Water is clear. Why is snow white?

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• Water is clear. Why is snow white?
• Does light have "Harmonic frequencies" like audio does?
• Why do lasers have to be a single wavelength? Could you create the illusion of a white laser by combining the beams of a red, green, and a blue laser?
• Why does cold air hold less water than warmer air?
• Can neutron star material halt gamma rays?
• On average, what percentage of the Earth is on fire?
• Can the event horizon of an evaporating black hole shrink to reveal things that were once on the inside?
• [Biology] During the time of the dinosaurs, from what I've heard, the Earth was in a tropical state. Were there any polar ice caps at all? Were there colder-climate dinos?
• On a bicycle, why are higher gears larger in the front but smaller in the back?
• Is Rayleigh-Taylor Instability the main reason flames are turbulent?
• Is the cholesterol theory sound?
• How do you measure the Earth's core temperature?
• Aluminium, copper, zinc coins + water + baking soda = a very nasty coating. Which metal reacted?
• The temperature at the south pole occasionally falls below -78.5C, the sublimation point of dry ice. When it gets this cold, why doesn't it 'snow' dry ice as it freezes out of the air?
• What are "cosmic rays"?
• Why do all burning things smell vaguely the same to us?
• What would the chemical properties of elements with g, h, i, k orbitals be? Do we also know or can we predict the chemical properties of elements in the Island of Stability?
• How much of an effect would my phone have on a plane if I didn't put it in airplane mode?[Engineering]

Water is clear. Why is snow white? Posted: 09 Dec 2016 03:33 AM PST submitted by /u/j909m [link] [comments]

Does light have "Harmonic frequencies" like audio does? Posted: 08 Dec 2016 08:36 PM PST Does light have "Harmonic frequencies" in the same way audio has Harmonies? submitted by /u/aRandomTask [link] [comments]

Why do lasers have to be a single wavelength? Could you create the illusion of a white laser by combining the beams of a red, green, and a blue laser? Posted: 09 Dec 2016 12:38 AM PST submitted by /u/CypressBreeze [link] [comments]

Why does cold air hold less water than warmer air? Posted: 08 Dec 2016 08:53 PM PST I understand that in general more water vapor can be present in warmer air than in colder - I'm trying to understand how temperature factors into this. Is it because water is more likely to exist in a gas state when it's warmer or is it more a property of the air that allows it to hold more water vapor? submitted by /u/rogue417 [link] [comments]

Can neutron star material halt gamma rays? Posted: 08 Dec 2016 09:41 PM PST I remember learning that paper can stop alpha particles, aluminum can stop bets particles, and not even a thick sheet of lead can stop gamma rays entirely. I was wondering if there is any substance which can stop gamma rays entirely, like maybe neutron star material since it's so dense? submitted by /u/PinkyBlinky [link] [comments]

On average, what percentage of the Earth is on fire? Posted: 08 Dec 2016 01:26 PM PST The recent wildfires got me thinking. Wildfires are BIG. I wouldn't guess this number to be too big, but if even 1% of my home were on fire, that'd be a huge deal. submitted by /u/hsxp [link] [comments]

Can the event horizon of an evaporating black hole shrink to reveal things that were once on the inside? Posted: 08 Dec 2016 08:29 PM PST submitted by /u/snuffybox [link] [comments]

[Biology] During the time of the dinosaurs, from what I've heard, the Earth was in a tropical state. Were there any polar ice caps at all? Were there colder-climate dinos? Posted: 08 Dec 2016 05:02 PM PST submitted by /u/Snowodin [link] [comments]

On a bicycle, why are higher gears larger in the front but smaller in the back? Posted: 09 Dec 2016 01:27 AM PST submitted by /u/Tranquilsunrise [link] [comments]

Is Rayleigh-Taylor Instability the main reason flames are turbulent? Posted: 08 Dec 2016 07:25 PM PST I'm a visual effects artist who does a lot of flame/smoke/explosion effects. As with all effects, I like to know what actually happens physically so that I can have a better knowledge on how to replicate the effect. It's hard to find all information on the subject in one place, but what I've been able to piece together is that the licks of flames are created by a collision of hot air (fire) hitting cooler, more dense air (atmosphere). This then creates Rayleigh-Taylor instability, and therefore turbulence on the leading flame front. If this is not accurate, what is the main cause of turbulence in flames, and why are flames not instead laminar flows? Thank you. submitted by /u/PixelMagic [link] [comments]

Is the cholesterol theory sound? Posted: 09 Dec 2016 02:15 AM PST Does statin use actually save lives? Are people with high cholesterol more likely to die from clogged arteries than people with low cholesterol? There is a community of cardiologists, other doctors and lay people who claim that the cholesterol-lowering approach to heart disease is at best a mistake, at worst a fraud and extremely harmful. They contend (pretty universally without much difference among their theses) that inflammation and/or sugar create endothelial tears. Blaming cholesterol for patching the lesions is like blaming a fireman for putting out a fire. They claim every cell can make cholesterol because it's so vital to life processes such as transporting vitamins and patching aforementioned holes. The most perplexing claim to me is how often I see these authors claim that there is no proof that high cholesterol is associated with or is a cause of heart disease mortality rates; that as many people with low cholesterol die of heart attacks as do those with high cholesterol. They claim that the statin culture is a fraud and a lie. I can't understand how so many smart medical people would fall for this lie, unless the pharmaceutical companies own the post-med-school physician education system. Is there good, repeatable, verified, peer-reviewed, robust science behind the cholesterol-lowering heart disease treatment? Side note: statins cause myopathy and diabetes; they attack muscles; they obliterate the cellular energy process (so statin users supplement with Co-Q-10). Personally and online I know hundreds of people whose lives statins have ruined. Statins are a multi-billion dollar industry. Motive, means and opportunity for committing a huge scam is definitely in place. But what about the science, are doctors depending on bogus big pharma statistics wrangling or is there really good science behind attempting to lower cholesterol. THANK YOU! Sources: Dr. Duane Graveline, NASA doc, physically disabled by statin use https://www.spacedoc.com/ The Great Cholesterol Myth: Why Lowering Your Cholesterol Won't Prevent Heart Disease by Jonny Bowden and Dr. Stephen Sinatra The Truth About Statins: Risks and Alternatives to Cholesterol-Lowering Drugs by Dr. Barbara H. Roberts Cholesterol is not the Culprit, by Dr. Fred Kummerow Fat and Cholesterol Don't Cause Heart Attacks and Statins are Not The Solution by Paul J. Rosch MD (Author), Zoë Harcombe PhD (Author), Malcolm Kendrick MD (Author), & 18 more I don't want to start an argument between believers and non believers. I just want to know if the science behind the recommendation is good science and not manipulative statistical wrangling. Several authors claim that Lipitor's success claims are based not on 100 people taking the drug and 50 fewer dying, but 2 people out of 100 reaching some definition of success, where without the drug the success rate was 1 out of a hundred, and then in a twist of numbers any 6th grader should recognize, claiming this is a 100% increase in successful treatment. DOES THE MORTALITY rate improve with these drugs? submitted by /u/dogrescuersometimes [link] [comments]

How do you measure the Earth's core temperature? Posted: 08 Dec 2016 04:40 PM PST I was just wondering how we estimate the Earth's interior temperatures. Obviously we can't get that far, how'd we come up with exact numbers? submitted by /u/PM_ME_YOUR_EDIBLES [link] [comments]

Aluminium, copper, zinc coins + water + baking soda = a very nasty coating. Which metal reacted? Posted: 08 Dec 2016 07:53 PM PST I had several hundred one and five-yen coins in jar that, through condensation, got partly filled with water of the year. When I emptied the jar into the sink there was a kind of gunk surrounding the coins exposed to the water. I tried soaking and washing in soap but they were still stuck together and gunky. Oh a whim, I through a 1/2 cup of baking soda in and when I rinsed that gunk turned into a hard white crust. What happened? According to online sources, the 1 yen coins are pure aluminium and the five yen coins are a mix of copper and zinc. (Also, is there an easy way to clean that hard stuff off?) submitted by /u/cteavin [link] [comments]

The temperature at the south pole occasionally falls below -78.5C, the sublimation point of dry ice. When it gets this cold, why doesn't it 'snow' dry ice as it freezes out of the air? Posted: 08 Dec 2016 06:33 AM PST submitted by /u/turbopony [link] [comments]

What are "cosmic rays"? Posted: 08 Dec 2016 07:35 AM PST I know space travel is hazardous to astronauts due to long term exposure to "cosmic rays".... but what are they? Are they part of the electro-magnetic spectrum, like gamma rays? Also, I've read that they are difficult to shield against... but an insulating layer of water in a space ship's hull could provide protection... is that true? If so, why water and not another (less bulky) substance? Edit: Thanks, r/askscience! submitted by /u/Anticipator1234 [link] [comments]

Why do all burning things smell vaguely the same to us? Posted: 08 Dec 2016 10:18 AM PST I'm in a Starbucks and I smell something (<-- keyword) burning. Why do all burning things smell similar, and why are humans so good at identifying them? submitted by /u/abootflock [link] [comments]

What would the chemical properties of elements with g, h, i, k orbitals be? Do we also know or can we predict the chemical properties of elements in the Island of Stability? Posted: 08 Dec 2016 09:33 AM PST submitted by /u/Vulgar-Specialist [link] [comments]

How much of an effect would my phone have on a plane if I didn't put it in airplane mode?[Engineering] Posted: 08 Dec 2016 10:48 AM PST submitted by /u/thelosermonster [link] [comments]

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What happens to the molecules containing radioactive isotopes when the atoms decay?

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• What happens to the molecules containing radioactive isotopes when the atoms decay?
• If color is the non-absorption of specific wavelengths, wouldn't a 'red' laser consist of every color except red?
• Normal stars are made out of hydrogen which undergoes fusion. Can I make a star out of any element, provided I have enough mass to fuse that element? Say, Iron?
• Do Godel's Incompleteness theorems currently have use whatsoever in Physics? If not, might they some day?
• If we could synthesize antibodies could we use them to treat immunocompromised people?
• Why could I hear the pilots radio comms through my noise-cancelling headphones?
• What makes cling wrap clingy?
• Does hot antimatter glow with antiphotons?
• According to the CDC, "There is one suicide for every estimated 25 suicide attempts." and, "There is one suicide for every estimated 4 suicide attempts in the elderly." Why the difference?
• How would it feel to dive into a mafic lava flow?
• How are we able to observe Earthrise from the moon if the moon is tidally locked with Earth?
• Since black holes destroy all matter, including photons, does that mean that the coldest parts of the universe are black holes?
• AskHistorians is holding an AMA on Medieval Automata, come check it out!
• Looking at Cassini's latest Saturn images, is there any way of knowing /guessing (for a layman) how deep/high certain cloud layers are?
• is there any limit to how big a supermassive blackhole can be (size/mass)? what is the biggest we have found yet?
• Are there some good alternative explanations or hypotheses in place of the dark matter theory?
• Why does Aluminium-to-Aluminium has a higher friction coef than other metal-to-metal systems?
• Is the shape of a popcorn kernel more predictable than the shape of a snowflake? If so, why?
• What limits planet spinning speed? How fast planet is able to spin?
• Is a magnet's magnetic field get stronger the smaller it is?
• Can animals see the stars?
• How were heavy elements formed?
• Why/how do antidepressants make your dreams more intense and strange?

What happens to the molecules containing radioactive isotopes when the atoms decay? Posted: 08 Dec 2016 05:00 AM PST I'm a chemistry major studying organic synthesis and catalysis, but something we've never talked about is the molecular effects of isotopic decay. It's fairly common knowledge that carbon-14 dating relies on decay into nitrogen-14, but of course nitrogen and carbon have very different chemical properties. The half life of carbon-14 is very long, which means that the conversion of carbon to nitrogen doesn't happen at an appreciable rate, but nonetheless something has to happen to the molecules in which the carbon is located when it suddenly becomes a nitrogen atom. Has this been studied? Does the result vary for sp3, sp2, and sp hybridized carbons? Does the degree of substitution effect the resulting products (primary, secondary, and so on)? I imagine this can be considered for other elements as well (isotopes with shorter, more "studyable" half-lives), but the fact that carbon can form so many different types of bonds makes this particular example very interesting to me. submitted by /u/IanTheChemist [link] [comments]

If color is the non-absorption of specific wavelengths, wouldn't a 'red' laser consist of every color except red? Posted: 08 Dec 2016 06:33 AM PST submitted by /u/kozmo1313 [link] [comments]

Normal stars are made out of hydrogen which undergoes fusion. Can I make a star out of any element, provided I have enough mass to fuse that element? Say, Iron? Posted: 07 Dec 2016 08:25 AM PST An addition, I am aware of the "iron peak", so what about an element lighter than iron but still not helium or hydrogen? submitted by /u/labtec901 [link] [comments]

Do Godel's Incompleteness theorems currently have use whatsoever in Physics? If not, might they some day? Posted: 08 Dec 2016 04:41 AM PST I am plowing through Godel Escher Bach for the second time at the moment (amazing read) and I was curious as the what connection (if any) the strange incompleteness of formal systems has with the physical universe. submitted by /u/godelbrot [link] [comments]

If we could synthesize antibodies could we use them to treat immunocompromised people? Posted: 07 Dec 2016 11:10 PM PST Let's say we manage to find a process to duplicate antibodies, could we make a whole bunch of them and inject them into a patient to help the immune system fight the infection? submitted by /u/FatGecko5 [link] [comments]

Why could I hear the pilots radio comms through my noise-cancelling headphones? Posted: 08 Dec 2016 01:20 AM PST I fly quite a bit and I always wear my noise cancelling headphones when I do. But this morning while we were waiting to take off I could hear the pilots radio communication coming through. I was listening to music on my phone (on flight mode), and I can't figure out the mechanism which would allow the radio comms to be picked up... I tried turning off the noise cancelling and it appeared to stop, but he might have just stopped talking - it's hard to tell. submitted by /u/rabbyt [link] [comments]

What makes cling wrap clingy? Posted: 07 Dec 2016 05:07 PM PST submitted by /u/MikeNotBrick [link] [comments]

Does hot antimatter glow with antiphotons? Posted: 07 Dec 2016 06:46 PM PST So, if we heated a bar of anti-iron up so it was glowing with blackbody radiation, would the photons be antiphotons and would they collide with photons to eliminate each other .... and if they did would they become energy since photons are already energy? submitted by /u/ChocolateBallSack [link] [comments]

According to the CDC, "There is one suicide for every estimated 25 suicide attempts." and, "There is one suicide for every estimated 4 suicide attempts in the elderly." Why the difference? Posted: 07 Dec 2016 02:39 PM PST Is it just physical frailty, access to deadly prescription medication, life knowledge, etc? Is it known why there is a higher success rate among the elderly? submitted by /u/lavenderfart [link] [comments]

How would it feel to dive into a mafic lava flow? Posted: 08 Dec 2016 03:58 AM PST How long would you live for? submitted by /u/cashewtrailmix [link] [comments]

How are we able to observe Earthrise from the moon if the moon is tidally locked with Earth? Posted: 08 Dec 2016 05:47 AM PST I was thinking of an Earth rise conceptually; wouldn't the Earth stay in one spot in the moon sky because the moon is tidally locked to Earth? I saw this .gif and now I'm wondering if the moon isn't perfectly tidally locked or if the video was taken during ascent/descent. submitted by /u/Avenged_Bear [link] [comments]

Since black holes destroy all matter, including photons, does that mean that the coldest parts of the universe are black holes? Posted: 08 Dec 2016 05:24 AM PST submitted by /u/IAmTrident [link] [comments]

AskHistorians is holding an AMA on Medieval Automata, come check it out! Posted: 07 Dec 2016 07:43 PM PST Elly (E. R.) Truitt, author of Medieval Robots: Mechanism, Magic, Nature, & Art, is holding an AMA on Medieval technology on Thursday. You can join in the questions here https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/5h30gq/ama_medieval_automata/ submitted by /u/AskScienceModerator [link] [comments]

Looking at Cassini's latest Saturn images, is there any way of knowing /guessing (for a layman) how deep/high certain cloud layers are? Posted: 08 Dec 2016 03:58 AM PST Image in question is "Over Saturn's Turbulent North", posted on December 6, 2016. I'm having a hard time picturing anything other than a flat, beautifully marbled cloud "surface". Is it possible to measure / guess at how deep certain cloud banks are (aka "the white, whispy clouds are .... km high, lying on darker bands of lower clouds, made up of...") and what they would look like if one where to fly through them (something like this image posted on ircamera.as.arizona.edu). submitted by /u/iBreak140 [link] [comments]

is there any limit to how big a supermassive blackhole can be (size/mass)? what is the biggest we have found yet? Posted: 08 Dec 2016 03:25 AM PST submitted by /u/abhiminhas [link] [comments]

Are there some good alternative explanations or hypotheses in place of the dark matter theory? Posted: 07 Dec 2016 07:43 PM PST The fact that something like dark matter exists in such a large quantity that is yet undetectable seems less likely to me than an alternative explanation like, maybe the laws of physics act differently in space in different places or this extra mass I see made up of a bunch of tiny black holes everywhere submitted by /u/dkschrute79 [link] [comments]

Why does Aluminium-to-Aluminium has a higher friction coef than other metal-to-metal systems? Posted: 08 Dec 2016 06:02 AM PST Based on this information, it seems as if aluminium to aluminium has a higher friction coefficient than copper to copper, iron to iron, and teflon to teflon. Such that Al to Al has a higher friction than both softer/weaker and harder/stronger materials, which throws me off as there does not seem to be a clear pattern? How does copper on copper, and iron on iron, have the same friction coefficient, given their vastly different properties? How does material affect friction after all? submitted by /u/Ne_Oublie [link] [comments]

Is the shape of a popcorn kernel more predictable than the shape of a snowflake? If so, why? Posted: 07 Dec 2016 08:45 PM PST submitted by /u/gentlemanidiot [link] [comments]

What limits planet spinning speed? How fast planet is able to spin? Posted: 07 Dec 2016 09:18 AM PST So for example how fast planet with earth size and mass could spin? submitted by /u/M4d4o [link] [comments]

Is a magnet's magnetic field get stronger the smaller it is? Posted: 08 Dec 2016 01:27 AM PST Why does it get stronger as it gets smaller? Just because the fields are and can be closer together? If so, If I could print a magnet what would happen if I print them in a spiral or coil? Would the fields combine? Edit 1: Not sure if this belongs in physics but seemed like the best choice. submitted by /u/Exquisite_Death [link] [comments]

Can animals see the stars? Posted: 08 Dec 2016 12:25 AM PST Humans can see under good circumstances maybe 6000 stars. Have other animals this capability? My guess is not too many. Can we count ourselves lucky to be able to experience this sight? submitted by /u/shele [link] [comments]

How were heavy elements formed? Posted: 08 Dec 2016 12:12 AM PST Can someone give me a semi-layman's explanation on the formation of heavy elements? I know that metals such as carbon and iron can be formed within stars, but how did much heavier elements than those form in the early universe? My original understanding came from a very basic Carl Sagan explanation, but that's not quite comprehensive enough to really explain it to me. Can anyone shed some more light on this for me? submitted by /u/jimmy_costigan [link] [comments]

Why/how do antidepressants make your dreams more intense and strange? Posted: 07 Dec 2016 03:26 PM PST I've been taking lexapro for a few months now and my dreams went from normal and mild, to absolutely fucked up and intense. Why exactly does that happen? submitted by /u/InfestedBroodlord [link] [comments]

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Does the supermassive black hole in the center of our galaxy have any effects on the way our planet, star, or solar system behave?

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• Does the supermassive black hole in the center of our galaxy have any effects on the way our planet, star, or solar system behave?
• Why do most experimental fusion reactors focus on deuterium-tritium fusion, and why isn't deuterium-proton fusion ever used?
• Why do infants lose certain abilities around 6 months old, such as distinguishing between different language sounds and different primates' faces?
• Why doesn't the n-body problem make the rotation curves of disc galaxies unpredictable?
• Could Tokamaks be run in a multi-phase configuration?
• Does the decay energy affect the power output in a betavoltaeic battery?
• Ask Anything Wednesday - Economics, Political Science, Linguistics, Anthropology
• Do we calculate time or measure it?
• Naked singularities, how can such a concept exist?
• Is gravity uniform regardless of density?
• How are satellites launched as not to run into each other?
• Do boiling water in microwave oven kills more bacteria than regular boiling, because microwaves itself kills bacteria too?
• Are these numbers for the elements in the sun correct?
• How dark is it outside of solar systems?
• When we look into the night sky what exactly are the bright lights?
• Where does acoustic energy go in a vacuum?
• Are there any stars travelling around their galaxy at relativistic speeds?
• How can astrophysicists accurately know what happened a trillion the of a second after the big bang?
• Compton scattering measurements: What is the physical meaning of integrating over a certain spike in energy spectrum?
• How did Henry Cavendish manage to calculate the Earth's mass back in 1798?
• Is Radon Gas a real danger in homes?
• How far away is the andromeda galaxy ?

Does the supermassive black hole in the center of our galaxy have any effects on the way our planet, star, or solar system behave? Posted: 06 Dec 2016 08:03 PM PST If it's gravity is strong enough to hold together a galaxy, does it have some effect on individual planets/stars within the galaxy? How would these effects differ based on the distance from the black hole? submitted by /u/gotthelatkes [link] [comments]

Why do most experimental fusion reactors focus on deuterium-tritium fusion, and why isn't deuterium-proton fusion ever used? Posted: 06 Dec 2016 06:37 PM PST Deuterium-tritium fusion produces a helium-4 nucleus and neutron. In stars, deuterium and protons are fused to create helium-3 without the production of a neutron, in the second step of the proton-proton chain reaction. Wouldn't deuterium-proton fusion be the much better choice, considering they have the same amount of electrical repulsion, wouldn't generate power in the form of neutrons, and are much cheaper? submitted by /u/Schaefer73 [link] [comments]

Why do infants lose certain abilities around 6 months old, such as distinguishing between different language sounds and different primates' faces? Posted: 06 Dec 2016 10:23 AM PST submitted by /u/fromRonnie [link] [comments]

Why doesn't the n-body problem make the rotation curves of disc galaxies unpredictable? Posted: 06 Dec 2016 01:16 PM PST The difference between the observed and expected rotation curves of disc galaxies is explained by the presence of dark matter. But how do we even have a predicted rotation curve for disc galaxies? Doesn't the n-body problem mean the radial velocities of the stars in a galaxy are completely chaotic and unpredictable? submitted by /u/googolplexbyte [link] [comments]

Could Tokamaks be run in a multi-phase configuration? Posted: 06 Dec 2016 01:42 PM PST Tokamaks rely on current in the plasma to produce a poloidal field. Since the toroidal coils can't keep increasing the field strength forever, could tokamaks benefit from being run in a multiphase configuration? Could the decay of one toroidal field drive the production of another? Are other heating methods sufficient to maintain a toroidal current, or are tokamaks a fundamentally transient configuration? submitted by /u/fermion1022 [link] [comments]

Does the decay energy affect the power output in a betavoltaeic battery? Posted: 06 Dec 2016 01:40 PM PST I mean does a low energy beta emitter produce as much power as a higher power emitter? (in a power cell) (if so - why? why can't we use the higher energy electrons better?) As far as I understood it it isn't the extra electron produced that "becomes" the power but it has something to do with a technology like solar cells? (could we use other materials to capture for instance gamma rays to produce power?) What happends to the electron later - Does it add to the power output by itself so to speak? (if we just packed a beta emitter inside a metal casing, would the casing get a higher voltage potential from capturing the electrons?) Are there even vast differences between beta decay energies of different isotopes to begin with? (I'm having some problems finding tables of beta decay energies and are finding weird (what seems like probability) graphs of energies. Cobalt-60 beta decay energy seems to be comparable(-ish) (in orders of magnitude) to carbon-14 decay energies if I understand things right). I know this is a lot of jumbled together questions, but I guess my main curiosity is the title one. Thank you submitted by /u/NickForCabbage [link] [comments]

Ask Anything Wednesday - Economics, Political Science, Linguistics, Anthropology Posted: 07 Dec 2016 07:05 AM PST Welcome to our weekly feature, Ask Anything Wednesday - this week we are focusing on Economics, Political Science, Linguistics, Anthropology Do you have a question within these topics you weren't sure was worth submitting? Is something a bit too speculative for a typical /r/AskScience post? No question is too big or small for AAW. In this thread you can ask any science-related question! Things like: "What would happen if...", "How will the future...", "If all the rules for 'X' were different...", "Why does my...". Asking Questions: Please post your question as a top-level response to this, and our team of panellists will be here to answer and discuss your questions. The other topic areas will appear in future Ask Anything Wednesdays, so if you have other questions not covered by this weeks theme please either hold on to it until those topics come around, or go and post over in our sister subreddit /r/AskScienceDiscussion , where every day is Ask Anything Wednesday! Off-theme questions in this post will be removed to try and keep the thread a manageable size for both our readers and panellists. Answering Questions: Please only answer a posted question if you are an expert in the field. The full guidelines for posting responses in AskScience can be found here. In short, this is a moderated subreddit, and responses which do not meet our quality guidelines will be removed. Remember, peer reviewed sources are always appreciated, and anecdotes are absolutely not appropriate. In general if your answer begins with 'I think', or 'I've heard', then it's not suitable for /r/AskScience. If you would like to become a member of the AskScience panel, please refer to the information provided here. Past AskAnythingWednesday posts can be found here. Ask away! submitted by /u/AutoModerator [link] [comments]

Do we calculate time or measure it? Posted: 07 Dec 2016 05:07 AM PST Do watches actually measure time or does it calculate it by counting it, Because I've been thinking and until now I haven't found a Scalar physical quantity that can be measured by itself, We usually calculate it from a Vector physical quantity, like how we usually calculate mass from weight, but we can't measure mass by itself. submitted by /u/Moh_Magdy [link] [comments]

Naked singularities, how can such a concept exist? Posted: 07 Dec 2016 02:53 AM PST Trying to wrap my mind around these things gives me a headache, how can a singularity exist without an event horizon? What made people come up with this concept in the first place? I mean, the entire fact that a singularity exists means that it MUST create an event horizon? It's like trying to imagine the Sun existing without gravity. submitted by /u/DraumrKopa [link] [comments]

Is gravity uniform regardless of density? Posted: 07 Dec 2016 05:04 AM PST Specifically, planetary gravity. Does a planets gravitational pull come from the entirety of the planet as a whole despite say, differences in the geologic layers' density? Or is all of that planets gravity coming together with more gravity generated from certain areas like the core? Am I even understanding gravity correctly that it exists as a whole (uniform) or can gravity be stronger on one side of a planet than the other? Thank you for your time. submitted by /u/DaHammy [link] [comments]

How are satellites launched as not to run into each other? Posted: 07 Dec 2016 02:17 AM PST With Elon Musk wanting to launch 4,000+ satellites into the atmosphere, how are satellites launched so that they don't collide in orbit? Is there any math or timing and angles done to assure that none of the (currently as far as I can find) 2,271 satellites will remain in orbit indefinitely? submitted by /u/JackJagOfficial [link] [comments]

Do boiling water in microwave oven kills more bacteria than regular boiling, because microwaves itself kills bacteria too? Posted: 06 Dec 2016 08:32 AM PST submitted by /u/NickLickSickDickWick [link] [comments]

Are these numbers for the elements in the sun correct? Posted: 07 Dec 2016 04:01 AM PST So, there's this site that gives some numbers for the abundance of different elements in the sun. I've seen that list a few times recently, so apparently it's something people go by. Those numbers can't be right, can they? What struck me was the abundances of iron and neon. There's supposedly fewer neon atoms than iron atoms. However, the neon is written as weighing more, even though a neon atom weighs less than an iron atom. So, this seems not quite right. Or am I missing something? submitted by /u/ahhwell [link] [comments]

How dark is it outside of solar systems? Posted: 07 Dec 2016 06:16 AM PST So basically if I was in a space ship travelling to a different solar system and stopped and went outside of the ship. How dark or light would it be? submitted by /u/SerPlumtree [link] [comments]

When we look into the night sky what exactly are the bright lights? Posted: 07 Dec 2016 05:32 AM PST Are the points of light galaxies or stars? After looking into the hubble deep space image: http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/archive/releases/2012/37/image/a/ It states that there are only galaxies, the clearer ones being closer and the discrepant lights being further away. When we look into the night sky from earth are we looking at galaxies? Or stars? From what I've been researching, it seems like we should only be able to see stars in our galaxy but the Hubble Deep space image can see galaxies. Thanks for any response. submitted by /u/gripts [link] [comments]

Where does acoustic energy go in a vacuum? Posted: 06 Dec 2016 04:54 PM PST In a supernova, it seems that sound would travel for a distance through a rapidly expanding gas cloud. Eventually though, the gas would be too thin for sound to travel through. At this point... What happens? I had an idea that the vibrations would be locked in whatever particle is carrying it, creating friction which would produce heat which could radiate through a vacuum, but I have no idea of the plausibility of this. submitted by /u/XavierDevadander [link] [comments]

Are there any stars travelling around their galaxy at relativistic speeds? Posted: 07 Dec 2016 04:30 AM PST If that's possible what kinds of effects would that have on the star and any planets orbiting it. submitted by /u/DrRehabilitowany [link] [comments]

How can astrophysicists accurately know what happened a trillion the of a second after the big bang? Posted: 07 Dec 2016 04:22 AM PST I'm reading a book by Neil deGrasse Tyson and it is talking about what the universe was like at a specific point (trillionth of a second) after the initial big bang. I'm wondering how one can know so much about such a tiny instance in time? Edit: title autocorrected to "trillion the" should be trillionth. submitted by /u/painfulblow [link] [comments]

Compton scattering measurements: What is the physical meaning of integrating over a certain spike in energy spectrum? Posted: 07 Dec 2016 04:09 AM PST Hi reddit! Me and my friend are both undergrad physics students who are doing a course in which we have to give a short lecture on Compton scattering based on our own measurements. With our data we can draw the energy spectrum with y-axis being the number of photons that hit the detector, and x-axis being the energy of those photons. Now, we are supposed to integrate over the spike with different methods (both numerically and analytically, as we have) but we both just fail to understand what it is that we get from integrating it! The incoming photons are coming from an Am-241 sample being 59.6keV and our spikes are slightly lower (~50keV) just like they should be. As an example integrating our first sample: The spike was at 51.5keV and integrating over it in matlab (after finding a proper distribution function for it) gives us 68.74keV. What is it that this 68.74keV integral is supposed to tell us here? It isn't the total energy of all the photons that hit the region since the number of photons that hit there was around 250 of them? The total energy over the whole measurement should be like ~12MeV. I don't see that working. We both just fail to see any logical way to interpret the result. I'm guessing this is something really stupid that we just haven't been able to see or maybe we're just doing something wrong so I figured maybe the people here could offer their help. Thanks! :) submitted by /u/vivals5 [link] [comments]

How did Henry Cavendish manage to calculate the Earth's mass back in 1798? Posted: 06 Dec 2016 03:03 PM PST submitted by /u/PM_ME_YOUR_THEORY [link] [comments]

Is Radon Gas a real danger in homes? Posted: 07 Dec 2016 12:14 AM PST I am currently looking to find out whether Radon gas is actually a danger in some homes (specifically in Norway) or whether the dangers are greatly exaggerated. I want to know because it will determine whether or not i can take a job as salesmen of devices that detect radon gas. I don't want to sell bullshit. submitted by /u/langotriel [link] [comments]

How far away is the andromeda galaxy ? Posted: 07 Dec 2016 03:27 AM PST I wonder how far away the andromeda galaxy is. I know that it´s 2.5 million light years away...but it´s coming in our direction. So how far away is the galaxy right now ? I mean during these 2.5 million years the andromeda galaxy should be way closer than 2.5 million light years right now right ? Even tho we can´t see it yet. So if the actual distance is x light years it would need x years for us to see the andromeda galaxy as it is right now right ? So again how far away is the galaxy right now or how far away would we see the galaxy in 2.5 million years ? submitted by /u/Shonity [link] [comments]

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