In this house, we obey the laws of thermodynamics!
Artist Corrie White uses dyes and droplets to capture fantastical liquid sculptures at high-speed. The mushroom-like upper half of this photo is formed when the rebounding jet from one droplet’s impact on the water is hit by a well-timed second droplet, creating the splash’s umbrella. In the lower half of the picture, we see the remains of previous droplets, mixing and diffusing into the water via the Rayleigh-Taylor instability caused by their slight difference in density relative to the water. There’s also a hint of a vortex ring, likely from the droplet that caused the rebounding jet. (Photo credit: Corrie White)
Solar Flare Bursts Into Fiery Rain Over The Sun
On the 19th of July a solar flare burst from the surface of the sun. Instead of dispersing, the hot plasma became trapped in the magnetic field emanating from the region of the eruption. Normally invisible to the naked eye, the lines of the magnetic field lit up as it captured the flare and forced it back down to the solar surface in a dazzling phenomenon known as a coronal rain.
(via mildlyamused)
Dating AKB48: the J-pop cult banned from falling in love
A Japanese pop idol, hair freshly shaved to the skin, takes to YouTube and bursts into tears as she begs for mercy over her transgression. “My name is Minami Minegishi of AKB48 Team B,” she says, referring to the hugely successful group she became a founding member of seven years ago. “Regarding the article that will be released today, I am so sorry for worrying my band members, fans, staff, family, and everyone else.” She bows in contrition for a full eight seconds — slightly longer than, say, Sony’s Kaz Hirai did when apologizing for the massive PlayStation Network security breach in 2011.
Minami Minegishi had just been accused of having a boyfriend.
Surface tension creates a glassy, smooth layer of water over U.S. swimmer Tyler Clary the instant before he surfaces as he competes in the backstroke. Surface tension arises from intermolecular forces between water molecules. In the bulk of the liquid, any given water molecule is being pulled on in every direction by the surrounding molecules, which results in zero net force. At the surface, however, molecules only experience forces from those to the side and below them. As a result, these molecules are pulled inwards, forcing the liquid to take on a form with minimal area. (Photo credit: Getty Images; submitted by drhawkins)
(via quantumaniac)
