AskScience AMA Series: We are the Vanderbilt Music Cognition Lab, studying the biological basis of musical and language abilities. Ask Us Anything about musicality, language, brain and genetics! AMA!

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• AskScience AMA Series: We are the Vanderbilt Music Cognition Lab, studying the biological basis of musical and language abilities. Ask Us Anything about musicality, language, brain and genetics! AMA!
• Solar panels directly convert sunlight into electricity. Are there technologies to do so with heat more efficiently than steam turbines?
• Why is Tritium radioactive?
• What is the largest animal alive today that lives exclusively in rivers?
• Is there a way to know if a piece of information (document/file) was created at certain point, but not in a future time?
• Do plants have immune systems?
• What is the youngest (most recently formed) a piece of granite could be? I just read that they can be as old as 4 billion years, but it’s mind-boggling to think that I’m putting rocks that could be millions — let alone billions — of years old in the bottom of pots for my houseplants.
• Why do do electrons pair up in carbon ground state 2s orbital but don't pair up in the sp2 hybridised orbitals?
• How is it that 3 quarks together (in a proton) happen to have the exact opposite charge of a totally different type of unitary particle (an electron)?
• How does the COVID-19 virus affect apes, especially chimps?
• How do astronauts avoid harmful rays from the sun or get sunburn while in space?
• Would it actually be possible to create the most stable possible isotopes of elements heavier than einsteinium?
• Why is there so much concern about flu season this year, given that anti-COVID measures also work against flu?
• How do we know if herd immunity has been developed against a certain strain of virus/infection? Any examples in history?
• What are the most common ways for Covid to be spread?
• Covalent bonds are stronger than ionic?
• What distinguishes time from the other 3 spatial dimensions? Couldn't time just be seen as a 4th spatial dimension?

AskScience AMA Series: We are the Vanderbilt Music Cognition Lab, studying the biological basis of musical and language abilities. Ask Us Anything about musicality, language, brain and genetics! AMA! Posted: 21 Sep 2020 04:00 AM PDT We are the Vanderbilt Music Cognition Lab, a research team dedicated to studying the relationship between musical skills and communication skills. We use tools from psychology, neuroscience, genetics, medicine, and engineering to better understand how and why humans engage with music and to what degree musicality interacts with language and social communication. Many of you readers probably have intuitions about how people with a more "musical ear" might have a leg up while learning a new language, or about how musical talent runs in families, or that children's music skills may be affected by the musical environment to which they are exposed. But did you know that what scientists are learning about music, genetics, and the brain may even be important for our understanding of childhood speech-language development? In 2015 we showed that children's rhythm skills are predictive of their spoken language skills. Many studies have also found that people with reading disability and speech problems are more likely to have difficulty with music rhythm. Our recent paper reviewed evidence for a new framework about rhythm and speech-language development. Discoveries in this emerging area could help solve an urgent public health problem, which is that many children with language problems are not getting identified or treated! Alongside this AMA, there is an opportunity to participate in research. Do you have good rhythm? Or is rhythm hard for you? All skill levels are welcome! Our new study examines the biological basis of musical rhythm, with an online rhythm test and optional mail-in saliva collection. Participants can choose to receive their rhythm scores at the end of the survey! Participation takes 10-20 minutes. Participants can choose to be entered in a raffle to win a $100 Amazon gift card. Click here https://redcap.vanderbilt.edu/surveys/?s=HWJKEPTXJE to learn more. Feel free to contact our team at VanderbiltMusicalityResearch@gmail.com with questions. Principal Investigator: Reyna L. Gordon, Ph.D. Let's talk about the scientific study of music and language in the brain - Ask Me (us) Anything! Bios Reyna Gordon, PhD (/u/Reyna_Gordon): I am an Assistant Professor at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, where I direct the Music Cognition Lab (/u/VandyMusicCog) and also am on the faculty of the Vanderbilt Genetics Institute, the Vanderbilt Brain Institute, and the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center. My research group's interdisciplinary research program is focused on the relationship between rhythm and language abilities from behavioral, cognitive, neural, and genetic perspectives. I am passionate about training students and staff to work across traditional disciplinary boundaries. I hold a PhD in Complex Systems and Brain Sciences, and before I became a cognitive neuroscientist, I was a classically trained singer (my Bachelor's degree is in Vocal Arts!). Eniko Ladanyi, PhD (/u/eladanyi): I am a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Music Cognition Lab of Vanderbilt University Medical Center. I have degrees in linguistics and cognitive science and my current research focuses on associations between rhythm and language skills in typical and atypical speech/language development. I use EEG and behavioral tests to investigate whether rhythm skills at infancy can predict childhood speech/language development and whether children with low speech/language skills also show low rhythm skills. I hope my research will eventually improve screening and therapy of children with speech or language disorders. Daniel Gustavson, PhD (/u/DanielGustavson): I am a Research Instructor at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Trained in cognitive psychology and behavior genetics, I use twin studies and measured genetic data to understand how cognitive abilities relate to everyday behaviors such as procrastination, impulsivity, goal management, and (most recently) music engagement. I'm also interested in how our cognitive abilities (like memory and self-control) change over the course of the lifespan, and what types of factors help us improve the most through childhood and keep us most resilient to decline in old age. I play a range of instruments including guitar, drums, and harmonica. Olivia Boorom MS, CCC-SLP. (/u/OliviaBoorom) I am a certified speech-language pathologist at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center Music Cognition Lab. I use behavioral measures to investigate how language and social communication skills relate to rhythmicity, and how the natural rhythms of our daily interactions impact language development in children with Autism spectrum disorder and Developmental Language Disorder. I'm also interested in how music can be used as a tool to support parents and clinicians during everyday activities and during intervention. Before becoming a clinician I was an avid flute player! Srishti Nayak, PhD (/u/nayaks1): I'm a postdoctoral research fellow at the Music Cognition Lab studying the biological bases of speech rhythms (prosody) and its relationships to musical rhythm and language development. My training is in Developmental Psychology and Cognitive Neuroscience methods, and my work investigates how language environments early in life shape cognitive and neural development. Relatedly, I am interested in how different "domains" of cognition - e.g. our attention system or our emotional brain - interact with language. Given my longstanding interest in language as both an environmental input, and an outcome, my current work investigates bidirectional links between music and language skills, and the possible neural and genetic basis underlying individual variation in these skills. Anna Kasdan, BS (/u/avkazz): I am a third year PhD candidate in the Neuroscience Graduate Program at Vanderbilt University. Broadly, I study the neural basis of rhythm in both neurotypical individuals and in individuals with Williams syndrome and aphasia, using neuroimaging techniques such as EEG as well as behavioral measures. I received my undergraduate degree from Boston University, where I majored in Neuroscience and minored in Piano Performance. submitted by /u/AskScienceModerator [link] [comments]

Solar panels directly convert sunlight into electricity. Are there technologies to do so with heat more efficiently than steam turbines? Posted: 20 Sep 2020 10:00 AM PDT I find it interesting that turning turbines has been the predominant way to convert energy into electricity for the majority of the history of electricity submitted by /u/eagle332288 [link] [comments]

Why is Tritium radioactive? Posted: 21 Sep 2020 06:36 AM PDT Since radioactivity is caused by electromagnetic force outweighing the strong force, how is Tritium radioactive, since it only has one proton and therefore no repulsion? submitted by /u/15Sid [link] [comments]

What is the largest animal alive today that lives exclusively in rivers? Posted: 20 Sep 2020 09:12 AM PDT submitted by /u/Anon_bio [link] [comments]

Is there a way to know if a piece of information (document/file) was created at certain point, but not in a future time? Posted: 21 Sep 2020 04:29 AM PDT Besides something like carbon dating, if I create a piece of information or document, is there any mathematical or computer science way to prove that it was made, for example, on a Monday, and not on Tuesday by someone and put in Mondays date? submitted by /u/kataskopo [link] [comments]

Do plants have immune systems? Posted: 20 Sep 2020 11:49 AM PDT submitted by /u/dancing_all_knight [link] [comments]

What is the youngest (most recently formed) a piece of granite could be? I just read that they can be as old as 4 billion years, but it’s mind-boggling to think that I’m putting rocks that could be millions — let alone billions — of years old in the bottom of pots for my houseplants. Posted: 20 Sep 2020 03:34 PM PDT Seems disrespectful, somehow. submitted by /u/45degreebottle [link] [comments]

Why do do electrons pair up in carbon ground state 2s orbital but don't pair up in the sp2 hybridised orbitals? Posted: 20 Sep 2020 08:06 AM PDT For example, with a CC triple bond, an electron configuration for carbon goes from 2s[2] and 2px[1] 2py[1] to sp[1]sp[1] and then 2px[1] 2py[1] but why don't the new sp hybrid orbitals fill up fully (i.e sp[2]sp[2] and 2p[0]) before the 2px and 2px orbitals like the 2s does in the ground state? I could probably better explain it in diagram format but I hope I get it across lol submitted by /u/Beowulf_8991 [link] [comments]

How is it that 3 quarks together (in a proton) happen to have the exact opposite charge of a totally different type of unitary particle (an electron)? Posted: 20 Sep 2020 12:54 PM PDT That seems weird to me. submitted by /u/Sir_rahsnikwad [link] [comments]

How does the COVID-19 virus affect apes, especially chimps? Posted: 20 Sep 2020 08:22 PM PDT If it affects them too, how do we take precautions we don't spread it to them? If it doesn't, is there something in their dna, that could help us cure it too? submitted by /u/BlacknightEM21 [link] [comments]

How do astronauts avoid harmful rays from the sun or get sunburn while in space? Posted: 20 Sep 2020 07:18 PM PDT submitted by /u/CaptainRelyk [link] [comments]

Would it actually be possible to create the most stable possible isotopes of elements heavier than einsteinium? Posted: 20 Sep 2020 07:36 AM PDT The isotopes of fermium and heavier elements that are the most stable would most likely have magic numbers of neutrons (2, 8, 20, 28, 50, 126, 184, 196, 236, 318). I've been focusing on the magic numbers 126 and 184, since they're the closest to the neutron amounts we have now. I've been trying to figure out what isotopes you could fuse together to create these magic number isotopes, but I don't think it would actually be possible, at least with current technology. This is because the isotopes we have now have neutron numbers that are kind of in between 126 and 184, and reducing or increasing the neutrons would require fusing isotopes that are simply too unstable. Therefore, creating those isotopes would require either multiple rounds of fusion in a single particle accelerator, which would need to be done at speeds that I don't think we've reached yet, or firing two beams of elements like lanthanides at each other, which would require much stronger magnets. Anyway, I'd love to see that technology developed, since it could create isotopes with half-lives of years, possibly enough to produce macroscopic amounts that we can study the properties of. My question is, how long would it take for experiments like this to begin being performed? I feel like doing multiple rounds of fusion wouldn't take more than 20 years to accomplish, but using two beams of elements half the mass of the desired product would probably take longer. As for what isotopes we would start with, I think it would be most efficient to make a magic-number isotope of fermium, then fire protons at it to get heavier elements, but I'm not sure how well that would work. I haven't been able to find answers with my own research, so what are your answers? I'll let you do the work. Thanks. submitted by /u/xXx_LI_xXx [link] [comments]

Why is there so much concern about flu season this year, given that anti-COVID measures also work against flu? Posted: 20 Sep 2020 10:32 AM PDT The front page of the San Francisco Chronicle today says that flu cases are starting to hit the hospitals here and that this is a concern given COVID. We have relatively good mask-wearing compliance here. Why is there so much concern about flu this year given that anti-COVID measures generally work against flu transmission? I understand that anything that strains hospital capacity is bad, but why wouldn't we be expecting a milder than usual flu season? Is influenza more transmissible than Covid? is it transmitted through a different size of aerosol for instance, or more easily transmitted through eye mucosa or something like that? submitted by /u/calibuildr [link] [comments]

How do we know if herd immunity has been developed against a certain strain of virus/infection? Any examples in history? Posted: 20 Sep 2020 09:00 AM PDT submitted by /u/trrishsha [link] [comments]

What are the most common ways for Covid to be spread? Posted: 20 Sep 2020 10:30 AM PDT Even though we're so deep into the pandemic I'n still hazy. Talking to people? Singing to people? Breathing close to people? Touching a surface that someone with Covid touched? Walking through contaminated air? Would appreciate someone clearing it up for me. submitted by /u/MongolianMango [link] [comments]

Covalent bonds are stronger than ionic? Posted: 19 Sep 2020 09:21 PM PDT " Unlike ionic bonds formed by the attraction between a cation's positive charge and an anion's negative charge, molecules formed by a covalent bond share electrons in a mutually stabilizing relationship. Like next-door neighbors whose kids hang out first at one home and then at the other, the atoms do not lose or gain electrons permanently. Instead, the electrons move back and forth between the elements. Because of the close sharing of pairs of electrons (one electron from each of two atoms), covalent bonds are stronger than ionic bonds. " https://opentextbc.ca/anatomyandphysiology/chapter/2-2-chemical-bonds/ ​ Can someone please explain this better. I was always taught that ionic was stronger. My university textbook also says that covalent bonds are stronger submitted by /u/rawr2505 [link] [comments]

What distinguishes time from the other 3 spatial dimensions? Couldn't time just be seen as a 4th spatial dimension? Posted: 19 Sep 2020 04:21 PM PDT submitted by /u/Substantial-Pop-7740 [link] [comments]

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How many strains of coronavirusare most likely out there?

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• How many strains of coronavirusare most likely out there?
• Can you explain in simple terms, why can nothing travel faster than light?
• As climate change heats the Northeastern US, will forested areas see the same wildfires we are seeing in the west?
• Is “Biodegradable Glitter” really biodegradable?
• Can someone explain what RT-PCR for covid19 do?
• Could one of the tectonic plates "snap"?
• Why do we exhale nearly 75% of inhaled oxygen?
• Why does winter precipitation fall as snow instead of hail?
• Why do samples of natural uranium from different parts of the world have slightly different relative atomic masses?
• Why does terminal cancer develop so quickly for dogs and cats (7-15 years) but doesnt develop in people for 70+ years?
• Why would damming the North Sea turn it into fresh water over time, but when the Mediterranean "dried" up millions of years ago it became extremely salty?

How many strains of coronavirusare most likely out there? Posted: 19 Sep 2020 04:49 PM PDT submitted by /u/AfricanNose26 [link] [comments]

Can you explain in simple terms, why can nothing travel faster than light? Posted: 19 Sep 2020 11:30 PM PDT submitted by /u/iYashodhan [link] [comments]

As climate change heats the Northeastern US, will forested areas see the same wildfires we are seeing in the west? Posted: 20 Sep 2020 06:48 AM PDT submitted by /u/magiccradpro [link] [comments]

Is “Biodegradable Glitter” really biodegradable? Posted: 19 Sep 2020 04:22 PM PDT I ordered glitter that was labeled as biodegradable (but didn't list the ingredients). It arrived, and it contains: Plant fiber membrane, Polyurethane 33, and Aluminium. Will this actually break down? If the answer is technically yes, how long would it take? submitted by /u/moonmothmammoth [link] [comments]

Can someone explain what RT-PCR for covid19 do? Posted: 20 Sep 2020 05:30 AM PDT Hello, I just want to understand the process for testing covid19. submitted by /u/hexwex17 [link] [comments]

Could one of the tectonic plates "snap"? Posted: 19 Sep 2020 01:30 PM PDT I think the question in pretty obvious, but could enough pressure fill up within one of the tectonic plates that it breaks in two or more parts? If so, how likely is it? And what would be the best case scenario afterwards? submitted by /u/BarthoOkkebutje [link] [comments]

Why do we exhale nearly 75% of inhaled oxygen? Posted: 19 Sep 2020 03:17 PM PDT According to BBC, we inhale 21% of oxygen but we exhale approximately 16%. That means that we exhale nearly 75% of inhaled oxygen. Why such a large percentage and doesn't that make breathing highly inefficient? submitted by /u/butWhosJan [link] [comments]

Why does winter precipitation fall as snow instead of hail? Posted: 19 Sep 2020 03:24 PM PDT submitted by /u/VitaAeterna [link] [comments]

Why do samples of natural uranium from different parts of the world have slightly different relative atomic masses? Posted: 19 Sep 2020 10:04 AM PDT I can't seem to find an answer on Google so I thought I would Ask Science! ​ Thanks submitted by /u/L-Key [link] [comments]

Why does terminal cancer develop so quickly for dogs and cats (7-15 years) but doesnt develop in people for 70+ years? Posted: 19 Sep 2020 12:03 PM PDT Is the growth of cancer linked to an animals natural lifespan somehow? Why arent 10 year old children dying of cancer at the same rates as 10 year old dogs? submitted by /u/weird_foreign_odor [link] [comments]

Why would damming the North Sea turn it into fresh water over time, but when the Mediterranean "dried" up millions of years ago it became extremely salty? Posted: 19 Sep 2020 02:09 AM PDT This is all from watching several youtube videos from different sources. I I watched one that was talking about a Dutch plan to damn the North Sea due to rising sea levels and the low lying nature of the country. One of the impacts of it was that over time the North Sea will change to a Fresh Water sea. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=neFMunVEE8E - Caspian Report Dutch proposal to dam the North Sea (I cant link the fancy way) I've been watching another one that was about how during one of the periods (Mycenaean period I think) and they were explaining that during that period the bodies of water left over from the Med were extremely salty that life would not have been able to survive in it (I have lost the link to this video). So how is it that the North Sea could turn fresh water if the Ocean was prevent from entering it, but the remaining Med sea actually got more salty? And subsequent question - as this maybe something to do with man-made/natural reason - if the situation was reversed (Atlantropa I think?) would the Med become Fresh Water? submitted by /u/HearingSword [link] [comments]

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Google, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, United States

How much better are we at treating Covid now compared to 5 months ago?

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• How much better are we at treating Covid now compared to 5 months ago?
• Black objects absorb most of the visible light spectrum, white reflects it. What do mirrors (therefore silver) do so they don't just appear white?
• How cold would a pint of ice cream have to be for it to become a caloric deficit when after eating it?
• Are Mediterranean cyclone storm systems becoming more regular?
• How far can an earthquake seismic wave travel until it reaches a magnitude of 0.0?
• How effective are vaccines?
• Are the Sars-Cov-2 vaccine trials collecting other information that would allow us to test the effects of other interventions?
• If i roll 14 20-sided dice what are the odds that none of them are higher than 10?
• Do DNA error checking routines exist?
• Can the material taken with nasal swab test for CoV-19 also be used to look for other viruses after testing for CoV-19?
• What determines which fission products are produced?
• How are modern transistors manufactured?

How much better are we at treating Covid now compared to 5 months ago? Posted: 18 Sep 2020 06:34 PM PDT I hear that the antibodies plasma treatment is giving pretty good results? do we have better treatment of symptoms as well? thank you! submitted by /u/rince_the_wizzard [link] [comments]

Black objects absorb most of the visible light spectrum, white reflects it. What do mirrors (therefore silver) do so they don't just appear white? Posted: 19 Sep 2020 01:16 AM PDT submitted by /u/Ruyox [link] [comments]

How cold would a pint of ice cream have to be for it to become a caloric deficit when after eating it? Posted: 18 Sep 2020 08:31 PM PDT Let's say I'm 125lbs (57kg) submitted by /u/RamenNOOD1E2 [link] [comments]

Are Mediterranean cyclone storm systems becoming more regular? Posted: 18 Sep 2020 11:47 AM PDT On September 18th 2020 a Mediterranean cyclone storm (Hurricane) battered the western coast of Greece: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/sep/18/greece-lashed-by-rare-hurricane-force-storm. The last time this happened was 2018 and it was reported as an "extremely rare event". I wonder if global warming has made it more likely these types of storm systems to occur. Is there evidence for this hypothesis? Are other regions in the central/eastern Mediterranean also potentially affected: Sicily, Libya, Egypt, Israel, Syria, Cyprus, Turkey? submitted by /u/maze-le [link] [comments]

How far can an earthquake seismic wave travel until it reaches a magnitude of 0.0? Posted: 19 Sep 2020 12:08 AM PDT Assuming an earthquake of a magnitude of 6.0 hits Los Angeles as an epicenter, how far will a seismic wave travel until it's no longer detectable by instruments? submitted by /u/Hectorc34 [link] [comments]

How effective are vaccines? Posted: 18 Sep 2020 11:41 AM PDT I've heard that the vaccine for Covid-19 would only be about 60-70% effective. Not sure if that is 100% correct or not, but I know it wasn't 100% effective. So, what I was wondering, does that also mean that vaccines for small pox, measles, polio, etc. are also not 100% effective? Or even down to 60-70% effective? Or is that effective rate dependent upon what it is meant to go after? Or is it based on the person getting the vaccine and how their body accepts it? Or both? None? Other? Thanks! submitted by /u/HillbillyRebel [link] [comments]

Are the Sars-Cov-2 vaccine trials collecting other information that would allow us to test the effects of other interventions? Posted: 18 Sep 2020 09:45 AM PDT For example, the relative effectiveness of masks? submitted by /u/chengjih [link] [comments]

If i roll 14 20-sided dice what are the odds that none of them are higher than 10? Posted: 19 Sep 2020 01:36 AM PDT submitted by /u/PinkLionGaming [link] [comments]

Do DNA error checking routines exist? Posted: 18 Sep 2020 06:27 PM PDT When files are copied on a computer there is an error checking routine which compares the original to the new file as it is being written. Is there an error checking routine for DNA which just breaks down as we get older or does error checking not exist? Might errors be intentional so that new approaches might be tried out? submitted by /u/JimAsia [link] [comments]

Can the material taken with nasal swab test for CoV-19 also be used to look for other viruses after testing for CoV-19? Posted: 18 Sep 2020 10:48 AM PDT We're taking more samples from people than ever. I'm wondering if the samples taken could also be used to monitor other infections to improve our understanding of other pathogens. Also, is human DNA also being unintentionally collected with these swabs? It's a dark thought, but are we surrendering our DNA unwittingly when we submit to these tests? I hope that there is some oversight preventing this kind of breach of privacy. It seems to be a tremendous opportunity for a controlling government (say China) to gain a huge genetic dataset on their own population. submitted by /u/RebelWithoutAClue [link] [comments]

What determines which fission products are produced? Posted: 18 Sep 2020 09:32 AM PDT When a neutron is absorbed by a u235 nucleus, what precisely determines which fission products are produced? Is it the exact location into the nucleus in which the neutron is absorbed, the energy of the neutron? Or something else? submitted by /u/MarksmanMarold [link] [comments]

How are modern transistors manufactured? Posted: 18 Sep 2020 05:20 AM PDT With the current generation of GPU's and CPU's being released and talked about I keep seeing terms like 14nm and 7nm being thrown around. I sort of took this as an arbitrary number for a while and didn't think about it. However when I started doing some research, I realized that 14nm's is only ~7 silicon atoms wide. With that in mind, the NVIDIA 3080 is advertised as having 10's of billions of transistors. How is it possible to manufacture these on such scale to supply demand, and without error so that the chips actually work. submitted by /u/braunsben [link] [comments]

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Google, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, United States

How many derivatives can you take of a moving object before getting a value of zero?

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• How many derivatives can you take of a moving object before getting a value of zero?
• AskScience AMA Series: I'm a glaciologist focused on why large outlet glaciers in Greenland are changing. Ask me anything!
• Does our body releases dopamine in the anticipation of getting rewards, or when we actually get the rewards?
• How can velocity be relative when the speed of light is constant?
• What virus can survive outside its host the longest? (That we know of)
• Would we weigh more if the earth wouldn't be spinning?
• How many XRPD peaks are needed to ID a polymorph of a chemical compound?
• A changing electric field cannot exist without a magnetic field, but a changing magnetic field can exist without an electric field, why is that?
• Is the universe flat? And if yes why?
• Does the Moon help Planet Earth keep a strong magnetic field that shields life from cosmic radiation?
• Is it easier to fly inward to the inner planet, closer to the sun, than outwards to the outer planets, away from the sun?
• Can antibodies from a vaccine be distinguished from antibodies from a previous infection?
• How did speaking in Old Egyptian (hieroglyphs) sound?
• How are greenhouse gas emissions measured in the atmosphere?
• Why is an increase of 2 on the Richter Scale a magnitude of 1000?
• How are novel viruses isolated?
• Are quark lifetimes exact or are they influenced by their environment?
• Why is atmospheric pressure high on subtropics and on the poles and low on subpolar areas?

How many derivatives can you take of a moving object before getting a value of zero? Posted: 17 Sep 2020 07:31 PM PDT If the position of a theoretical object was defined by x^2, then the first derivative would be 2x, the second would be 2, and the third would be 0. How many derivatives can you take of, say, the position of a rocket ship launching into space or a person starting to run before getting a value of zero? Do some things in the universe never reach zero? Do all of them never reach zero? submitted by /u/CreepyEyesOO [link] [comments]

AskScience AMA Series: I'm a glaciologist focused on why large outlet glaciers in Greenland are changing. Ask me anything! Posted: 18 Sep 2020 04:00 AM PDT My name is Michalea King and I recently completed my PhD in Earth Sciences at the Ohio State University. I am a glaciologist and most of my research focuses on how and why large outlet glaciers in Greenland are changing. Also answering questions today is Cassandra Garrison, a reporter at Reuters who wrote about one of my latest studies. The new study suggests the territory's ice sheet will now gain mass only once every 100 years -- a grim indicator of how difficult it is to re-grow glaciers once they hemorrhage ice. In studying satellite images of the glaciers, our team noted that the glaciers had a 50% chance of regaining mass before 2000, with the odds declining since. We'll be logging on at noon ET (16 UT), ask us anything! Username: /u/Reuters submitted by /u/AskScienceModerator [link] [comments]

Does our body releases dopamine in the anticipation of getting rewards, or when we actually get the rewards? Posted: 18 Sep 2020 04:54 AM PDT I am a casual person with no science background, so my apology if this question is too simple for this subreddit but I really want to learn about this subject. Several articles that I read said that there are activities that make our body produce high level of dopamine, such as eating junk foods, playing games, etc. So my initial interpretation is that the dopamine releases while we are enjoying those rewards (good food, favorite games) However, I just watched a video from a college professor that said our body actually produces dopamine in the anticipation of expected rewards (before we actually get the rewards). The dopamine released would be much higher if the chance of getting the rewards are not 100 percent (such as gambling). Those two information seems contradictory and I think I misunderstood something. Can somebody help me clarify this and elaborate more about dopamine? Thank you so much for your answers, I really appreciate it! submitted by /u/OnePC4U [link] [comments]

How can velocity be relative when the speed of light is constant? Posted: 18 Sep 2020 12:52 AM PDT Ever since I read somewhere in a book that the speed of light is constant, I never understood how that worked with velocity being relative; the two are mutually exclusive. submitted by /u/MysteriouslySeeing [link] [comments]

What virus can survive outside its host the longest? (That we know of) Posted: 17 Sep 2020 11:16 PM PDT I've wondered which virus is the most resilient absent of its host. I found that Hepatitis C survives up to 3 weeks in ideal conditions, but I'm not sure if there are any other viruses out there with longer survival times. submitted by /u/Savageaskbot [link] [comments]

Would we weigh more if the earth wouldn't be spinning? Posted: 17 Sep 2020 09:35 AM PDT Is there any centrifugal force working against gravitation that pushes us away from earth because it is spinning or even rotating around the sun? If yes, how big of an impact does that have on our weight? Thanks a lot submitted by /u/Bamb00zld [link] [comments]

How many XRPD peaks are needed to ID a polymorph of a chemical compound? Posted: 18 Sep 2020 02:58 AM PDT I have a background in organic chemistry and work in relation to patents regarding pharmaceuticals. However I am not well versed in polymorphs. My dealings are largely with the Australian Patent Office. My issue is that I deal with reports from examiners who raise objections to patent claims where the claim is to a polymorphic form or forms but the claim only includes a small number of XRPD peaks, for example a claim might be A crystalline form of compound XXX wherein the XRPD includes peaks at 2-theta values of 10.1, 12.4 and 15.2. The recent reports from examiners state that the claims are not supported because they do not list at least 10 peaks. The examiner will often cite the USP and a document by Brittain which states that "The United States Pharmacopeia contains a general chapter on XRD (61), which sets the criterion that identity is established if the scattering angles in the powder patterns of the sample and reference standard agree to within the calibrated precision of the diffractometer. It is noted that it is generally sufficient that the scattering angles of the ten strongest reflections obtained for an analyte agree to within either ± 0.10 or ± 0.20° 2 theta , whichever is more appropriate for the diffractometer used." My question I guess is whether this part of the USP/Brittain document is being applied correctly. Brittain seems to say that the angles of the sample and reference must agree to within the specified parameters. What does that mean? If I have a compound with a particular structure to what reference is the pattern being compared, especially where this might be the first crystalline form of the compound? I think I see the examiner's point as being if the applicant has made a single polymorphic form but claims it with only 1 or a few peaks in the claim they are essentially claiming any form which has that peak or peaks. And I think the gist of the argument is that only one form has been made and therefore the applicant can't claim potentially yet to be made forms which could also have those same peaks. The examiner do seem to be OK with accepting an application if there are 10 peaks provided in the claim. The Brittain document is Polymorphism in Pharmaceutical Solids edited by HG Brittain. submitted by /u/polymorphquestion [link] [comments]

A changing electric field cannot exist without a magnetic field, but a changing magnetic field can exist without an electric field, why is that? Posted: 17 Sep 2020 10:24 PM PDT If that is correct... submitted by /u/frodog5050 [link] [comments]

Is the universe flat? And if yes why? Posted: 17 Sep 2020 08:26 PM PDT In short my question is why, orbital systems, solar systems, galaxies, have significantly more "width/length" than it does "depth/height? This may be an uneducated question, but i can not seem to find the answer on Google. submitted by /u/Jkievman [link] [comments]

Does the Moon help Planet Earth keep a strong magnetic field that shields life from cosmic radiation? Posted: 18 Sep 2020 05:00 AM PDT Considering the other Terrestrial Planets hardly have any magnetic field, it seems odd that our world does. Could our tidally locked moon be tugging on the core to keep it generating a dynamo somehow? submitted by /u/DesignNoobie99 [link] [comments]

Is it easier to fly inward to the inner planet, closer to the sun, than outwards to the outer planets, away from the sun? Posted: 17 Sep 2020 06:43 PM PDT On how presentation on how gravity works there's a bowling ball in the center of a trampoline and marbles are spun around the blowing ball moving inwards slowly. Would flying a space craft to the sun be like driving down hill and flying away be like driving up hill? submitted by /u/DrPotatoEsquire [link] [comments]

Can antibodies from a vaccine be distinguished from antibodies from a previous infection? Posted: 17 Sep 2020 05:08 PM PDT Recently told by someone reporting my blood works to me (not a doctor) that I was previously infected with a virus because I had antibodies to said virus. But I explained I received a vaccine to said virus as an infant (if my immunization records are to be believed). She insisted they could tell it was due to previous infection. How is it possible they could tell that my antibodies were from previous infection and not vaccination? Is there a physical difference between them? submitted by /u/AJ_De_Leon [link] [comments]

How did speaking in Old Egyptian (hieroglyphs) sound? Posted: 17 Sep 2020 11:54 PM PDT submitted by /u/aerie71 [link] [comments]

How are greenhouse gas emissions measured in the atmosphere? Posted: 17 Sep 2020 03:25 PM PDT With specific reference to carbon though the methodology for all GHGs is interesting. I'm keen to understand how researchers measure carbon in the atmosphere and when we began to document it. Thank you! submitted by /u/javajuicejoe [link] [comments]

Why is an increase of 2 on the Richter Scale a magnitude of 1000? Posted: 17 Sep 2020 11:38 AM PDT If the Richter Scale is on factors of x10, why would a 6.0 be 1000x stronger than a 4.0? Why not 100x? submitted by /u/PeeLong [link] [comments]

How are novel viruses isolated? Posted: 17 Sep 2020 03:16 PM PDT I understand how PCR tests look for markers of known viruses which have already been identified and sequenced. But when Zhang et al sequenced the first SARS-CoV-2 sample on Jan 5 how was the original sample isolated? How did they isolate and sequence an unknown virus rather than host cells, common bacterial flora, or whatever benign viruses might have been floating around? submitted by /u/bramlet [link] [comments]

Are quark lifetimes exact or are they influenced by their environment? Posted: 17 Sep 2020 08:52 AM PDT I found this text which has the following data: Quark Mean Lifetime (s) Up ... Down 900 Strange 1.24 x 10-8 Charm 1.1 x 10-12 Top ... Bottom 1.3 x 10-12 Which makes me think: Do all quarks of a category have the exact same lifetime such that the accuracy of the numbers above is only limited by measurement uncertainty? Or are the transformation times random around a mean, where the distribution (and/or mean) may depend on the environment? submitted by /u/7373737373 [link] [comments]

Why is atmospheric pressure high on subtropics and on the poles and low on subpolar areas? Posted: 17 Sep 2020 11:36 AM PDT I'm trying to understand winds and this thing really confuses me. submitted by /u/CudanMCC [link] [comments]

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