h In football, free kicks occur when the referee believes a rule has been broken. If central enough and within 30 metres from the goal, the attacking team typically attempts a direct shot on goal. However, the goalkeeper routinely places a “wall” of defensive players in between the ball andContinue Reading
Jackie Niam/Shutterstock The world population is estimated to reach 9.5 billion by 2050. Given that most of our current energy is generated from fossil fuels, this creates significant challenges when it comes to providing enough sustainable electricity while mitigating climate change. One idea that has gained traction over recent yearsContinue Reading
Shutterstock/DmitryKalinovsky These days almost everyone has either flown a drone or listened to the nasty whining sound they produce. Although small drones (up to 20kg) are about 40 decibels quieter than conventional civil aircraft, they produce a high pitched noise – which people tend to find very annoying. One NasaContinue Reading
There's a lot of matter in the universe, here the cat paw nebula of dust and gas. NASA It’s one of the greatest puzzles in physics. All the particles that make up the matter around us, such electrons and protons, have antimatter versions which are nearly identical, but with mirroredContinue Reading
Sam Doucette/Unsplash, FAL Cannabis policy is undergoing a global revolution. Around the world, laws are changing. In the US, there are now 15 states in which cannabis for adult-use purposes is legal, and nearly three dozen where it is legal for medical purposes. In 2018, Canada became the first G7Continue Reading
Kids know… PathomP Thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, the year 2020 has been dominated by data. But with great amounts of data comes great responsibility to communicate it properly. Unfortunately, the accurate and clear communication of complex information has been an area where many have fallen short this year. TheContinue Reading
The brain is a mystery. Orla/Shutterstock How much are you conscious of right now? Are you conscious of just the words in the centre of your visual field or all the words surrounding it? We tend to assume that our visual consciousness gives us a rich and detailed picture ofContinue Reading
Private company SpaceX launched SN8, a prototype of its Starship spacecraft, designed to go to the Moon and Mars, on December 10. Its short flight attracted a great deal of attention for it’s final few seconds before landing – when it exploded. But consider the near perfect totality of itsContinue Reading
Tube sponge (Porifera). kaschibo/Shutterstock The theory of evolution shows that all of life stems from a single root and that we are related, more or less distantly, to every other living thing on Earth. Our closest ancestors, as Charles Darwin recognised, are to be found among the great apes. ButContinue Reading
Daydreaming in lockdown? Keep it future focussed. fizkes/Shutterstock The COVID-19 pandemic has created a tough year for people across the globe, with billions facing at least one lockdown. And it’s not over – there may be further lockdowns needed in the new year. Luckily, researchers have been busy studying whatContinue Reading
