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Archive for the ‘Blinding People with Science’ Category

Scientists identify how plants sense temperature

Posted in Blinding People with Science, Climate, Plants, tagged , on 12/04/2018|

transgenic plant of Arabidopsis. Laboratory test for modification

With a temperature sensor in hand, researchers can engineer crops that produce yields in warmer climates.

When it gets hot outside, humans and animals have the luxury of seeking shelter in the shade or cool, air-conditioned buildings. But plants are stuck.

While not immune to changing climate, plants respond to the rising mercury in different ways. Temperature affects the distribution of plants around the planet. It also affects the flowering time, crop yield, and even resistance to disease. 

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Cloaking Devices – It’s Not Just for Star Trek Anymore

Posted in Blinding People with Science, Physics on 05/11/2018|

Cloaking devices often play a pivotal role in many Star Trek episodes. This technology masks the lurking Klingon Bird of Prey, allowing it to sneak up on Star Fleet’s unwitting and vulnerable crew. Scientists are now working to take this technology from the dramatic realm of science fiction and make it science fact. Amanda D. Hanford, Ph.D., at Pennsylvania State Universityis taking the introductory steps to make acoustic ground cloaks a future concealment option.

See related articles on Gizmodo and BBC.

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Farming Crystals in Space

Posted in Blinding People with Science on 07/27/2017|

Protein Crystals Grown in Microgravity Could Yield Antidotes for Nerve Agents

3-2-1 Lift Off

On a balmy evening in early June, Space X launched the Falcon 9 rocket, which ferried the Dragon spacecraft toward the International Space Station (ISS). As the Dragon broke the tethers of Earth’s gravity three small, black boxes were safely nestled in its cargo hold. These innocuous boxes house an experiment that may help researchers develop new antidotes for nerve agents used in conflict zones. (more…)

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Pseudoscorpions: Terror On The Bookshelf

Posted in Blinding People with Science on 11/11/2014|

Be afraid. A new terror is descending on your home and it lurks in your . . . er . . . bookcase? The terror in question is a fearsome little creature called Chelifer cancroides, one of the most common species of pseudoscorpion (there are actually about 2,000 species in the world). Ok, they are not scorpions, hence the pseudo- in front of their name, but they certainly look like the real thing. Their front legs extend into pincher-like claws that give the small arachnid a menacing appearance. However, these little critters do not pose any danger to you, the human, but be afraid if you are a book louse!

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