Physical Science

It's the ultimate cheat sheet for science class - and it's right there hanging on the wall. What do you really know about the indispensable periodic table of elements?

By Nathan Chandler

The scutoid is kind of like the Higgs boson. Researchers theorized the new shape existed. And then they went looking for it.

It's true: In 6 easy steps, you too can draw an impossible shape.

Juice and soda mix well with alcohol, but a few things don't mix so well. Some may just produce embarrassing moments. Others could cost you your life.

By Beth Brindle

Most people probably haven't heard of the inventor T. Galen Hieronymus, but according to his advocates his machines are able capable of everything from remote analysis to remote healing -- so what is eloptic energy? Tune in to learn more.

All colors that you see fall into the visible light spectrum. Learn about the colors in the visible light spectrum in this article.

By Sascha Bos

Tour the inside of a nuclear power plant with these illustrative diagrams to learn more about how nuclear power plants work.

By Allison Loudermilk

When a corpse is found, the presence of insects gets a lot of attention during the investigation. But which bugs show up for the flesh feast? And how much can these bugs reveal about death?

By John Fuller

The magnets found in an MRI machine are incredibly powerful. It can pull a stethoscope right out of a doctor's lab coat. So what would happen if you forgot to take out an earring? Ouch!

By Katherine Neer

The nuclear arms race was a frantic era in which several nations tested nuclear technology and stockpiled warheads. Read about the nuclear arms race.

By John Fuller

Dropping atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki ended World War II. How did the most powerful weapon in the world get developed? It started with the Manhattan Project.

By John Fuller

Why do newspapers turn yellow over time?

Imagine wearing a T-shirt with lettering on it while brushing your teeth. Why are the letters on the T-shirt reversed in the mirror, while your head appears right side up?

I have heard that carbon monoxide is extremely poisonous. Can you explain why?

Scenario: A helium balloon is up against the ceiling one day, and the next day it's on the floor. Does the balloon fall because the helium leaks out, or because the helium molecules slow down due to decreased pressure?

By Austin Henderson

Lasers are used in dental drills, eye surgery and even tattoo removal. But what exactly is a laser? There are numerous types, but all lasers work basically the same way. Learn how they generate such concentrated beams of light.

By Matthew Weschler

NASA's Mars rovers are sending 3-D images to Earth, so we can see depth and texture on the Martian surface. And how do we see this depth and texture? 3-D glasses, of course! Check out how they work.

By Marshall Brain

Most of us have heard the talk about oysters and chocolate, and maybe you've read an article about the stimulating effects of ginseng. But garlic, licorice and cucumber? Learn about the history of aphrodisiacs and whether they've been proven to be effective.

By Lee Ann Obringer

An invisibility cloak seems perfectly believable in the magical world of Harry Potter, but in the real world, it's impossible, right? Not so fast.

By William Harris & Robert Lamb

Fusion reactors will use abundant sources of fuel, will not leak radiation above normal background levels, and will produce less radioactive waste than current fission reactors. Learn about this promising power source.

By Patrick J. Kiger & Craig C. Freudenrich

Learn what really goes on when a CSI "processes a crime scene" and get a real-world view of crime scene investigation from a primary scene responder with the Colorado Bureau of Investigation.

By Julia Layton

Atom smashers tell us about the fundamental structure of matter, the forces holding it together and the origins of the universe. Discover how scientists use particle accelerators to break atoms apart to learn about the nature of reality.

By Craig Freudenrich, Ph.D.

I was watching an old movie today, and two kids (neighbors) were talking to each other using two tin cans and a string. Does that really work? If so, why does it work?

Some of the brightest minds in history have focused their intellects on the subject of light. Einstein even tried to imagine riding on a beam of light. We won't get that crazy, but we will shine a light on everything scientists have found so far.

By William Harris & Craig Freudenrich, Ph.D.

What makes sound a weapon? Review the basics of sound and discover exactly how the LRAD produces its "beam of sound." We'll also explore LRAD's hailing and warning abilities and other uses for sound.

By Tracy V. Wilson