-
Subscribe
Subscribed
Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
It’s a commonly seen phenomena, dust particles sparkling in a narrow beam of light, but why does this happen? Mostly, this is a result of our ability to perceive contrasts and the ability of the dust particles to reflect light. Let’s start with the latter point. Light is reflected or absorbed by surfaces. We experience … Continue reading
I went to Marvel: Universe of Super Heroes at Telus World of Science Edmonton yesterday so I had to take a photo of the Hulk. The reason I had to take a photo is that when I teach the electromagnetic spectrum in an intro physics course I always talk about the Hulk when it comes … Continue reading
The first question people ask me when they find out that my one wrist is basically a disaster at the end of an arm is “are you right or left handed?” I find this question kind of frustrating because there are very few parts of my life which only require one hand. Sure, I can … Continue reading
Humans have the ability to bundle up when the weather gets cold, but how do different animals get through the cold and snow? There are many different strategies for winter survival, and most animals will do more than one. Here are three different animals and their strategies for dealing with winter. Snowy owls migrate in … Continue reading
I was going to do this post as a magic Monday until I read about all the people who have been burned doing this trick, so perhaps it is better left as one that you binge YouTube videos of. The trick is that you take boiling water outside in frigidly cold temperatures and toss the … Continue reading
When I was diagnosed with asthma as a kid, I remember someone saying that it wouldn’t go away unless I stopped skating because of the air quality in rinks. I was wondering what the research on this is. Rundell (2004) found that the pulmonary function, basically how well a person breaths, of a group of … Continue reading
I grew up figure skating, but I am also very comfortable on a pair of hockey skates. (Please don’t call them women’s vs men’s as this perpetuates stereotypes that just aren’t true.) When I taught learn-to skate lessons I was often asked about the differences between the two types of skates and when this question … Continue reading
There’s a lot of research about the benefits of being able to see trees outside of your window while you work (e.g., Kaplan, 1993) or while you recover from surgery (e.g., Ulrich, 1984) but what about having a small plant on your desk? Toyoda, Yokota, Barnes, and Kaneko (2019) conduced a research study in an … Continue reading
I went for a walk in Edmonton’s river valley today, at least walking was my plan, but I was quickly sidetracked by wildlife. Within minutes of arriving in the park a pack of coyotes ran in front of me. Sadly, they were a little too far and to quick for the cameras I had available. … Continue reading
No. This common cold weather myth likely comes from an old study that measured heat loss from individuals wearing arctic survival suits but no hats. Since it was the only body part that wasn’t insulated that’s where most heat loss occurred. If you go out in the cold with any body part uncovered you will … Continue reading
Connecting with Science 