Ancient da Vinci Notebook Found to Contain First Known Records of the Laws of Friction
Leonardo da Vinci is one of the most famous painters in history, but a new discovery shows the Italian artist also knew a thing or two (or twenty) about science. In fact, after a professor took a deep dive into da Vinci’s notebook, he discovered the first written records demonstrating the laws of friction. Nearly...
Fall Asleep Faster with the 4-7-8 Breathing Technique
It’s no secret that sleep is essential for managing stress. Unfortunately, many Americans struggle to make it through the night uninterrupted and are left with a constant craze for caffeine to compensate. Whether your mind is racing over tomorrow’s test or your car insurance bill due next week, there is one way you can regain...
Here’s Why Dice Are a Lot Better Than Computers at Generating Truly Random Numbers
Human beings have more than a few ways to decide something at random – roll a die, flip a coin, pick a number – but one thing that actually doesn’t works so well: computers. Computers struggle to truly be random, even when they’re programmed to do exactly that. You’ve probably noticed that even if you...
Why Are the Holes in Violins Shaped Like That?
An MIT Professor was asked a question: Does the complex rosette found in the middle of a lute make a difference to the sound? Nicholas Makris, professor of mechanical and ocean engineering and amate*r musician, wasn’t sure. But he was going to find out. Makris teamed up with another MIT researcher, Yuming Liu, to study...
What Actually Happens to Your Fat When You Lose Weight? Where Does It All Go?
Weight loss is something that crosses pretty much every person’s mind at one time or another. Maybe the holidays come round, and we overindulge. Or maybe we start to stress-eat because of a major new project at work. Or maybe we get pregnant, and after giving birth we want to get back to the pre-baby...
If You Want Your Lungs to Last, Better Put Down Your Vape
Vaping-related deaths caused widespread panic in 2019. Major retailers like Walmart and Walgreens have stopped selling e-cigarettes, and policymakers have been spurred into action to try to combat the deadly effects. But even if you are not a vape-every-day kinda person, a study from researchers at the University of California San Francisco offers an ominous...