When large whales die, one of two things can happen: their bodies can sink to the bottom of the ocean and go on to support smaller life forms; or their bodies can wash up on some random beach somewhere in the world. The first case is obviously the most preferred, but occasionally, the second case transpires – sometimes in large… Read more →
Radioactive waste is a type of hazardous waste that contains radioactive material. Radioactive waste is a result of many activities, including nuclear medicine, nuclear research, nuclear power generation, rare-earth mining, and nuclear weapons reprocessing. The storage and disposal of radioactive waste are regulated by government agencies in order to protect human health and the environment. This waste is broadly classified… Read more →
The first diamonds to be unearthed by man were discovered in India in the 4th-century BC and were quickly dispersed along the ancient trade route, the Silk Road. Ancient civilizations believed diamonds were gifts from the Gods and that they would bring health, wealth, and strength. 100 miles deep in the Earth, a layer separating our hospitable exterior from the… Read more →
From formulating new cancer drugs to testing dietary supplements, mice and rats play a critical role in developing new medical wonders. In fact, 95% of all lab animals are mice and rats, according to the Foundation for Biomedical Research (FBR). Scientists and researchers rely on mice and rats for several reasons. One is convenience: rodents are small, easily housed and… Read more →
Many of us rely on a morning coffee cup or an afternoon jolt of caffeine to help us get through the day. But caffeine doesn’t keep you awake, much more. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system which affects your body in many ways. The nutritional value of caffeine on its own is not present. This is tasteless,… Read more →
More than is known is unknown. It’s because we know how much dark energy it affects the expansion of the Universe. It’s a complete mystery, besides that. It is a major mystery, however. It turns out to be about 68% dark energy in the universe. One reason for dark energy is that it is a space property. Albert Einstein realized… Read more →
A white hole is a strange cosmic entity that glows brightly and emits stuff rather than disappearing. To put it another way, it’s the polar opposite of a black hole. Unlike black holes, however, there is no agreement on whether white holes exist or how they develop. Einstein’s theory of gravity predicts them, and they’re most commonly cited in the… Read more →
Before a man’s sperm can fertilize a woman’s egg, the head of the sperm must attach to the outside of the egg. Once attached, the sperm pushes through the outer layer to the inside of the egg (cytoplasm), where fertilization takes place. Sometimes the sperm cannot penetrate the outer layer, for a variety of reasons. The egg’s outer layer may… Read more →
White dwarfs are dead stars. A single white dwarf contains roughly the mass of our sun in a volume no bigger than our planet. Our sun will become a white dwarf someday. White dwarfs are the hot, dense remnants of long-dead stars. They are the stellar cores left behind after a star has exhausted its fuel supply and blown its… Read more →
There are two basic types of sleep: rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and non-REM sleep (which has three different stages). Each is linked to specific brain waves and neuronal activity. You cycle through all stages of non-REM and REM sleep several times during a typical night, with increasingly longer, deeper REM periods occurring toward morning. Stage 1 non-REM sleep is… Read more →
