Do birds, spiders, and bees learn how to build nests, webs, or hives or is it built in?

---

• Do birds, spiders, and bees learn how to build nests, webs, or hives or is it built in?
• Does every man produce close to 50/50 X/Y sperm, or do some have a heavy bias?
• Why are Basalt Columns Hexagonal?
• Why is metal conductive but rubber isn't? What make something conductive
• Why is there a negative deviation of the Q wave in a QRS complex on lead 2 of an ECG?
• How is light and magnetism different in respect to different techniques to detect them?
• How does our brain store information?
• How long does it take for the energy in the food we eat to be digested and turned into ATP in cells? As an aside, how long does it take for ATP storages to replenish after depleting them - i.e. during powerlifting exercises, for example.
• Do fishes of the deep have a circadian rythm?
• Do countries (Japan, China) where a large part of the population wear face/dust masks have statistically lower occurrences of airborne illness/infections compared to countries (US) that don't wear masks?
• Why does this patch of Arizona have such a clear demarcation in color?
• What happens to the optic part of the brain when someone looses their eyes?
• Why does getting water up your nose burn?
• Is there anything functionally essential to the way the brain is shaped, aside from surface area? Say we let a human brain grow smoothly, without folding, maintaining a normal surface area. Are there any known 'computational' costs?
• Does the fine structure constant of 1/137 imply that there are only 136 possible elements that can be formed?
• What exactly does it mean when doctors refer to a contraceptive as being "99.9% effective"?
• What would walking tangential to the earths curve appear like?
• How do you date rocks? Shouldn't every rock on Earth be 4.6 billion years old?
• A news report I saw said Feb 28 was the end of “meteorological winter.” What does that mean and how is it different than regular winter?
• Can a star orbit another star?
• What species has the largest variation in size between adults?

Do birds, spiders, and bees learn how to build nests, webs, or hives or is it built in? Posted: 08 Mar 2019 03:49 PM PST If it's built in, do humans have anything comparable? submitted by /u/Phosamedo [link] [comments]

Does every man produce close to 50/50 X/Y sperm, or do some have a heavy bias? Posted: 09 Mar 2019 01:17 AM PST submitted by /u/Pastries [link] [comments]

Why are Basalt Columns Hexagonal? Posted: 09 Mar 2019 02:36 AM PST I've learnt that they are made by cooling lava, but just assumed it was hexagonal due to a crystal structure of some kind. However, this article seems to say that they are formed hexagonal because that's the way lava cools. Could anyone explain why? submitted by /u/kiwisflight [link] [comments]

Why is metal conductive but rubber isn't? What make something conductive Posted: 08 Mar 2019 11:15 PM PST submitted by /u/spookytrombones [link] [comments]

Why is there a negative deviation of the Q wave in a QRS complex on lead 2 of an ECG? Posted: 09 Mar 2019 01:33 AM PST Was taught that the Q wave has a slight dip downwards as the electrical impulse travels through the septum of the heart. Idk how it's negative then since it's travelling towards the positive electrode. submitted by /u/imbastion [link] [comments]

How is light and magnetism different in respect to different techniques to detect them? Posted: 08 Mar 2019 08:01 PM PST I have a few questions and they seem to be all over the place from Physics to Biology. So some animals can detect magnetic fields, but light is an oscillating magnetic field, right? So does light interfere with magneto-reception, and vice versa? If no, why not? Why aren't my eyes affected by strong magnetic fields? submitted by /u/AdorabeHummingbirb [link] [comments]

How does our brain store information? Posted: 08 Mar 2019 01:54 PM PST I guess this may be a little unclear. I have been looking at the process of encoding memories. Each node (memory) is reached through an association (connection) to another node. Remember things involves traveling through connected nodes until finding an idea. The strength of each association is related to how frequently and how deeply the connection is made. ​ Right, so this is cool. I understand how memories "work," but how do we store the information as a node? In what form is it stored? ​ Similar to a computer, which stores information in bits, which can be compiled and be usable. How do we store and compile the information? submitted by /u/CosmicJew [link] [comments]

How long does it take for the energy in the food we eat to be digested and turned into ATP in cells? As an aside, how long does it take for ATP storages to replenish after depleting them - i.e. during powerlifting exercises, for example. Posted: 08 Mar 2019 04:03 PM PST submitted by /u/balroag [link] [comments]

Do fishes of the deep have a circadian rythm? Posted: 08 Mar 2019 07:43 PM PST Do creatures like angler fish and the like (question not specific to angler) which live deeper than light penetrates have a 24 cycle etc. If so, what governs it, obviously not sunlight. Also, are they in sync with each other? If not, are there 'time zones' etc Thanks submitted by /u/seeasea [link] [comments]

Do countries (Japan, China) where a large part of the population wear face/dust masks have statistically lower occurrences of airborne illness/infections compared to countries (US) that don't wear masks? Posted: 08 Mar 2019 04:25 PM PST submitted by /u/dub_shih [link] [comments]

Why does this patch of Arizona have such a clear demarcation in color? Posted: 08 Mar 2019 11:16 AM PST I was flying over Arizona this week, and spotted this from the airplane window. The ground has a distinct change in color in a very straight line. What causes this? We thought possibly a fence or something affecting the flow of dirt, but it goes on for miles and over a large canyon. If you look closely you can also see the wind patterns on the ground continue over the color change line. (It is NOT the airplane window or photoshop.) We found it on Google maps and it's the Ha Ho No Geh Canyon area. Photo Here: https://imgur.com/aKZDBFH submitted by /u/woofwoofgrrl [link] [comments]

What happens to the optic part of the brain when someone looses their eyes? Posted: 08 Mar 2019 10:12 PM PST Let's say, in a terrible world where someone gets both eyes dramatically clawed from their sockets by an eagle, what would they see? There was recently a TIL post about the eyes not seeing "black" when they are closed, they experience the color "eigengrau". So what would the brain see without eyes at all? Would they see actual black or just eigengrau? Does the same apply for completely blind people? Does the optic section of the brain continue to try and process information or does it just kind of die? submitted by /u/schmelk1000 [link] [comments]

Why does getting water up your nose burn? Posted: 08 Mar 2019 12:26 PM PST submitted by /u/avscapetown [link] [comments]

Is there anything functionally essential to the way the brain is shaped, aside from surface area? Say we let a human brain grow smoothly, without folding, maintaining a normal surface area. Are there any known 'computational' costs? Posted: 08 Mar 2019 02:42 PM PST Clearly this brain wouldn't fit inside a human skull, but let's say for the sake of argument we have a miraculous brain-in-a-vat situation that solves all obvious problems. submitted by /u/woodencrayon [link] [comments]

Does the fine structure constant of 1/137 imply that there are only 136 possible elements that can be formed? Posted: 08 Mar 2019 10:11 AM PST My understanding is probably vastly oversimplified but if the electromagnetic force is indeed 137 times weaker than the strong nuclear force, then wouldn't the repulsion of the protons in the nucleus due to the EM force overcome the attraction of the protons due to the SN force when 137 or more protons are present, therefore giving us a largest possible viable atomic number of 136? submitted by /u/0x4d_ [link] [comments]

What exactly does it mean when doctors refer to a contraceptive as being "99.9% effective"? Posted: 08 Mar 2019 01:39 PM PST I presume it means that if I have sex 1000 times while using it, there's the same risk of getting pregnant as if I hadn't used it. But I have no idea really and there are a lot of ways to interpret it. Can a medical professional clear this up? How safe exactly is it? One in a thousand doesn't really sound that safe. submitted by /u/AcesFullOfKings [link] [comments]

What would walking tangential to the earths curve appear like? Posted: 08 Mar 2019 06:07 PM PST Note: So for the sake of the thought experiment I'm gonna assume the earth is a sphere - not technically true, but I don't believe it should materially alter the question. If you were to essentially have a long perfectly straight girder, perfectly balanced and sitting on the equator of the earth tangentially, what would it look like? Would it appear to be the steepest mountain, gaining height exponentially as the curvature of the earth fades away? I'd you were to walk it would appear to be exponential, or a linear gradient as gravity would constantly pull you towards the earth's centre? submitted by /u/Bardzly [link] [comments]

How do you date rocks? Shouldn't every rock on Earth be 4.6 billion years old? Posted: 08 Mar 2019 08:55 AM PST submitted by /u/SHOCK_VALUE_USERNAME [link] [comments]

A news report I saw said Feb 28 was the end of “meteorological winter.” What does that mean and how is it different than regular winter? Posted: 08 Mar 2019 07:35 PM PST submitted by /u/AkumaBengoshi [link] [comments]

Can a star orbit another star? Posted: 08 Mar 2019 10:19 AM PST And if so, could the combination of the two stars create a sustainable environment on a planet or planets? Can a planet orbit the star orbiting the star? submitted by /u/NightProwlerIV [link] [comments]

What species has the largest variation in size between adults? Posted: 08 Mar 2019 01:23 PM PST Talking to my buddies and we're trying to figure out what animal has the largest size percentage variation. For example a 7'0 human compared to a 5'0 human is a pretty big variation. I'm not counting dogs or any other species that humans have bred to be different sizes or abnormal genetic mutations. My guess is some sort of rodent that can be 1-6 lbs or something like that. submitted by /u/GrammerNasi [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
Google, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, United States

If you put a giant mirror on the floor of the earth and make a photo from a satelite, what would you be able to see?

---

• If you put a giant mirror on the floor of the earth and make a photo from a satelite, what would you be able to see?
• What makes a metal an ohmic conductor or a non-ohmic one?
• AskScience AMA Series: I am Dr. Nina Kraus and will talk about how music and concussion impact brain health. Ask Me Anything!
• Is there such a thing as identical twins in the animal world outside of humans?
• From the modern definition of a second, how do we know that the transition time between the two hyperfine levels of the ground state of cesium 133 atom is a constant?
• Does the US government run scientific experiments to determine if policies work?
• Why do shockwaves make the shape they make?
• Raw eggs left in a glass of water produce white strings that are different sizes . What are they and what contributes to the size of strings?
• How did we calculate the age and lifespan of the universe?
• Why Electrons don’t collide with matter in Cherenkov Radiation?
• What exactly is renormalization, why was it long considered unsatisfactory and how was it eventually proven to be mathematically sound?
• What are the limiting factors for screen size?
• Is there a universe scaled coordination system like there is longitude/latitude on planet surfaces?
• Why do we use parsecs instead of 3.26 lightyears?
• How do we determine the force of an electromagnet?
• Do shadows have reflections? If a light from a window is shown on a mirror and bounces back to the wall in front of it that you see the light on the wall, can a shadow from a person do the same?
• How many weeks are really in a year?
• How do the laws of quantum mechanics apply to complex situations?
• Why do doctors hold our testicles and make us cough as part of a medical exam ?
• Why doesn't lava dry out within a volcano?

If you put a giant mirror on the floor of the earth and make a photo from a satelite, what would you be able to see? Posted: 08 Mar 2019 12:57 AM PST In my class this came up in a discussion and we were unsure what the result would be. The mirror would be blue, as it reflects the color from the sky The mirror would be black as it reflects the "color" from outer space The mirror would be white as the refraction from the atmosohere gets canceled ​ Edit 1: Thanks for your answers. My conclusion of this would be, that the image of the mirror would be blue (if there is no sun in the frame) ​ submitted by /u/Coolman105 [link] [comments]

What makes a metal an ohmic conductor or a non-ohmic one? Posted: 07 Mar 2019 03:42 PM PST I've learnt that metals like copper is ohmic while tungsten is non-ohmic, but is there a reason behind these properties? (Also, out of curiosity, are gold and silver also ohmic conductors?) submitted by /u/JustANyanCat [link] [comments]

AskScience AMA Series: I am Dr. Nina Kraus and will talk about how music and concussion impact brain health. Ask Me Anything! Posted: 08 Mar 2019 04:00 AM PST How do our experiences, such as learning how to play music and playing sports, affect our brain? Although we are surrounded by sound all of the time, we rarely give much thought to this invisible yet powerful companion. The auditory system is a uniquely complex sensory system and the ability to make sense of sound relies on exquisite precision by the brain. Given the complexity and precision of the auditory system, accurate sound processing is particularly vulnerable to head injury. On the other hand, its precision can be honed by activities that exercise the auditory brain such as playing a musical instrument. We have discovered a way to objectively capture the imprint that sounds leave on our brains. This biological approach empowers us to learn more and more about this invisible ally and enemy of brain health. Dr. Kraus will examine the promise of measuring soundprints in the brain to assess and manage sports-related concussions. She will discuss how music training is beneficial for the brain, strengthens our communication skills, and can inform health care, education, and social policy. Dr. Kraus will be here at 2:00 CT (3 ET, 19 UT). Ask her anything! Links: www.brainvolts.northwestern.edu http://www.brainvolts.northwestern.edu/projects/concussion/index.php http://www.brainvolts.northwestern.edu/projects/music/index.php http://www.brainvolts.northwestern.edu/projects/neuroeducation/index.php http://www.brainvolts.northwestern.edu/projects/neuroeducation/advocacy.php articles: Kraus N, White-Schwoch T (2017) Neurobiology of everyday communication: what have we learned from music? *The Neuroscientist(. 23(3): 287-298. Kraus N, Nicol T (2017) The power of sound for brain health. Nature Human Behaviour. 1: 700-702 Kraus N, Thompson EC, Krizman J, Cook K, White-Schwoch T, LaBella CR (2016) Auditory biological marker of concussion in children. Nature: Scientific Reports. 6: 39009. submitted by /u/AskScienceModerator [link] [comments]

Is there such a thing as identical twins in the animal world outside of humans? Posted: 07 Mar 2019 05:44 PM PST submitted by /u/thrtysmthng [link] [comments]

From the modern definition of a second, how do we know that the transition time between the two hyperfine levels of the ground state of cesium 133 atom is a constant? Posted: 08 Mar 2019 01:51 AM PST Have we found a ground basis for the definition of second that is completely reliable? Even if we were moving closer to the speed of light? What about exceptionally massive objects, could the space time distortion affect the time that it takes for the transition to occur? submitted by /u/agasabellaba [link] [comments]

Does the US government run scientific experiments to determine if policies work? Posted: 07 Mar 2019 08:08 PM PST submitted by /u/CelestialFingerprint [link] [comments]

Why do shockwaves make the shape they make? Posted: 07 Mar 2019 11:52 PM PST So today in the newspaper was this article (https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-03-08/nasa-captures-incredible-images-of-supersonic-shockwaves-intera/10882590) which shows shockwaves coming from aircraft at supersonic speeds. I understand that as the object approaches the speed of sound the bow waves in the air (themselves travelling at the speed of sound) get closer together, until they merge into a single big shockwave to create the sonic boom. Fine. But nevertheless each individual shockwave (or the sum of them), is still travelling outwards from individual points (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonic_boom#/media/File:Dopplereffectsourcemovingrightatmach1.4.gif) in expanding circles. But the images in the newspaper article show the shockwaves coming off the front of the plane practically horizontally, rather than in a circular shape. It's as if somehow the air which is 20m to the left or right of the plane is being compressed by the front of the plane, even though the plane is only 1m "in front" of the spot being compressed. How can that be? Surely as the plane goes faster, the bow wave becomes more linear in shape, not more horizontal, no? submitted by /u/quixotic33 [link] [comments]

Raw eggs left in a glass of water produce white strings that are different sizes . What are they and what contributes to the size of strings? Posted: 08 Mar 2019 01:42 AM PST https://i.imgur.com/k8z9sQu.jpg I posted it on r/whatisthisthing and got destroyed. Answers given: "Protiens and fats solidifying as the water dissolves", "Convection currents" and "not all eggs are exactly the same". submitted by /u/MamasMilkFactory [link] [comments]

How did we calculate the age and lifespan of the universe? Posted: 07 Mar 2019 07:21 PM PST We have an estimate of how old the universe is and when it will end. But how accurate are these numbers? Did we find the oldest star or celestial object and deduce that it existed since the start? Also, how do we know when the universe will end. Did we calculate the expansion rate? submitted by /u/Pakmanjosh [link] [comments]

Why Electrons don’t collide with matter in Cherenkov Radiation? Posted: 08 Mar 2019 07:43 AM PST I saw some video on youtube about the Cherenkov Radiation, and it explained very well except for one thing, why don't the electrons collide with the matter (water molecules or other electrons) and become slower than the speed of light in water or even at the same speed? submitted by /u/Darkius90s [link] [comments]

What exactly is renormalization, why was it long considered unsatisfactory and how was it eventually proven to be mathematically sound? Posted: 07 Mar 2019 03:17 PM PST submitted by /u/tyler1128 [link] [comments]

What are the limiting factors for screen size? Posted: 07 Mar 2019 09:30 PM PST When you see massive displays over 80,90,100" they are often compromised of several smaller screens. Other than cost what factors, if any, limit how big a monitor can be and how does maximum size and limitations differ across different types of screens? submitted by /u/jphath57 [link] [comments]

Is there a universe scaled coordination system like there is longitude/latitude on planet surfaces? Posted: 07 Mar 2019 07:29 PM PST This has been on my mind for a while. It all started when thinking about the concept of how we can pinpoint locations on earth with just latitude and longitude. simple enough. BUT then mind jumped to how I could relate that location to the sun....great, 3 dimensions. Beyond the dimension of time, I cant conceptualize one would pinpoint a location on earth in relation to the universe. The universe is moving, expanding, and perceptions of times vary throughout. Is there a universe oriented coordinate system that includes the various dimensions in play? submitted by /u/familyman2017 [link] [comments]

Why do we use parsecs instead of 3.26 lightyears? Posted: 07 Mar 2019 03:37 PM PST I just learned this in school so I know near nothing about parsecs, so sorry if the answer is obvious. I just don't see the reason to say parsecs instead of using lightyears everywhere, you know, using one word and not multiple ones would be less confusing. Or are there certain things you can only do with parsecs? submitted by /u/h00g00 [link] [comments]

How do we determine the force of an electromagnet? Posted: 07 Mar 2019 09:23 PM PST How can we accurately determine a pull force of an electromagnet? Say I have one of those Junkyard magnet that is use to lift cars and such, and have a certain amount of current running through it how do I calculate the maximum force that the electromagnet can pull? submitted by /u/LifeofPCIE [link] [comments]

Do shadows have reflections? If a light from a window is shown on a mirror and bounces back to the wall in front of it that you see the light on the wall, can a shadow from a person do the same? Posted: 08 Mar 2019 02:39 AM PST submitted by /u/Boopable_Snootable [link] [comments]

How many weeks are really in a year? Posted: 07 Mar 2019 08:53 PM PST We're told: 365 days in a year, 52 weeks in year, 7 days in a week. But... 365 days / 7 days in a week = 52.14285 weeks per year Is it just common for us to round down to 52 weeks in a year? From what I understand, this is not why we have a leap year but I could be mistaken. Can anyone explain this a little better? This actually came up in an animal nutrition class when calculating costs. Edit: after reading my post maybe I am asking the wrong question. Maybe it would be better to ask what happens to the .14285 in the grand scheme of things? submitted by /u/mrmarks18 [link] [comments]

How do the laws of quantum mechanics apply to complex situations? Posted: 08 Mar 2019 12:27 AM PST I have recently taken up reading on Quantum Mechanics and one confusing paradigm I came across was that according to a theory in Quantum Mechanics (please correct me if I'm wrong), what we see and perceive is what our brains make us see and perceive. This includes the people around us, and everything else. One dilema I have been facing is if for example, I perceive a specific person or a thing, then why does everyone else perceive the same things and in the same manner as I do? Shouldn't everyone have their own different and exclusive perceivable objects and persons? Is there a intermingling theory that I'm missing out? I am just at the tip of the iceberg of quantum mechanics so there might be a very simple explanation to this. Spare me if this is a very dumb question. submitted by /u/_PiJay_ [link] [comments]

Why do doctors hold our testicles and make us cough as part of a medical exam ? Posted: 07 Mar 2019 01:52 PM PST submitted by /u/TheRabbitHole-512 [link] [comments]

Why doesn't lava dry out within a volcano? Posted: 07 Mar 2019 09:16 PM PST Is lava/magma consistently being produced so that this doesn't occur? If it doesn't dry out, what keeps it heated within a volcano? submitted by /u/NewShadenfreude [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
Google, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, United States

Why do Auroras change colours? Why are some colours rarer than others?

---

• Why do Auroras change colours? Why are some colours rarer than others?
• Could a fast enough spaceship become a black hole?
• Does cannibalism REALLY have adverse side effects or is that just something people say?
• What allows the element "oganesson" to have its (apparently) unique properties?
• How does the "plug" of skin cut out by injecting someone with a hypodermic needle or IV not clog the needle and then get pushed into the blood stream and cause problems by clogging capillary blood vessels?
• Why did multicellular organisms evolve genders?
• Can Hardness be calculated from Toughness and material strength?
• Time dilation due to gravity AND due to velocity (are they multiplicative?)
• Is there a large difference in in underwater pressure in a river where the water is potentially deep and swiftly moving?
• Hadron & recombination epochs: why do they always use "free electrons" as the culprit for blocking light?
• What is the glassy looking substance breaking off of a space shuttle/rocket when it is launching?
• What is the earthly origin of the oxygen we breath?
• What precisely makes a fusion-weapon "better" than a fission-weapon?
• Are there any organisms that can live in oil?
• Are there any chemicals that act as excitatory transmitters on ligand-gated potassium channels?
• Are death penalties recipients' blood and organs viable after chemical injection? If so, are blood and organs put on transplant lists?
• What products do E. Coli excrete?
• Can bacteria go extinct?
• At what stage do people typically "feel" cancer? How is it possible for someone to just get diagnosed at stage 4, at that point of metastasization shouldn't the person be in massive pain at stage 3 already?
• Why doesn't the sunset light all of the water?
• What makes ice slippery? Even when it is below freezing ice is still slippery?
• How do fruits and vegetables stay "fresh" in their peels after they're picked?

Why do Auroras change colours? Why are some colours rarer than others? Posted: 06 Mar 2019 10:55 PM PST submitted by /u/hzeme1 [link] [comments]

Could a fast enough spaceship become a black hole? Posted: 06 Mar 2019 07:32 AM PST Any object with mass gains weight as it gains speed. Near the speed of light we always say that it gains "infinite" mass, thus it requires infinite enegy to get to the speed of light. My question is that is there a point where the object is so massive because of this that its radius would become lower than the Schwarzschild radius, and should become a black hole? If yes, what would happen? Wouldn't the object slow down enough, that it would revert back from this state? Let's assume, that we have a spaceship that can stand the forces imparted on it, we have infinite fuel, and an infinite clear path in space to do that. Edit: Thank you for all the great answers, and thank you for the stranger who gave the post gold. <3 u all submitted by /u/A11ce [link] [comments]

Does cannibalism REALLY have adverse side effects or is that just something people say? Posted: 07 Mar 2019 01:07 AM PST submitted by /u/TacoRising [link] [comments]

What allows the element "oganesson" to have its (apparently) unique properties? Posted: 07 Mar 2019 12:06 AM PST See this comment: Oganesson is really strange. It might not have any electron shells, and it's probably a solid at room temperature - which is mad considering it's in the noble gases! https://www.chemistryworld.com/news/immense-oganesson-projected-to-have-no-electron-shells/3008104.article Apparently its strangeness is due to relativistic effects, but I don't really understand what that precisely means. See this comment that mentions the relativistic effects: It's not so much the properties of the element, but properties of the isotope of that element. You'd get much longer lived isotopes, so you could have an element that lasts years rather than seconds. In terms of the properties of flerovium - that's something that nobody's really sure about at the moment. It looks pretty unreactive, but at this point in the periodic table you start getting huge relativistic effects. The most interesting upshot of that theorised so far is with element 118 - which might not have electron shells! submitted by /u/FunUniverse1778 [link] [comments]

How does the "plug" of skin cut out by injecting someone with a hypodermic needle or IV not clog the needle and then get pushed into the blood stream and cause problems by clogging capillary blood vessels? Posted: 07 Mar 2019 06:12 AM PST From my understanding the needle is hollow with a pointed end, and it seems like this would act like a leather punch and cut a disk of flesh out, which would then clog the needle and be forced into the bloodstream when the medicine is injected. How does this not cause problems when it enters the blood stream? Do needles not work that way? submitted by /u/CokeCanNinja [link] [comments]

Why did multicellular organisms evolve genders? Posted: 07 Mar 2019 02:57 AM PST Life appeared first on this planet as unicellular organisms, and then evolved into multi-cellular ones. However, I was wondering why and how gender came into being in the first place. submitted by /u/ExpertVentriloquist [link] [comments]

Can Hardness be calculated from Toughness and material strength? Posted: 07 Mar 2019 06:59 AM PST Ex. If a material I have heard of but can't access has a reported toughness of 5.7 kJ/m2, and a material strength of 4.8x1011 Pa, as defined by this graph. submitted by /u/DeismAccountant [link] [comments]

Time dilation due to gravity AND due to velocity (are they multiplicative?) Posted: 06 Mar 2019 01:02 PM PST So, in other words (and without the advantage of the Einstein field equations because they're over my head at this point). ​ I understand that I can calculate gamma using Sqrt(1-v^2/c^2) for an object orbiting a planet of mass M. Whatever the orbital speed needed to orbit at altitude R will plug in and give us the time dilation due to velocity. BUT, at the same time another gamma = Sqrt(1-2GM/Rc^2) because of gravity. Can you find total time dilation (relative to stationary earth observer) by multiplying both gamma's together? ​ t = t`(gammaGravity)(gammaVeloctiy) ? Thank you to anybody willing to explain! ​ submitted by /u/MrPhysics2013 [link] [comments]

Is there a large difference in in underwater pressure in a river where the water is potentially deep and swiftly moving? Posted: 06 Mar 2019 07:42 PM PST ​ Does the water increase in pressure when it goes around a bend? Or does the water act like rush hour traffic and bumper to bumper its way around? Also taking into account the weight of the water above it. I know water does not compress, but I would assume the mass of the water would put some force on itself around a turn. I am also wondering about friction, would the water in the middle of a river be moving faster than the water along shore? If so does that mean there are essentially currents in the river so some is moving faster than the other? If the water is moving faster around a bend does that increase its erosion potential due to faster flow, or higher pressure from depth or inertia? ​ I know this is way more than one question that I am asking but the more I thought about it the more questions I had. What triggered this rabbit hole was a curiosity about flash floods and how the initial debris field looks like a bulldozer. I was curious about how powerful the water is and how much soil it has the potential to cleave out from the landscape. I enjoy farming and I know here in Northern California Valley much of our rich soil came from the flooding of the mountain and foothill areas. ​ submitted by /u/Commando0861 [link] [comments]

Hadron & recombination epochs: why do they always use "free electrons" as the culprit for blocking light? Posted: 07 Mar 2019 02:58 AM PST Actually this includes 2 related questions: Why is Thomson scattering only caused by charged particles? EM radiation is weightless and isn't affected by charge. Therefore, why can't neutrons, neutral atoms and molecules scatter light just like free charged particles? The 2nd one is more important. Near the beginning of the universe, there must be about equal amount of protons and electrons. As they're all free, and as the Compton wavelength of the proton is way way smaller than the electron (3 orders of magnitude), it is so much better at scattering light. Not to mention that its surface is also way bigger than the electron, therefore the chance of a photon encountering it is also magnified compared to that tiny electron. So why scientific papers always claim that light is effectively blocked by electrons without any mention to our bigger heroes, like in the Wikipedia article), for example: "This plasma was effectively opaque to electromagnetic radiation due to Thomson scattering by free electrons, as the mean free path each photon could travel before encountering an electron was very short."? submitted by /u/Long_try [link] [comments]

What is the glassy looking substance breaking off of a space shuttle/rocket when it is launching? Posted: 06 Mar 2019 04:51 PM PST submitted by /u/irish_coffee1 [link] [comments]

What is the earthly origin of the oxygen we breath? Posted: 06 Mar 2019 07:29 PM PST If I were to select a random molecule of oxygen that I just breathed and then trace it back to it's origins...what would it originate from on earth (or atmosphere)? Also, what is the path that that molecule took to reach my lungs today? What were the major steps it took to get here? submitted by /u/speerow22 [link] [comments]

What precisely makes a fusion-weapon "better" than a fission-weapon? Posted: 06 Mar 2019 04:06 PM PST My understanding is that a fusion-weapon only gets 50% of its yield from fusion (at most) and 50% of its yield from fission. An expert mentioned that nobody has been able to make a bomb that gets 100% of its yield from fusion. (There have been efforts to come up with such a bomb, because fusion-products are not as nasty as fission-products, so a 100%-fusion bomb would have less-nasty fallout than any current bomb. However, these efforts have failed.) This "no more than 50%" fact surprised me (if indeed it's true). My naive impression was that fusion was the "next level" in nuclear weaponry, and that you would merely have a fission-trigger; i.e., fission would account for some tiny fraction of the yield, and it would be 99% fusion-based yield. The fission would be just to get the thing started. But if we're talking about 50-50, then that's rather unimpressive in terms of the fusion aspect. What's so impressive about the fusion-aspect in these weapons? See here for the expert-claim about how fusion generally only gives you 50% of your yield. Edit: What exactly does the neutron-generator do/achieve? See here for the expert's description. I don't get what that really adds to the equation; just some extra neutrons? But how can that be relevant or add anything to the equation, given that there will be a massive number of neutrons released from the fissioning Uranium (which is the whole point, because is what causes the whole exponential chain-reaction)? submitted by /u/FunUniverse1778 [link] [comments]

Are there any organisms that can live in oil? Posted: 07 Mar 2019 12:33 AM PST In the same way that organisms live in water in the sea. From reading online, oxygen can be dissolved in oils (hydrocarbons) so this may indicate life is possible. However as oil molecules do not have a charge, they cannot dissolve salt and i assume other minerals, which may make it harder for life. submitted by /u/AchillesFirstStand [link] [comments]

Are there any chemicals that act as excitatory transmitters on ligand-gated potassium channels? Posted: 06 Mar 2019 08:20 PM PST I know that Tetrodotoxin acts on potassium channels to inhibit them, messing up action potentials. From what I understand, an increase in activation of potassium channels seem to do nothing to the resting potential, since they (most of them) are always open anyways, so are there any chemicals that increase activation of K channels, and do they do anything to action potentials? submitted by /u/bennettsaucyman [link] [comments]

Are death penalties recipients' blood and organs viable after chemical injection? If so, are blood and organs put on transplant lists? Posted: 06 Mar 2019 04:52 PM PST I know they inject the criminals with certain chemicals and compounds in the form of anesthetics, shut down lungs, and the heart. Do these injections make blood and organs unusable? If the blood and organs ARE viable, does anyone know if they are put on transplant lists? submitted by /u/Bulbasaur_King [link] [comments]

What products do E. Coli excrete? Posted: 07 Mar 2019 12:12 AM PST What does E. coli excrete? submitted by /u/REDoROBOT [link] [comments]

Can bacteria go extinct? Posted: 06 Mar 2019 07:10 PM PST Are there any reported cases of bacteria going extinct? How would/does that play into our definition of a communicable disease being eradicated (assuming it's bacterial)? submitted by /u/NeedRandomButton [link] [comments]

At what stage do people typically "feel" cancer? How is it possible for someone to just get diagnosed at stage 4, at that point of metastasization shouldn't the person be in massive pain at stage 3 already? Posted: 06 Mar 2019 05:27 PM PST Just heard at Alex Trebek (Jeopardy! Host) was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer. From what I know pancreatic cancer takes a long time (an average of 11.7 years before the first cancer cell develops within a high-grade pancreatic lesion, then an average of 6.8 years as the cancer grows and at least one cell has the potential to spread) and doesn't present a lot of symptoms at first. I understand normal people not having the time or money or even access to get checkups so they ignore that pain in their side that comes and goes until its too late, but again, Alex doesn't have any of those problems. Hes also 78, and shouldn't men be getting colonoscopies like every 10 years after 50? How does something like this slip through the medical health cracks for someone like Alex. submitted by /u/ja20n123 [link] [comments]

Why doesn't the sunset light all of the water? Posted: 06 Mar 2019 06:14 PM PST I know it sounds bizarre but hear me out: When I watch a sunset on the beach, I see a beam of orange light on the surface of the water from the sun to me. When I move, it follows, and two people at different points have different lines of reflection. Why doesn't the light simply spread out and reflect across all the water, not just the streak in front of the source? Shouldn't it all be orange? I just saw a Reddit post of a sunset above the clouds, and even then, it reflects in that same line of orange, not across all the nearby clouds. The fact that cameras capture it tells me it isn't our eyes/brains, so what is it? submitted by /u/SpencersBuddySocko [link] [comments]

What makes ice slippery? Even when it is below freezing ice is still slippery? Posted: 06 Mar 2019 04:19 PM PST Even hockey rinks or rubbing to ice cubes outside when it below freezing. submitted by /u/Buzzinyo [link] [comments]

How do fruits and vegetables stay "fresh" in their peels after they're picked? Posted: 06 Mar 2019 05:23 PM PST submitted by /u/refinedcretin [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
Google, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, United States