PLOS Science Wednesday: Hi Reddit, we’re Eric C. Leuthardt, Joshua Shimony, and David Tran. We discovered the blood-brain barrier stays open after laser ablation surgery, creating opportunities for glioblastoma treatment, as described in PLOS ONE – Ask Us Anything!

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• PLOS Science Wednesday: Hi Reddit, we’re Eric C. Leuthardt, Joshua Shimony, and David Tran. We discovered the blood-brain barrier stays open after laser ablation surgery, creating opportunities for glioblastoma treatment, as described in PLOS ONE – Ask Us Anything!
• In the 70s we referred to non-coding DNA as junk DNA and it made up 98% out DNA structure. What do we know about that 98% nowadays? What don't we know?
• How much mass does the sun lose over its lifetime as a main sequence star by emitting light?
• What is it about grapefruit that interacts with some medications?
• Is the speed of sound on air affected by whether the sound wave is propagating with or against the direction of wind?
• Is there a statistical difference between asking voters to vote "yes" or "no" on a proposal?
• How do they polarize glass?
• Why is a cavity with a hole a good approximation of a black body?
• Were dinosaurs already dying out before the meteorite hit? We’re paleontologists who have just published a radical new theory on dinosaur extinction. Ask Us Anything about meteor strikes, fossils, what this means for modern species, and our favourite dinosaurs.
• How can polar regions of Venus measure -157°C when the average temperature of the planet is 462°C?
• Can neutrinos interact with materials or anything for that matter? If they can could they have the potential to generate energy from that interaction?
• When we rotate our head and want to stare forward, are our eyes moving in the opposite direction at the speed of which we are rotating our head, or are they just remaining stationary?
• Would HPLC or NMR be better for plant extracts?
• Do we know what causes auditory phenomena such as the "Windsor Hum"? If we do not, what are the main competing hypotheses?
• During a heart transplant, how do they switch from bypass to the next spliced vessels without major bleeding?
• Can Aldehydes, Carboxylic Acids and Ketones be dehydrated?
• How is autism diagnosed?
• How do we know that the structure and function of a protein is encoded within its amino acid sequence?
• Do other species perceive mirrors in the same way humans do?
• What is the physical significance of the Ricci and Kretschmann scalars?
• How does salt melt ice on roads, but is used to make ice cream freeze quicker?
• Why don't we see Turbulence in Quantum Mechanical Probabilities?
• How do I understand what complex units like kg·m^2·s^−3·A^−1 mean?

PLOS Science Wednesday: Hi Reddit, we’re Eric C. Leuthardt, Joshua Shimony, and David Tran. We discovered the blood-brain barrier stays open after laser ablation surgery, creating opportunities for glioblastoma treatment, as described in PLOS ONE – Ask Us Anything! Posted: 20 Apr 2016 05:17 AM PDT Hi Reddit, My name is Dr. Eric C. Leuthardt and I am professor of neurosurgery at Washington University. My research focuses on brain computer interfaces, advanced brain mapping and the development of new medical technologies. And my name is Joshua Shimony and I am an Associate Prof. of Neuroradiology at Washington University School of Medicine. My research focuses on advanced MRI imaging and its clinical applications. And I am David Tran, the chief of neuro-oncology in the department of neurosurgery at the University of Florida's College of Medicine. My research focuses on understanding the mechanism of cancer progression and on developing novel therapeutic approaches to cancer. We recently published a study titled Hyperthermic Laser Ablation of Recurrent Glioblastoma Leads to Temporary Disruption of the Peritumoral Blood Brain Barrier in PLOS ONE. We found that a laser system commonly used to kill brain tumors has an additional and significant benefit: It creates a temporary opening in the blood-brain barrier — a natural barrier that's normally efficient at blocking out chemicals and bacteria — to allow the passage of chemotherapy and immunotherapy drugs into the brain, for up to six weeks. This discovery could lead to new treatment protocols for glioblastoma, a very aggressive brain cancer that's highly resistant to standard treatment. We will be answering your questions at 1pm ET – Ask Us Anything! submitted by /u/PLOSScienceWednesday [link] [comments]

In the 70s we referred to non-coding DNA as junk DNA and it made up 98% out DNA structure. What do we know about that 98% nowadays? What don't we know? Posted: 19 Apr 2016 01:23 PM PDT This has always peaked my interest. Do we know what purpose this portion of the DNA serves? submitted by /u/1BigUniverse [link] [comments]

How much mass does the sun lose over its lifetime as a main sequence star by emitting light? Posted: 20 Apr 2016 04:02 AM PDT How much heavier was the sun at the beginning of being a main sequence star to the end? It should lose mass, since it emits light and conservation of energy etc. submitted by /u/sederts [link] [comments]

What is it about grapefruit that interacts with some medications? Posted: 20 Apr 2016 01:24 AM PDT submitted by /u/Nerdygirl3000 [link] [comments]

Is the speed of sound on air affected by whether the sound wave is propagating with or against the direction of wind? Posted: 20 Apr 2016 04:25 AM PDT If two observers are equidistant from a sound, while one observer is upwind and the other downwind, will the sound wave reach both observers simultaneously? submitted by /u/Nathan_Explosion__ [link] [comments]

Is there a statistical difference between asking voters to vote "yes" or "no" on a proposal? Posted: 19 Apr 2016 04:14 PM PDT For example "Should same sex marriage be made legal? yes/no" versus "should same sex marriage remain illegal? yes/no." Would the difference in phrasing have a statistically significant influence on the final result? I ask because I imagine voting "yes" might seem to have the more "positive" connotation. submitted by /u/EmmetOT [link] [comments]

How do they polarize glass? Posted: 20 Apr 2016 03:59 AM PDT Evert time i google how polarized glass is made i get some non-technical stuff about how they are good for fishing, reduce glare, remove horizontal light waves. One article mentioned something about iodine crystals but didn't elaborate. I just want to know how they treat the glass to get the polarization effect. submitted by /u/detspek [link] [comments]

Why is a cavity with a hole a good approximation of a black body? Posted: 20 Apr 2016 03:53 AM PDT Don't the walls absorb some energy, and also lose the energy? So it doesn't really absorb all the energy that is irradiated on it, because only the energy that enters the hole in the black body is fully absorbed. And even after that energy enters, it can leave through the sides (walls) of the black body, and not only through the hole. submitted by /u/CarsonZotti [link] [comments]

Were dinosaurs already dying out before the meteorite hit? We’re paleontologists who have just published a radical new theory on dinosaur extinction. Ask Us Anything about meteor strikes, fossils, what this means for modern species, and our favourite dinosaurs. Posted: 20 Apr 2016 06:09 AM PDT Hi, we're /u/DrManabuSakamoto and /u/DrChrisVenditti from the University of Reading in England. Manabu is the lead researcher, and Chris is a co-author, of this paper showing evolutionary decline in dinosaurs long before the meteorite which finished them off. Read the full paper here: http://rdg.ac/1pbZM9j. Some more info on this paper: http://phys.org/news/2016-04-dinosaurs-decline-asteroid-apocalypse.html Ask Us Anything about dinosaur extinction, evolution, paleontology, the rise of the mammals. You can find Dr Manabu on Twitter at @DrMamboBob Proof: https://twitter.com/UniofReading/status/722782652042903552 submitted by /u/uniofreading [link] [comments]

How can polar regions of Venus measure -157°C when the average temperature of the planet is 462°C? Posted: 19 Apr 2016 09:18 PM PDT submitted by /u/danpetrovic [link] [comments]

Can neutrinos interact with materials or anything for that matter? If they can could they have the potential to generate energy from that interaction? Posted: 19 Apr 2016 10:19 PM PDT I've heard that neutrinos are all over the place zooming straight outta the sun and other far reaches of the universe, zipping through our bodies like no tomorrow, seems kinda wasteful don't ya think? Kinda like how a solar panel works, with a photon going in and science stuff happens and electricity comes out, could a neutrino "panel" be possible? Maybe not to generate electricity but some other form of energy? Would this energy be sufficient to power our machinery if it could? submitted by /u/Nuthing141 [link] [comments]

When we rotate our head and want to stare forward, are our eyes moving in the opposite direction at the speed of which we are rotating our head, or are they just remaining stationary? Posted: 19 Apr 2016 12:43 PM PDT and how does this work :) submitted by /u/Sacred_Om [link] [comments]

Would HPLC or NMR be better for plant extracts? Posted: 19 Apr 2016 04:21 PM PDT I have little experience in either, but likely can receive help from around school. I have previously done LC-MS and would prefer to never do that again if possible. So far I don't see much difference in limitations with HPLC vs NMR as both will need us to buy standards for any compounds we're interested in, we'll need to lyophilize the plant tissue before extraction, ect. In your experience, is one easier/better/more reproducible/cheaper than the other? submitted by /u/gritzy328 [link] [comments]

Do we know what causes auditory phenomena such as the "Windsor Hum"? If we do not, what are the main competing hypotheses? Posted: 19 Apr 2016 11:24 AM PDT Question prompted by recent reports of the Windsor Hum reaching unprecedented levels: http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/its-past-unbelievable-residents-aggravated-by-windsor-hum-say-its-reached-its-highest-volume-in-years I'm aware that several other localities claim similar phenomena (Taos, Auckland, and others) - perhaps they are all the same phenomenon, perhaps not. Any comment and discussion on the topic is welcome. submitted by /u/Gargatua13013 [link] [comments]

During a heart transplant, how do they switch from bypass to the next spliced vessels without major bleeding? Posted: 19 Apr 2016 11:35 AM PDT It seems like you can't finish suturing the anastomosis without trapping the bypass line, but if you have the bypass line inserted in a separate incision upstream of that leaves a huge hole for blood to come spurting out. submitted by /u/latitude_platitude [link] [comments]

Can Aldehydes, Carboxylic Acids and Ketones be dehydrated? Posted: 19 Apr 2016 12:07 PM PDT Can Aldehyde's, Carboxylic Acids and Ketone's be dehydrated and if so though which method, would it be like an alcohol with concentrated sulphuric acid or vaporised over Al2O3? and can secondary a tertiary alcohols be dehydrated? submitted by /u/lewlew241 [link] [comments]

How is autism diagnosed? Posted: 19 Apr 2016 02:09 PM PDT I know the the psychological effects but want to know the neurological effects. submitted by /u/Mt_Reddit [link] [comments]

How do we know that the structure and function of a protein is encoded within its amino acid sequence? Posted: 19 Apr 2016 09:00 AM PDT submitted by /u/TheOnlySquare [link] [comments]

Do other species perceive mirrors in the same way humans do? Posted: 19 Apr 2016 09:10 AM PDT Today in my physics lecture the professor said that optical devices such as mirrors only work because of the psychology of the brain, but didn't really elaborate much further. So, I wondered if other animals see mirrors in the same way as humans, or if it is a totally different experience. submitted by /u/colonalcolon [link] [comments]

What is the physical significance of the Ricci and Kretschmann scalars? Posted: 19 Apr 2016 12:36 PM PDT For a Schwarzschild black hole the Ricci curvature scalar is 0 while the Kretschmann Curvature scalar is 48 G2 M2 c-4 r-6. What do these values actually mean for the spacetime surrounding a blackhole? submitted by /u/eriad [link] [comments]

How does salt melt ice on roads, but is used to make ice cream freeze quicker? Posted: 19 Apr 2016 04:43 PM PDT submitted by /u/ugman77 [link] [comments]

Why don't we see Turbulence in Quantum Mechanical Probabilities? Posted: 19 Apr 2016 03:37 PM PDT So i'm a bit confused about the properties of wave mechanics, and trying to understand certain phenomena, which may be talked about, but I've never seen anyone talk about it. Here is the example. We have a bowl of water, a stick and a ball. We start with the ball, in which we drop it into the water. The ball creates a sinusoidal wave along the surface. Waves and Chaos 1.png (http://imgur.com/bvyX5gE) We take the stick now, and run it through the bowl in a straight line from one end to the other. instead of a sinusoidal wave we get...well fairly complicated movement, but of note we get two, cyclonic and anticyclonic turbulence patterns. Waves and Chaos 2.png (http://imgur.com/Xq8Wpzp) Now here is where i take the leap of my understanding and jump off the cliff. We don't really see cyclonic behavior in quantum mechanics, we only see what i like to call "the surface" in which the probabilities are distributed in the manner of the first example, where we see an interference pattern. The question now is why do we not see turbulence patterns in quantum mechanics? I can't put my finger on it, but both examples seem to have the same dimensionality, in which both patterns could be seen from any direction, with the exception that Fig2 dominates the surface, while fig 4 dominates the bulk. I didn't want to dive into speculation, but i feel like the metaphor here, is that one can think of a particle as dropping it into a bowl of probability. in this bowl, it has a certain wave function that determines it's locale and momenta. What we can only see is the result on the photographic plate, which is just the surface of that water. But "under the hood" is a sea of probabilities we can't see, one where the behavior is chaotic just like the cyclonic behavior. The follow up question here is, am i describing the complex field? submitted by /u/JusticeRetroHunter [link] [comments]

How do I understand what complex units like kg·m^2·s^−3·A^−1 mean? Posted: 19 Apr 2016 02:51 PM PDT Is there a logical way to approach understanding what units like this mean? For example, I intuitively understand that m·s-1 is the distance travelled per second. So I suppose my question is actually in two parts - How do I think about multipled units like N·m in a way similar to the velocity example? How do you approach working through what complex units like kg·m2 ·s−3· A−1 actually represent? I know it's the expanded form of Volts and also what all the constituent bits mean, but can't intuitively grasp what it tells me overall. submitted by /u/tequila_is_good [link] [comments]

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American Chemical Society AMA: I'm Patti Galvan, I help K-8 teachers bring more chemistry to their students. Ask me anything about being a great chemist/scientist guest speaker in an elementary or middle school classroom.

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• American Chemical Society AMA: I'm Patti Galvan, I help K-8 teachers bring more chemistry to their students. Ask me anything about being a great chemist/scientist guest speaker in an elementary or middle school classroom.
• Why aren't decimals countable? Couldn't you count them by listing the one-digit decimals, then the two-digit decimals, etc etc
• Can Blackholes absorb matter larger than itself?
• Why can't LASIK give me super vision?
• Are there any solar systems / stars outside galaxies? If so, does it have any impact on the planets/stars?
• Why are rocket engines not able to throttle down all the way?
• Do biochemical processes have binary on/off switches?
• Why do different electric guitars sound different when the sound comes from the same process?
• Why does sodium dissolved in water (through table salt for example) not react like pure sodium does when it touches water?
• Does the density of a charged object affect the amount of force it feels in an electric field?
• Can you make a waterproof Shear-Thickening Fluid?
• Is there a scientifically viable explanation of quantum mechanics that suggests the universe is deterministic?
• How do blacklights work?
• Besides human activity, how is the carbon in fossil fuels returned to the ecosystem?
• For HIV Drugs like Epivir, Which is a reverse-transcriptase inhbitor, why is this not harmful (deadly) to the entire organism?
• Why don't we make "solar panels" that convert radiation from radioactive material to electricity?
• Has anybody explored the "188 day earthquake cycle" theory?
• Do animals need to learn language from a young age like humans do?
• Why does a Helium nucleus have less mass than the mass of two protons + two neutrons?
• How does Platypus venom vary from other venoms in the animal world, and what is it's effect and purpose?
• How can light move things?
• Before IV's, how would comatose people be kept alive (food, water, etc.)?
• Is having a good memory genetically passed down or totally random?

American Chemical Society AMA: I'm Patti Galvan, I help K-8 teachers bring more chemistry to their students. Ask me anything about being a great chemist/scientist guest speaker in an elementary or middle school classroom. Posted: 19 Apr 2016 05:07 AM PDT Hi Reddit! I'm Patti Galvan, K-8 Education Specialist at the American Chemical Society. Along with colleagues, I develop resources for K-8 students and their teachers. Another part of my job is helping chemists who volunteer to be guest speakers in an elementary or middle school science class. If it's Career Day in your child's school, for example, what could you say and do to represent chemistry and make your child proud? At this point in the school year (April), we are entering Career Day and guest speaker season! I enjoy helping chemists develop a presentation that will give students a positive experience learning science, please the teachers, and have them invited back for years to come. I help scientists guest speaking in classrooms feel cooler than the firefighter! For chemists who want to make more of an impact than a one-time visit can provide, ACS offers the Science Coaches program which is currently recruiting chemist-teacher partnerships. Find out more at www.acs.org/sciencecoaches I have seen both sides, as a teacher inviting guest speakers into my classroom, and as a guest speaker representing chemistry at my son's elementary school. Ask me anything about how to be a great guest speaker in an elementary or middle school science class. I will be back at 11:00 a.m. EDT (8:00 a.m. PDT; 3:00 p.m. UTC) to answer questions. submitted by /u/AmerChemSocietyAMA [link] [comments]

Why aren't decimals countable? Couldn't you count them by listing the one-digit decimals, then the two-digit decimals, etc etc Posted: 18 Apr 2016 08:37 PM PDT The way it was explained to me was that decimals are not countable because there's not systematic way to list every single decimal. But what if we did it this way: List one digit decimals: 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, etc two-digit decimals: 0.01, 0.02, 0.03, etc three-digit decimals: 0.001, 0.002 It seems like doing it this way, you will eventually list every single decimal possible, given enough time. I must be way off though, I'm sure this has been thought of before, and I'm sure there's a flaw in my thinking. I was hoping someone could point it out submitted by /u/ikindalikemath [link] [comments]

Can Blackholes absorb matter larger than itself? Posted: 18 Apr 2016 06:49 PM PDT Was having this debate with a friend and he said that blackholes cannot absorb anything larger than themselves. Personally I felt like he was wrong since not even light can escape from one. I would appreciate an answer, thanks! EDIT- Thanks for all your amazing answers. I tried to respectfully explain to my friend how he's wrong but he wouldn't have it. I said please provide a source that proves that "blackholes can only absorb things smaller than themselves" and he simply said, The Universe in a Nutshell by Stephan Hawking. I have decided to avoid getting into debates with this friend again because he's always right. Even topics he knows nothing about he's seemingly an expert. When trying to tell him how he's "wrong" he laughed, smirked and said that I have no idea what I'm talking about. Anyways short rant over but thanks for the great answers guys. submitted by /u/AtomicKush [link] [comments]

Why can't LASIK give me super vision? Posted: 18 Apr 2016 12:48 PM PDT I've been tossing around LASIK eye surgery for a bit. But I was wondering if eyesight can be corrected to 20/20, why not go for 20/10 or 20/5 or full on superpower 20/2. Is it a function of the operation of the eye not just the lenses that limits it? submitted by /u/AristotleKnowsAll [link] [comments]

Are there any solar systems / stars outside galaxies? If so, does it have any impact on the planets/stars? Posted: 18 Apr 2016 05:49 PM PDT submitted by /u/BootieTrap [link] [comments]

Why are rocket engines not able to throttle down all the way? Posted: 18 Apr 2016 06:20 PM PDT In the case of the Merlin 1D, it can throttle down to 70% max thrust. What is preventing it from going any lower than this? submitted by /u/FTLSquid [link] [comments]

Do biochemical processes have binary on/off switches? Posted: 18 Apr 2016 07:33 PM PDT I have a vague perception that biochemical processes don't generally have a binary on/off switch, but tend to occur on a gradient according to concentrations of precursors, enzymes, and other factors affecting the rate at which they occur. For example, the simple Biology 101 story is that insulin is produced when blood sugar is high and glucagon is produced when blood sugar is low. But my sense is that insulin would still be produced, albeit at reduced levels, even in a hypoglycemic state. Is this correct? If so, are there any notable exceptions? submitted by /u/brberg [link] [comments]

Why do different electric guitars sound different when the sound comes from the same process? Posted: 18 Apr 2016 09:52 PM PDT For example. Why is it that people will say that fender Stats and Gibson Les Paul guitars sound different when they use the same pickups. People say that it has something to do with the neck of the guitar, but why would this influence Faraday's law with the pickups? submitted by /u/Windston57 [link] [comments]

Why does sodium dissolved in water (through table salt for example) not react like pure sodium does when it touches water? Posted: 18 Apr 2016 06:28 PM PDT If my basic understanding of chemistry is correct, the bond between Na and Cl in table salt vanishes when it is put into water. Wouldn't this leave pure atoms of Na floating around which are highly reactive with water? Probably I'm missing something obvious from one of my teacher's lectures that I zoned out in. submitted by /u/MagicMadDawg [link] [comments]

Does the density of a charged object affect the amount of force it feels in an electric field? Posted: 18 Apr 2016 10:13 PM PDT So far I've only looked at the effects of electric field on a charged particle - a one-dimensional point. Is there any distinction when dealing with a 3D object?* If so, is the object's density a factor in the force it feels? In regards to the answer, do the same principles apply for density of 3D objects in a gravitational field? I was thinking density doesn't matter where Newtonian physics breaks down (space or quantum) since density doesn't show up in the gravitational force equation, nor in the electric force equation. I just realised that in the equations mass of the object is density/volume. Then I assume it is equally important; true? Are 3D objects on Earth affected? *Side question: what happens to 2D objects in a field? Is that even possible?...what does that even mean? submitted by /u/potatoes4brainz [link] [comments]

Can you make a waterproof Shear-Thickening Fluid? Posted: 18 Apr 2016 04:02 PM PDT Ok, as many of you are probably aware, the military uses a shear thickening fluid on kevlar to create pierce-proof body armor. They use Silica Nanopowder (or Calcium carbonate nanopowder) dissolved in Polyethylene Glycol, then they dilute it with ethanol, and soak the kevlar in it. Then they bake the kevlar to make the ethanol evaporate, leaving the Shear Thickening Fluid behind, between all of the fibers of the kevlar. Well, my question is this: Can you make a waterproof shear-thickening fluid that would do the same? I was considering using Polydimethylsiloxane silicone fluid that has dissolved calcium bicarbonate in it, and then try using Boric Acid to create the solidity needed? (This would be a variation of Silly Putty) And then maybe dilute it in pentane, dip a shirt in and bake the pentane out? Would this work? Is there a better waterproof liquid + calcium carbonate nanopowder that would make a better, or stronger Shear-Thickening fluid than the one I presented? Any help in this endeavor would be appreciated! submitted by /u/Hutch0687 [link] [comments]

Is there a scientifically viable explanation of quantum mechanics that suggests the universe is deterministic? Posted: 18 Apr 2016 04:58 PM PDT submitted by /u/sourc3original [link] [comments]

How do blacklights work? Posted: 18 Apr 2016 08:15 PM PDT Black lights shoots uv light at stuff and that uv light is then somehow seen by our eyes? Also wouldnt this uv light be harmful? Ps: would this be a physics question or a biology one? submitted by /u/D-Spark [link] [comments]

Besides human activity, how is the carbon in fossil fuels returned to the ecosystem? Posted: 18 Apr 2016 06:18 PM PDT Based on the biogenic theory of fossil fuels, the carbon locked into petroleum, coal and natural gas comes from millions year old biomass. Human activity releases that carbon in the form of carbon dioxide, which is then returned to the ecosystem. Besides humans burning fossil fuels for energy, how is that carbon returned to the ecosystem? As a followup - is there any model that states all carbon would eventually be locked away in fossil fuels and the earth would end up barren as a result? submitted by /u/kingcoyote [link] [comments]

For HIV Drugs like Epivir, Which is a reverse-transcriptase inhbitor, why is this not harmful (deadly) to the entire organism? Posted: 18 Apr 2016 10:37 AM PDT How can a drug inhibit Complementary RNA production, and not kill off the organism? I understand cRNA is necessary for viruses like AIDS to disseminate, but if it's a type of RNA the body produces, doesn't the body need it to survive? submitted by /u/ljpaulsen [link] [comments]

Why don't we make "solar panels" that convert radiation from radioactive material to electricity? Posted: 19 Apr 2016 01:52 AM PDT Solar panels; point them at the sun and get electricity from it converting that radiation. Yet we have potent sources of radiation in the form of radioactive material. We have stockpiles of nuclear waste. Why can't we, or why don't we, use the same principle as solar energy cells to turn radiation into electricity? submitted by /u/securitywyrm [link] [comments]

Has anybody explored the "188 day earthquake cycle" theory? Posted: 19 Apr 2016 03:15 AM PDT With several of our recent larger earthquakes happening, I got thinking about this again. I discovered this theory that the alignment of Jupiter and Saturn have influence on the timing of earthquakes and have not been able to successfully bunk/debunk it. I would think that the moon's perigee/apogee would have a much greater influence on the earth than distant planets, but I wonder if they add or subtract in different ways that finally push that tectonic plate over the edge. All of the information I have come across about it is bottom-feeder conspiracy theory links and those who claim to have debunked it without a large enough data-set. Then again, those who claim it's true (e.g.: Japan 9.0 and the Indonesia one) do not have large enough data-sets either. Is it possible to aggregate all the USGS data from all time and crunch the numbers looking for patterns in figures like: total magnitude for a day, largest magnitude, quakes only above 3.0, 5.0, 7.0 and search for some patterns to see if they correlate to the cycles of certain celestial bodies? Is there somebody who has an occupation that has a background in seismology that has already done these types of studies? submitted by /u/PigNamedBenis [link] [comments]

Do animals need to learn language from a young age like humans do? Posted: 18 Apr 2016 03:15 PM PDT I know animals don't have the same range of communicative powers that humans have, but most have some degree of physical and or vocal ability to express themselves to one another. My question is: how learned are these interactions? For instance, would apes raised away from exposure to other apes be able to communicate effectively if they were introduced to a larger group? I know tigers use a wide spectrum of vocal cues to convey information (on emotional states, etc), so would a tiger raised away from other tigers be mute in the same way an isolated human would be? Have there been any interesting cases studied? Just how instinctual is animal language? Sorry for all the questions, but this has been on my mind a lot recently. Thanks for y'alls help! Cheers! submitted by /u/cclef615 [link] [comments]

Why does a Helium nucleus have less mass than the mass of two protons + two neutrons? Posted: 18 Apr 2016 11:26 AM PDT Hello, Science Whizzes! I'm learning about the proton-proton chain. Six protons combine over several steps to form: 1 helium nucleus, comprised of two protons and two neutrons. 2 protons 2 neutrinos 2 positrons The following figures come from Wikipedia, and presumably from some more reviewed source prior to that: Mass of proton: 1.672622 x10-27 kg Mass of neutron: 1.674927 x10-27 kg The mass of two neutrons + two protons, using the figures above = 6.695098 x1027 kg But: the mass of an alpha particle (which I gather is for all practical purposes, a Helium nucleus): 6.644657 x10-27 kg Should they not be equal? Going back to the proton chain: Mass of positron: 9.109383 x10-31 kg Mass of neutrino: smaller than rounding error, above. Inputs = 6 protons = 1.0035732 x10-26kg Outputs = 4 protons + 2 neutrons + 2 positrons + 2 neutrinos = 1.00421639 x10-26 kg Thus, the outputs weigh more than the inputs. This is at odds with numerous sources that assert that fusion of hydrogen into helium releases 0.7% of the mass as energy. If someone could either explain what I've missed or be willing to coauthor a paper disproving the fusion theory of star energy, I'd appreciate it. Edit: Thanks, everybody. I'm disappointed not to have disproven orthodox nuclear theory via arithmetic, but am pleased to learn that there's a reason for the discrepancy. I'm also annoyed that my (basic astronomy) class doesn't even mention binding energy. submitted by /u/San_Fran_Dan [link] [comments]

How does Platypus venom vary from other venoms in the animal world, and what is it's effect and purpose? Posted: 18 Apr 2016 01:25 PM PDT submitted by /u/Woody_Pigeon [link] [comments]

How can light move things? Posted: 18 Apr 2016 03:13 PM PDT I read somewhere that light is able to move things. But if light is massless then there shouldn't be a force to move things with? submitted by /u/akaChromez [link] [comments]

Before IV's, how would comatose people be kept alive (food, water, etc.)? Posted: 18 Apr 2016 10:51 AM PDT submitted by /u/thewhovianswand [link] [comments]

Is having a good memory genetically passed down or totally random? Posted: 18 Apr 2016 02:52 PM PDT submitted by /u/Even_Phteven [link] [comments]

You are subscribed to email updates from AskScience: Got Questions? Get Answers.. To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
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AGU AMA: I’m Dr. Kim Cobb, and I’m here to talk about the science of climate change, El Niño, and the reconstruction of past climate. And I’m Dr. Anne Jefferson, and I’m here to talk about how water moves through landscapes and how land use and climate change alter hydrology. Ask Us Anything!

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• AGU AMA: I’m Dr. Kim Cobb, and I’m here to talk about the science of climate change, El Niño, and the reconstruction of past climate. And I’m Dr. Anne Jefferson, and I’m here to talk about how water moves through landscapes and how land use and climate change alter hydrology. Ask Us Anything!
• If you were to drive in a car at the same speed as a bullet and shoot backwards, would the bullet hang in mid-air? If so, how long?
• In Terminator, when they say skynet "begins learning at a geometric rate," what does that mean?
• What base are the Roman numbers?
• Is it possible to calculate the initial velocity and angle of a basketball shot, knowing only the angle at which it enters the hoop?
• Why are so many of the energy levels of a hydrogen atom degenerate?
• If you want to equally divide an n-shaped baked dish between x amount of people, how do you optimize slice size (and shape)?
• If you were traveling at 99.9% the speed of light, and you fired a gun, would the bullet fly at the speed of light?

AGU AMA: I’m Dr. Kim Cobb, and I’m here to talk about the science of climate change, El Niño, and the reconstruction of past climate. And I’m Dr. Anne Jefferson, and I’m here to talk about how water moves through landscapes and how land use and climate change alter hydrology. Ask Us Anything! Posted: 18 Apr 2016 04:50 AM PDT Hi Reddit! I am Kim Cobb, Professor and Georgia Power Scholar in the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at the Georgia Institute of Technology. I am also Editor of Geophysical Research Letters. My life's work is dedicated to unlocking the patterns of past climate changes from corals and cave stalagmites, with a particular focus on El Niño. With the current record-breaking event still underway, it's been a busy year full of field expeditions to my remote research sites. Together with my students, we've been able to uncover the first evidence that El Niño events may be strengthening in response to anthropogenic climate change. Most recently, I participated in an interdisciplinary expedition that documented extensive coral mortality on an island in the very middle of the Pacific. I enjoy tweeting at @coralsncaves, and blogging (infrequently) at http://cobblab.blogspot.com. In my spare time, I'm raising four children ages 5-8. You can view my lab web-page at http://shadow.eas.gatech.edu/~kcobb I am Anne Jefferson, recently tenured faculty in the Department of Geology at Kent State University. I am also a AAAS Public Engagement Fellow. My research answers questions like "What happens to streams when climate changes from snow to rain in the winter?" and "How can we manage stormwater to mitigate the effects of urbanization and prepare for climate change?" and "Does stream restoration work?" I've studied water everywhere from groundwater deep below lava flows to the mighty Mississippi River, from green rooftops to the pipe network below our streets. I am a physical hydrologist and I spend a lot of time carefully measuring how much water there is, how it's moving, where it has come from, and how old it is. I also I collaborate with scientists who study water quality, stream ecology, landscape architecture, and human institutions. Water is a very interdisciplinary subject! Learn more about my work on my web page: http://all-geo.org/jefferson/. Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/highlyanne. We will be back to answer your questions between 12 and 1 pm EDT on Monday, April 18th, Ask Us Anything! submitted by /u/AmGeophysicalU-AMA [link] [comments]

If you were to drive in a car at the same speed as a bullet and shoot backwards, would the bullet hang in mid-air? If so, how long? Posted: 17 Apr 2016 08:37 AM PDT submitted by /u/TomatoTickler [link] [comments]

In Terminator, when they say skynet "begins learning at a geometric rate," what does that mean? Posted: 17 Apr 2016 08:54 PM PDT submitted by /u/obligarchy1 [link] [comments]

What base are the Roman numbers? Posted: 17 Apr 2016 10:33 AM PDT It seems to me that they have no base. They have 7 symbols (I,V,X,L,C,M) but it isn't a base 7? submitted by /u/aimnox [link] [comments]

Is it possible to calculate the initial velocity and angle of a basketball shot, knowing only the angle at which it enters the hoop? Posted: 17 Apr 2016 10:12 AM PDT I was discussing this with my physics teacher and he was not able to calculate it. You do know the distance from the hoop, the starting height of the shot, the hoops height and the angle at which the ball enters the hoop. In our example, the ball enters at 34 degrees. Is there any way to calculate the initial velocity and the angle at which the ball was shot? submitted by /u/onetwenty1 [link] [comments]

Why are so many of the energy levels of a hydrogen atom degenerate? Posted: 17 Apr 2016 06:55 AM PDT Specifically, why does the one-electron model have degenerate orbitals for all energy levels with identical principal quantum numbers, and why is this unique to only the one-electron model? I've tried googling and reading textbooks but all I get are how some of the p and s orbitals are degenerate due to their mathematically indistinguishable(?) properties. Something to do with [2, 1, 1] being identical to [1, 1, 2] in terms of energy considerations. Sorry for being slightly incoherent, I read up on this about last week and didn't have time to go about clarifying it until now. submitted by /u/manyQuestionsToAsk [link] [comments]

If you want to equally divide an n-shaped baked dish between x amount of people, how do you optimize slice size (and shape)? Posted: 17 Apr 2016 07:52 AM PDT I do have an inkling that this might be some sort of optimization problem, but my maths fails me beyond that. So, let us say that we bake a large, rectangular dish of food to divide by x people. We want to minimize the amount of tiny little pieces left after cutting and also want the piece size to be equal for all participants. The slices are rectangular. If the dish is rectangular (sides A and B) and the number of people to divide it to is even, this is pretty easy. But what if there is, say, 17 people, or any odd or prime number? Could there be a generalized solution for an n-sided polygon? How about a solution where the slices can also be any one type of polygon? Is this a problem of irreducible complexity or? submitted by /u/timipeko [link] [comments]

If you were traveling at 99.9% the speed of light, and you fired a gun, would the bullet fly at the speed of light? Posted: 17 Apr 2016 11:18 AM PDT As far as I know, if you're moving then you throw an object, that object moves in relation to you. Could this theoretically happen? submitted by /u/ZaneWuzHere [link] [comments]

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