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Tuesday, October 9, 2018

Where did all the sand in the Sahara Desert come from?

Where did all the sand in the Sahara Desert come from?


Where did all the sand in the Sahara Desert come from?

Posted: 08 Oct 2018 03:22 PM PDT

How unique is the fact that our moon's rotational speed matches it's traslational speed so that the same side of the moon is permanently facing earth?

Posted: 08 Oct 2018 06:18 PM PDT

Given that the majority of calculations performed by a computer are some sort of matrix inversion, solution of a linear system equations, or solving some partial-differential equation, are there known Quantum Computer algorithms that actually provide speed-up for these problems?

Posted: 09 Oct 2018 01:33 AM PDT

Looking at a list of quantum algorithms many of the problems seem very... artificial... relative to the kinds of calculations that computers are doing on a daily basis.

Factoring primes is nice and all, but can I, say, diagonalize or invert a matrix using a quantum algorithm? If not, shouldn't this be a serious point of concern? I understand the potential as "quantum simulators" and that's certainly potentially valuable, but quantum many-body calculations are only the tiniest sub-set of the numerical calculations that we do in our society.

submitted by /u/DigForFire90
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Where does the 3/5 term arise from in the potential energy of the charge distribution of a nucleus?

Posted: 09 Oct 2018 02:27 AM PDT

In the Semi-Empirical Mass Formula, the coulomb term is aZ2 / A1/3 as far as im aware, with "a" being the electrostatic coulomb constant, (3/5)(1/4pi)(1/epsilon0)(1/r0). I understand where all the terms come from as its the simple electrostatic repulsion form, but this 3/5 term seems to come from nowhere. I'm doing tutorial questions and i am ever so slightly numerically out from the solutions we have - however including this 3/5 term i found on Wikipedia gets me to the correct answer, but i haven't seen it before).

Sorry for the bad formatting, this is my first post like this. Thanks in advance for any help.

submitted by /u/NuclearBearShark
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Water will flow out of long hose if empty first. Not if some water is in it. Why?

Posted: 08 Oct 2018 12:50 PM PDT

I bought a very long water hose (330 ft / 100m). I hooked it up, opened the valve and water flowed through it without any problem. I disconnected the hose for a minute or two, connected again and nothing came out. I tried blowing through it and even a pump. Absolutely nothing. I disconnected, lifted one end and proceeded to lift the hose a little at a time through the entire length emptying it by gravity. Blew on it again and this time met very little resistance. Connected the hose, opened the valve and water flowed again. I repeated the experiment out of curiosity and let a little air in. The hose was again essentially blocked. Why?

submitted by /u/mx_prepper
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Could you "predict" all of chemistry using only Quantum Mechanics?

Posted: 08 Oct 2018 03:15 PM PDT

What I mean is if you could predict the octet rule, the required activation energies for different chemical reactions, the crystalline structure that atoms will form, etc.

submitted by /u/EduardoDuhalde
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Why there are so few space probes beyond Solar system, only Voyager 1 and 2 from 70s, and New Horizons ?

Posted: 08 Oct 2018 02:52 PM PDT

Does anyone know what the lines on this measuring cylinder represent? (Or rather their values)

Posted: 08 Oct 2018 01:57 PM PDT

My father found this odd measuring culling with values that he couldn't recognize the significance of, they are close to fluid ounces, but not exact, as would be expected on a measuring cylinder?Measuring Cylinder

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What is the natural of neutrino interaction with matter ?

Posted: 08 Oct 2018 10:53 AM PDT

Neutrinos rarely interact with regular matter, but they do eventually and that's how we can detect it. But what is the nature of this interaction ?

Is it ionization for example ? Or other kind of interactions with the subatomic particles ?

Ultimately, will an ultra dense high energy neutrino burst be lethal with semptoms similar to radiation poisoning/sickness ?

submitted by /u/Xajel
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Question about particle/nuclear physics?

Posted: 08 Oct 2018 02:24 PM PDT

Is it possible that the quarks making up protons and neutrons in an atomic nucleus might dissociate from each other and interact with the other quarks, such that the nucleus stays together when they have fewer quarks to interact with and possibly form a subatomic particle, but in nuclei with a higher number of quarks, there is a higher probability that they will associate with the appropriate up and down quarks to form a proton or neutron and leave the nucleus, thus causing decay?

submitted by /u/ajab32k
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Do skin cells die or get damaged under contact with alcohol like bacteria does?

Posted: 07 Oct 2018 09:22 PM PDT

How exactly does diabetes work and how do you get it?

Posted: 08 Oct 2018 04:25 AM PDT

Do rainbow endpoints come in contact with the earths surface or dissipate before reaching it?

Posted: 08 Oct 2018 11:53 AM PDT

Monday, October 8, 2018

Is it possible for a planet to have a perpetual solar eclipse if a satellite orbits at the same speed as the planets rotation?

Is it possible for a planet to have a perpetual solar eclipse if a satellite orbits at the same speed as the planets rotation?


Is it possible for a planet to have a perpetual solar eclipse if a satellite orbits at the same speed as the planets rotation?

Posted: 07 Oct 2018 10:53 PM PDT

What is happening internally to make weight loss so beneficial? How does losing weight when obese improve health & obesity-related conditions like insulin resistance etc.?

Posted: 07 Oct 2018 07:56 AM PDT

This feels like it should be like, obvious. But for some reason...I don't REALLY know what happens to a body that loses excess fat.

How does weight loss improve health?

Reducing stress on joints makes intuitive sense. But how does weight loss improve insulin sensitivity? How does it improve cholesterol? How does it improve blood pressure?

Is it losing fat that does that, or simply eating less?

Etc.

Hope this question makes sense. I'm on a journey to lose 100lbs and wondering what's happening inside o me to make me healthier (I hope!)

submitted by /u/saturnsrevengebody
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AskScience AMA Series: We are hydrogen and fuel cell experts at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, here to talk about using catalytic science to convert dispersed carbon into chemicals and energy-dense liquid fuels. AUA!

Posted: 08 Oct 2018 06:50 AM PDT

Hi Reddit! Did you know that October 8 is National Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Day? It's definitely a day worth celebrating - after all, hydrogen and fuel cells are the perfect partners for clean, fuel-efficient transportation and a secure energy future. Here at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, we've pushed the frontiers of hydrogen and fuel cell research. In the area of electrocatalysis, we've developed a new molybdenum phosphide-based non-platinum group metal catalyst that has 5 times greater performance over similar current catalysts and improved results over platinum catalysts for microbial electrolysis. We've also invented a new design for magnetocaloric hydrogen liquefaction that integrates flow values to enable startup from room temperature as well as optimized operation. And our Chemical Transformations Initiative is allowing us to transform wastes into useful products like aviation fuels, while generating hydrogen gas at the same time.

We'll be on at 12:30 PT (3:30 ET, 20:30 UT), ask us anything!

submitted by /u/AskScienceModerator
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Why is the ITER Tokomak project taking so long to produce results? (Wiki: "Initial plasma experiments are scheduled to begin in 2025, with full deuterium–tritium fusion experiments starting in 2035.")

Posted: 08 Oct 2018 12:13 AM PDT

Why does Uranus look more uniform and less streaky than Neptune when they have similar atmospheric compositions?

Posted: 07 Oct 2018 10:17 PM PDT

Uranus looks way more uniform than Neptune, and it's also a lighter shade of blue.

If they have very similar atmospheric compositions, mustn't their appearances be nearly the same?

submitted by /u/ancientkillerX
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How does the brains of conjoined twins process sensation?

Posted: 07 Oct 2018 02:37 PM PDT

Like if they touch a hot surface does that immediate response to move away get sent to both brains or just one?

submitted by /u/turftoe420
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Why are spin-up nucleons considered to be lower energy states as opposed to spin-down that are higher energy?

Posted: 08 Oct 2018 12:12 AM PDT

Studying MRIs right now, and there's a bit of theory that I'm yet to understand about resonance when you subject precessing nuclei to pulses of radio waves. From what I managed to grasp:

When the right frequency (of what?) is given (equivalent to the Larmor frequency of the particular nucleus), the nucleus can be made to flip from a lower energy state (spin-up = parallel to the external magnetic field direction) to a higher energy state (spin-down = antiparallel to the ext mg direction). They rotate in phase with the pulse, and thus, with each other.

Learning medical physics has been a struggle (what I get for not doing jack crap for the most part of school - missed on learning all the basics), but this sub has been A LIFESAVER (it's subscribers, actually). I cannot thank you all educated people enough!!

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How is truly elastic scattering of a photon from an electron possible?

Posted: 08 Oct 2018 07:48 AM PDT

Let's assume that a photon interacts with an electron and is elastically scattered. The photon is deflected by the electron and it's original direction of motion is changed but it maintains the same energy, i.e. wavelength. The deflection of the photon results in momentum exchange whereby after the collision the photon has a new momentum (from the altered direction) and likewise the electron must "recoil" in order to conserve momentum.

This is what is perplexing - it would seem that after scattering if the original photon is at its exact same original energy/wavelength then this would imply that the electron could not have any energy "given" to it by the photon. BUT if the photon has a new momentum then the electron MUST have had its momentum and kinetic energy changed (absorbing or giving energy from/to the photon) to account for conservation of momentum?

How can these two opposing ideas be reconciled? Essentially, the question boils down to how can a photon have the same original energy but changed momentum after scattering? Is elastic scattering truly elastic or are there slight decreases/increases in wavelength of light after the scattering incident?

submitted by /u/robedude
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We’ve hybridized things like ligers. If ethics weren’t an issue, what could humans themselves hybridize with, if anything?

Posted: 07 Oct 2018 02:32 PM PDT

Does thermal expansion contribute to rising sea levels?

Posted: 07 Oct 2018 12:04 PM PDT

In my English student's book (On Screen B2+, pg. 38-39), the authors state that the main contribution to rising sea levels is thermal expansion, and while that does make sense, I have never heard this theory, and feel like its not significant enough compared to melting ice, so does thermal expansion contribute a lot to rising sea levels?

submitted by /u/Player9050
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Do rain drop bursts mid air in certain conditions? What is it called?

Posted: 07 Oct 2018 02:41 PM PDT

About two years ago in a light rain on top of a building, I saw many drops coming towards my face and burst into few small drops mid air. It was mesmerizing, because their direction was right towards me and they were light and not so fast, I was able to track them with eyes and watched them split mid air. I can explain in more detail if needed.

It continued for 5-7 minutes and then air changed its path and slowed down and the scene ended. What is this phenomenon called? Are there any videos or pictures of it? I could not find it on Internet.

submitted by /u/lifeh2o
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Why did the Chernobyl plant have to be encased?

Posted: 07 Oct 2018 01:32 PM PDT

I've been reading about the second Sarcophagus and the amount of planning and funding that went into it. Why was the first "tomb" only slated to last 20 years? Can the radiation actually eat through the concrete/other materials that were covering the exposed core?

submitted by /u/VarokSaurfang
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Do we experience significant time dilation because of how fast we are moving relative to a still point in space?

Posted: 07 Oct 2018 10:58 PM PDT

Because we are so small, we're moved around by a lot of things. As humans we rotate on earth, earth is revolving around the sun. The sun is revolving around our galaxy, and our galaxy is moving away from other galaxies. So my question is, if we were to compare our relative time to a completely still point. Would there be a significant difference? And if so, about how big would it be?

submitted by /u/Hungryshark211
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When it's said the amplitude of a spherical wave decreases at 1/d², shouldn't it be 1/(1+d²) to avoid absurd results at 0:1m?

Posted: 07 Oct 2018 11:33 PM PDT

Has climate change made weather forecasting more difficult?

Posted: 07 Oct 2018 07:52 AM PDT

In my Environmental Science class, we've been talking about the carbon cycle a lot. Because I learned that CO2 specifically contributes to climate change, I was wondering if due to the rapidly rising CO2 levels and a rising average global temperature, if that has made weather forecasting more difficult.

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Why do hurricanes turn north as they approach North America?

Posted: 07 Oct 2018 12:14 PM PDT

Perhaps this is just a false perception I have, but it seems that hurricanes tend to turn north as they approach North and Central America. I doubt that is a matter of ocean currents, though I know they turn north as well. But look at Tropical Storm Michael now. It is currently near the Yucatan, but it is projected to shoot north and then to the northeast. Why does this happen?

https://weather.com/storms/hurricane/news/2018-10-07-tropical-storm-hurricane-michael-forecast-gulf-coast-florida

submitted by /u/brjohn9
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Why are humans and animals not fertile all the time?

Posted: 07 Oct 2018 03:32 PM PDT

I'm fairly well informed on the human menstrual cycle, so I'm not looking for an explanation of that.
My question is, from an evolutionary standpoint, why are animals not fertile all the time?

I learned that female pandas are only fertile 36 hours per year.

It seems unlikely that it costs the body a lot of resources to produce an ovum.

The only reason I can imagine is just to regulate a species' population growth.

submitted by /u/Bawbalicious
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Do deaf people with dyslexia have a hard time understanding sign language?

Posted: 07 Oct 2018 03:14 PM PDT

Sign language involves interpreting language using visual interpretation, so would dyslexia make that difficult? Or does sign language go through a different path in the brain?

PS not sure which flair is most suitable - sorry if it's a bad choice!

submitted by /u/Just_A_Dogsbody
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Can animal remains fossilize on the ocean floor?

Posted: 07 Oct 2018 12:41 PM PDT

Why is vitamin A specifically prescribed for patients with measles?

Posted: 07 Oct 2018 06:32 AM PDT

Sorry for the stupid question

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Sunday, October 7, 2018

What causes an ice age, and is it possible for us to have another one/when could the nearest one be?

What causes an ice age, and is it possible for us to have another one/when could the nearest one be?


What causes an ice age, and is it possible for us to have another one/when could the nearest one be?

Posted: 06 Oct 2018 07:02 PM PDT

why is Hilbert space useful in quantum mechanics?

Posted: 07 Oct 2018 06:30 AM PDT

I believe I understand the mathematics of Hilbert spaces, but don't understand how their properties are useful for quantum mechanics in a visual sense. What is it about the dot product that applies to, say, probability amplitudes? I'm trying to understand this smbc comic if that's helpful. Sorry if this question is too basic for this sub.

submitted by /u/The_Venerable_Swede
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Is there any standard folding or organisation to the GI tract, specifically the small intestine?

Posted: 06 Oct 2018 10:19 PM PDT

Does it change as we grow? Does it depend on body size? Is it genetic?

submitted by /u/MechaDesu
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I have an atom with an excited electron. A mile in every direction are cameras pointing towards the atom. The excited electron drops orbit and one photon is emitted. Who gets the photon on film? Can it register on all the cameras?

Posted: 07 Oct 2018 03:01 AM PDT

I may have put this terribly, but I want to emit one photon, wave-like in every direction. If photons must have a direction then the question does not work, but opens up the new question of, Why?

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Do humans inherit their voices, or is our voice a "learned" skill?

Posted: 06 Oct 2018 09:12 PM PDT

I got to thinking about how some people in families sound similar, not accent, but tone, range, etc. Then I wondered if its a genetic component to how the vocal chords and diaphragm develop, or maybe its a learned behavior/skill from listening to adults as kids, and imitating those voices.

Thoughts?

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Can Deinococcus Radiodurans survive autoclaving?

Posted: 07 Oct 2018 12:34 AM PDT

I am wondering if autoclaves are really all that sterile when working with extremophiles. Cannot seem to find any studies online.

submitted by /u/zhandragon
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How do experiments with high power requirements arrange their supply of electricity?

Posted: 06 Oct 2018 11:28 AM PDT

It's well known that experiments such as particle accelerators, fusion tocamacs and lasers require extremely high amounts of energy to run; some for a fraction of a second, some for significantly longer.

Do these experiments have their own power stations, as it were? Or do they draw electricity from the national grid of the country their in? If so, how does the grid deal with the momentary spike in demand? Do the experiments have to schedule their demand in advance?

submitted by /u/nottherealslash
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Can someone explain quantization of EM field resulting in photos?

Posted: 06 Oct 2018 10:07 AM PDT

From what I understood googling it, I think we need to use expression for TE of EMF

submitted by /u/thehumblefool237
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Why is the HPV vaccine given in multiple stages?

Posted: 06 Oct 2018 02:04 PM PDT

Is "Limit of Detection" a lower bound or can it also be an upper bound?

Posted: 06 Oct 2018 01:45 PM PDT

I recieved some data recently dealing with chemical contamination in sediments. When I got the data I was told " HARC_Value is calculated field we created that sets the value to 0 if the Limit of Detection is exceeded during sampling processing " when I asked for a little clarification on this I never recieved a response. The language makes me think the value was high, but if that was the case why would it be set to 0 and reported as such? My previous understanding of detection limit was that it was a lower bound. If anyone could clarify this for me I would really appreciate it.

submitted by /u/Claughy
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What medical conditions would prevent you from working with nuclear radiation? Or going places you might be exposed to radiation?

Posted: 06 Oct 2018 11:58 AM PDT

Like would someone with a very compromised immune system or something like hemophilia be prevented from say working near or touring areas where you might be exposed to radiation.

submitted by /u/GorillaGravy
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What percentage of satellites are used for civilian versus military purposes? (Or both?)

Posted: 06 Oct 2018 09:16 AM PDT

This is something sparked from another question about the uses of space, but it occurred to me that there might be people out there with guesses about the relative numbers.

Many satellites currently in orbit serve what we can probably call unambiguously civilian purposes. Sirius XM radio, for example, is pumping out tunes, not war. Many of the satellites serve unambiguously military purposes, too, doing things like spying, looking for missile launches, coordinating command and control systems, playing roles in missile defense, and so on. And some satellites of course straddle the line: GPS, for example, is heavily used by military systems (and was invented and deployed originally for them exclusively), but is also heavily used by civilian systems these days as well.

Is there any kind of census of satellites that would give us a sense of what percentage of them probably fell into these respective categories (civilian, military, dual-use)? I am aware that the boundaries between them are going to be somewhat fuzzy at times, but I'm curious if we have any sense of the relative composition of space. I am just curious — if it was more military, or more civilian, or more dual-use, all of these would be interesting cases.

It would REALLY interesting to know (as a historian) if there is a way to track this over time (e.g., my assumption is that it has gotten more civilian and dual-use over time, but that might be wrong for all I know about satellites, which isn't much), but I'm not expecting that to be easily accessible data, but what do I know.

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Are there fishes which swim up-side-down?

Posted: 06 Oct 2018 04:56 AM PDT

How do Hydrogen Cars work?

Posted: 06 Oct 2018 05:53 AM PDT

How do they use hydrogen to create energy for the engine?

submitted by /u/FireOfNite
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What is the rate of soil development in a grassland vs a forest in the same climate?

Posted: 06 Oct 2018 05:27 AM PDT

A thread yesterday talked about how phytoplankton sequesters carbon longer than trees since it often sinks to the bottom of the ocean for thousands of years.

I have also seen some research suggesting grasslands may be better carbon sinks than forest since more of their biomass is underground. It got me wondering about the relative rates of soil deposition and google didn't net any clear answers.

submitted by /u/RIPEOTCDXVI
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Why is wireless charging so inefficient?

Posted: 06 Oct 2018 04:11 AM PDT

Why is oxygen crucial to life?

Posted: 06 Oct 2018 08:27 AM PDT

I read recently that there have been complex organisms found in the black sea, where the water is relatively anoxic, but my question is why isn't the black sea flourishing with life? Could it be possible that earth would have the amount of life we have today without oxygen, and if so, could intelligent life evolve in such an environment? Is oxygen crucial to having complex organisms or are there other chemicals that could support the amount of life that we have on earth today?

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