,000 in scholarships to
students from the United States, Canada, China, Lithuania and Spain.
|
|
Society of Vacuum Coaters | PO Box 10628, Albuquerque, NM 87184
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
