Science News for Kids » Physics http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org Publication of the Society for Science & the Public Wed, 19 Jun 2013 17:39:07 +0000 en-US hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 Cool Jobs: Moved by life http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2013/06/cool-jobs-moved-by-life/ http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2013/06/cool-jobs-moved-by-life/#comments Wed, 19 Jun 2013 17:39:07 +0000 Sharon Oosthoek http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/?p=17782 A robot built to mimic the movements of a cownose ray takes a dip. Credit: Norm Shafer

Biologically inspired robots travel — naturally ]]> A robot built to mimic the movements of a cownose ray takes a dip. Credit: Norm Shafer

Biologically inspired robots travel — naturally ]]> http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2013/06/cool-jobs-moved-by-life/feed/ 0 Black hole mysteries http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2013/05/black-hole-mysteries/ http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2013/05/black-hole-mysteries/#comments Wed, 29 May 2013 17:00:44 +0000 Stephen Ornes http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/?p=17202 Nothing, not even light, can escape a black hole. Though black holes are invisible, they can create brilliant light shows. This illustration shows a black hole devouring a star. Credit: NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center/CI Lab

Scientists are just getting to know the black holes that help anchor our cosmos]]> Nothing, not even light, can escape a black hole. Though black holes are invisible, they can create brilliant light shows. This illustration shows a black hole devouring a star. Credit: NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center/CI Lab

Scientists are just getting to know the black holes that help anchor our cosmos]]> http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2013/05/black-hole-mysteries/feed/ 0 Smile! Dimples boost your mileage http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2013/05/smile-dimples-boost-your-mileage/ http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2013/05/smile-dimples-boost-your-mileage/#comments Mon, 27 May 2013 17:22:14 +0000 Sid Perkins http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/?p=17244 This teen’s wind tunnel tests showed that dimpling the surface of trucks could greatly reduce drag from friction. Patrick Thornton, SSP

Trucks covered with tiny indentations, like those on golf balls, experience less friction]]> This teen’s wind tunnel tests showed that dimpling the surface of trucks could greatly reduce drag from friction. Patrick Thornton, SSP

Trucks covered with tiny indentations, like those on golf balls, experience less friction]]> http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2013/05/smile-dimples-boost-your-mileage/feed/ 0 Light dancing on glass http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2013/05/new-type-of-material-lets-light-travel-across-its-surface-without-interruption/ http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2013/05/new-type-of-material-lets-light-travel-across-its-surface-without-interruption/#comments Wed, 15 May 2013 16:33:28 +0000 Stephen Ornes http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/?p=17065 This image, taken with a powerful microscope, shows tiny, individual crystals of bismuth telluride. A new structure made from this material lets light travel easily and without interruption along its surface. Credit: A13ean/Wikipedia

New type of material lets light travel across its surface without interruption]]> This image, taken with a powerful microscope, shows tiny, individual crystals of bismuth telluride. A new structure made from this material lets light travel easily and without interruption along its surface. Credit: A13ean/Wikipedia

New type of material lets light travel across its surface without interruption]]> http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2013/05/new-type-of-material-lets-light-travel-across-its-surface-without-interruption/feed/ 0 Sound cloak http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2013/04/new-device-hides-objects-from-sonar/ http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2013/04/new-device-hides-objects-from-sonar/#comments Mon, 15 Apr 2013 02:20:35 +0000 Stephen Ornes http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/?p=16452 Caption: This strange-looking cage can hide an object inside it from being detected by sound waves. Credit: L. Sanchis et al

New device hides objects from sonar ]]> Caption: This strange-looking cage can hide an object inside it from being detected by sound waves. Credit: L. Sanchis et al

New device hides objects from sonar ]]> http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2013/04/new-device-hides-objects-from-sonar/feed/ 0 A smarter scan http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2013/02/a-smarter-scan/ http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2013/02/a-smarter-scan/#comments Tue, 05 Feb 2013 13:35:08 +0000 Stephen Ornes http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/?p=15537 Tiny patterns cut into this narrow copper strip filter microwaves. This new, simple technology makes it possible to take digital pictures faster, with less computer time required. And it could be used to help make airport scanners smarter, faster and cheaper. Credit: J. Hunt/Duke

Scientists introduce a cheap and smart new device that gathers data in a flash]]> Tiny patterns cut into this narrow copper strip filter microwaves. This new, simple technology makes it possible to take digital pictures faster, with less computer time required. And it could be used to help make airport scanners smarter, faster and cheaper. Credit: J. Hunt/Duke

Scientists introduce a cheap and smart new device that gathers data in a flash]]> http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2013/02/a-smarter-scan/feed/ 0 Helium: Not so super after all http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2012/11/helium-not-so-super-after-all/ http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2012/11/helium-not-so-super-after-all/#comments Fri, 02 Nov 2012 14:00:11 +0000 Stephen Ornes http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/?p=14628 As a gas, helium glows yellow-pink when an electric current is added. Scientists recently reported that they’d made a mistake in a 2004 study that found the element was a supersolid. Turns out helium as a solid isn’t so super. Caption: Pslawinski

An exciting discovery in physics turns out to be merely a case of mistaken identity]]> As a gas, helium glows yellow-pink when an electric current is added. Scientists recently reported that they’d made a mistake in a 2004 study that found the element was a supersolid. Turns out helium as a solid isn’t so super. Caption: Pslawinski

An exciting discovery in physics turns out to be merely a case of mistaken identity]]> http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2012/11/helium-not-so-super-after-all/feed/ 0 Higgs — at last! http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2012/09/higgs-at-last/ http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2012/09/higgs-at-last/#comments Thu, 06 Sep 2012 14:50:46 +0000 Alexandra Witze http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/?p=13997 higgs_feature

Physicists capture the long-sought Higgs particle, which explains why other particles have mass]]> higgs_feature

Physicists capture the long-sought Higgs particle, which explains why other particles have mass]]> http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2012/09/higgs-at-last/feed/ 0 Elephant songs http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2012/08/elephant-songs/ http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2012/08/elephant-songs/#comments Mon, 20 Aug 2012 21:13:06 +0000 Stephen Ornes http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/?p=13620 Elephants sometimes communicate with sounds below the range of human ears. Researchers recently found that air rushing through the larynx can create the superlow sounds. Credit: Angela S. Stoeger

Scientists figure out how elephants make their low, low rumble]]> Elephants sometimes communicate with sounds below the range of human ears. Researchers recently found that air rushing through the larynx can create the superlow sounds. Credit: Angela S. Stoeger

Scientists figure out how elephants make their low, low rumble]]> http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2012/08/elephant-songs/feed/ 0 No more bubble trouble http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2012/08/dolphins-clicks-help-scientists-sort-through-confusing-underwater-noises/ http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2012/08/dolphins-clicks-help-scientists-sort-through-confusing-underwater-noises/#comments Mon, 06 Aug 2012 22:01:42 +0000 Stephen Ornes http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/?p=13487 Bottlenose dolphins can tell the difference between noisy echoes bounced off of bubbles and other echoes, including those bounced off of prey. Now scientists have figured out a way to tell apart the noises, too. Credit: Emma Jugovich, NOAA

Dolphin’s clicks help scientists sort through confusing underwater noises]]> Bottlenose dolphins can tell the difference between noisy echoes bounced off of bubbles and other echoes, including those bounced off of prey. Now scientists have figured out a way to tell apart the noises, too. Credit: Emma Jugovich, NOAA

Dolphin’s clicks help scientists sort through confusing underwater noises]]> http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2012/08/dolphins-clicks-help-scientists-sort-through-confusing-underwater-noises/feed/ 0