Category: Science

If you have studied almost any European language, you will have noticed words that felt oddly familiar. French mort (dead) recalls English murder. German Hund (dog) is a dead ringer for hound. Czech sestra resembles English sister. No prizes for guessing the meaning of Albanian kau (it’s actually ox). You might have wondered: could these…

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Quantum mechanics is usually described as the science of the very small — of electrons, atoms, and photons that behave in ways that defy the rules of everyday experience. Yet one of the most striking results of modern physics is that this quantum behaviour doesn’t vanish abruptly when systems become large. Instead, it continues to…

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Bats are the only mammals capable of true powered flight, yet their wings have evolved from the same basic five-digit limb structure found in all mammals. How, then, can they alone fly? “At first, when scientists started comparing animals, we thought big anatomical differences must come from big differences in DNA,” Christian Feregrino, a lead…

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PHOTO: Getty Images/iStockphoto Why do they peck? First things first, why do they constantly knock their heads against wood? Knocking one’s knuckles against wood is understandable, since it’s considered a source of good luck. But woodpeckers don’t have knuckles, so do they use their bills as a substitute? Not really. The birds hold the ability…

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PHOTO: SHIV KUMAR PUSHPAKAR / The Hindu What is it? What exactly are nightshades? Simply put, they are plants, herbs, and vegetables that belong to the Solanaceae plant family. This is a plant family where nearly all members of its flora contain naturally occurring organic compounds known as alkaloids, which makes them toxic in nature….

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Accessible Science Corner at the Periyar Science and Technology Centre in Chennai A sea of blue invites you to the Accessible Science Corner at the Periyar Science and Technology Centre in Chennai with corals, silicone dolphin and 3D model of fishes. This corner enables visually-impaired people to experience and understand the underwater world. Inaugurated by…

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Bubble wrap. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT There’s no resisting the sound when our hands get on to attack some bubble wrap. It’s addictive and satisfying for anyone and everyone who wants an excuse to fidget with some bubble wrap. You get your hands on it and before you even think about it – Pop!…

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A double rainbow | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement. Double rainbows are two arcs of colour decorating the sky – literally two for the price of one. The main rainbow is usually brighter and of the usual pattern (red on top, violet at the bottom), and the second rainbow — which is called the secondary arc…

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