Zebra stripes and their role in dazzling flies
The mystery of why zebras have their characteristic stripes has perplexed researchers for over a century.
Plants & Animals
Aug 18, 2020
1
774
News tagged with optical illusion
To make ultra-black materials that won't weigh things down, consider the butterfly
Set against a piece of black construction paper, the wings of the male cattleheart butterfly look even blacker than black.
Bio & Medicine
Mar 10, 2020
2
500
Look! Up in the sky! It's Supermoon! Due Saturday
(AP) -- The biggest and brightest full moon of the year arrives Saturday night as our celestial neighbor passes closer to Earth than usual.
Space Exploration
May 4, 2012
6
0
The coronal veil: Are the sun's magnetic arches an optical illusion?
From afar, the Sun appears blank and featureless in visible light. But through a solar telescope in different wavelength, it is revealed to be much, much more.
Astronomy
Jun 16, 2022
1
153
The European viper uses cloak-and-dazzle method to escape predators
A study by researchers at the University of Jyväskylä demonstrate that the characteristic zig-zag pattern on a viper's back performs seemingly opposing functions during a predation event. At first, the zig-zag pattern helps ...
Plants & Animals
May 22, 2020
0
551
Next generation 3-D theater: Optical science makes glasses a thing of the past
Even with current digital technology, the latest Hollywood blockbusters still rely on clunky glasses to achieve a convincing 3-D effect. New optics research by a team of South Korean investigators offers the prospect of glasses-free, ...
Optics & Photonics
Aug 20, 2012
1
0
New, highly tunable composite materials—with a twist
Watch for the patterns created as the circles move across each other. Those patterns, created by two sets of lines offset from each other, are called moiré (pronounced mwar-AY) effects. As optical illusions, moiré patterns ...
General Physics
Jun 14, 2022
1
211
Holograms: You can find some real ones here
I've seen some holograms recently. Hologram Tupac Shakur, you are no hologram.
Hi Tech & Innovation
Jun 21, 2012
0
0
Curious comet's rare close approach
Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) today makes its closest approach to Earth before likely leaving our solar system forever. At billions of years old and not seen since Neanderthals roamed, the green comet continues to intrigue as it ...
Astronomy
Feb 1, 2023
0
24
Saturn Moon's Activity Could Be 'Curtain Eruptions'
New research using data from NASA's Cassini mission suggests most of the eruptions from Saturn's moon Enceladus might be diffuse curtains rather than discrete jets. Many features that appear to be individual jets of material ...
Space Exploration
May 6, 2015
4
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