Awesome Science

If you spent any time paying attention in class, you’d know that every planet spins at a different speed. Scientist and data geek James O’Donaghue put together this nifty visualisation that shows the the relative speed and axial tilt of our Solar System’s planets (and Pluto). We had no idea Jupiter was such a speed demon.

The always awesome Chop Shop Store teamed up with The Planetary Society to create 20 wooden blocks, each featuring a planet, dwarf planet, or moon from our solar system, and printed with useful data. They’re also offering space-themed add-ons like posters, tees, and stickers. Shipping starts 11/2019.

There are lots of things to be frightened of in the world, but is there a universally worst terror for all people, regardless of age, race, sex, culture or other attributes? Michael Stevens of Vsauce digs into the notion of fear, and how these unpleasant feelings are triggered in our brains. He also hates purple squares now.

There’s a lot of stuff that happens to Marty and Doc in Back to the Future, from being blown away by a giant amplifier, to acting as a conductor for a lightning bolt. Jake Roper of Vsauce3 decided to find out if it would be remotely possible to live through all that in this episode of Could You Survive the Movies?

There’s no question that we live in a vast and incredibly complex universe. The fact that life exists at all has led some scientists and philosophers to ponder whether or not we are all just living in a computer simulation. This TED-Ed clip by theoretical physicist Zohreh Davoudi and animator Eoin Duffy explores that question.

“There are more phages on Earth than every other organism combined.” Kurzgesagt takes a few minutes to educate us on the finer points of the bacteriophage, a type of virus which is constantly killing off billions of microscopic organisms all around and inside of us.

Ever wonder what the quietest and loudest sounds in the universe might be? With the help of their imaginary robot Noisy, and Microsoft’s anechoic chamber, Bright Side digs into this question, and some of the science behind the way sounds travel and how our hearing works.

If you thought the only way to bend a beam of light was with mirrors, you’d be wrong. MEL Chemistry shows off a few simple experiments you can do with a laser pointer and household items like oil, water, and salt, that demonstrate the nature of reflection and refraction. More here.

The What If channel likes to imagine some pretty gory hypotheticals, but this one takes the cake so far, as they envision what might happen to our bodies if we were to jump into a swimming pool filled with stomach acid. TL;DW: just get out of there and hose off quick.

Have you ever wondered why insects, birds, fish, and bats gather together into huge and coordinated groups? TED-Ed’s Maria R. D’Orsogna explores the fascinating science behind this behavior, which drives many species as a method of survival and group productivity.

There’s nothing quite like the delicious flavor of grilled, seared, or smoked meats. But the way you cook and handle meats after cooking can dramatically improve its quality. SciShow explains tips for making the perfect BBQ meal and the scientific reasons that these techniques improve flavor and texture.

Stephen Low’s big-screen 3D film Secrets of the Universe introduces us to some of the world’s brightest minds as they unravel the mysteries of the universe. Along the way, journey to the Large Hadron Collider and the Laser Interferometer Gravitational Observatory (LIGO), and meet the scientists of the Perimeter Institute. (Thanks Susan!)

For those of you who were sleeping in class that day, before the earth broke into continents, about 1/3rd of our planet was covered with a landmass known as Pangea. What If attempts to deduce what life might be like if we could still drive from Chicago to Paris, and assuming that we actually evolved to become what we are.

This new channel is a collaboration by SciShow host Hank Green, musician Andrew Huang, and microorganism enthusiast James Weiss. It delves deep into the world of the trillions of microscopic organisms that surround us. We recommend starting off with Meet the Microcosmos for a primer to this fascinating universe.

Aerogel has some amazing properties. It’s insanely lightweight, and is an incredible insulator. Recently, Derek Muller of Veritasium put this to the test, by standing behind a blanket infused with silica aerogel being hit by a Boring Company Not a Flamethrower. Now we’d like to see the same test with a serious flamethrower.

Filmmaker Roman De Giuli used crisp macro photography of iron powder, magnets, pigments, and glitter to capture this visually spectacular short film, which despite its otherworldly looks was created without any CGI. Music by Son-J.