24 May 2016
Researchers at the Wyss Institute have developed a technique for 3D printing metallic structures without requiring auxiliary support material. A special ink composed of silver nanoparticles is deposited through a nozzle and annealed using a precisely targeted laser to solidify the ink. The nozzle can move along the xyz-plane while a rotating stage allows for curved structures.
The technique is promising for the creation of highly customized curved electronics and flexible biomedical devices.
Source: https://youtu.be/_7lSZWOJwPA
#ScienceGIF #Science #GIF #3DPrinting #3D #Printing #Manufacturing #Metal #Materials #Light #Ink #Direct #Flexible #Engineering #Nanoparticles
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16 May 2016
Last week the planet Mercury underwent a solar transit as it passed between the Sun and the Earth during its orbit around our nearest star. This 7.5 hour event only occurs roughly 13 times a century, so astronomers were out in force with specialized telescopes to capture the passage.
The Big Bear Solar Observatory’s 1.2-meter New Solar Telescope captured what is believed to be the highest-resolution footage of the solar transit. This footage was combined with imagery from NASA ‘s Solar Dynamics Observatory , which captured the planet’s passing with much less detail.
Source: http://www.bbso.njit.edu/
#ScienceGIF #Science #GIF #Mercury #Sun #Solar #Transit #Planet #Star #Telescope #BigBearSolarObservatory #BBSO #Observatory #NASA #SolarDynamicsObservatory #SDO
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13 May 2016
Sodium-potassium alloy (NaK) is an eutectic alloy of potassium and sodium that is usually liquid at room temperature. It is extremely reactive with water and usually requires storage in hydrocarbons or inert gases (e.g. nitrogen or argon). When exposed to air it forms a potassium superoxide coating that reacts explosively with organics.
Here, the NaK alloy has been loaded into a bullet and fired at a watermelon. Immediately after leaving the barrel, the liquid metal has already ignited and acts almost like a tracer as it travels through the air. Upon penetrating the watermelon, the sodium and potassium react with the water and explodes violently.
** Warning** : The lack of proper eye protection is extremely dangerous when firing a gun or working with explosive materials at such close range. Always wear appropriate personal protective equipment!
Source: https://youtu.be/T85d7ST2yxU (BackyardScientist)
#ScienceGIF #Science #GIF #Bullet #Gun #Handgun #Explosion #Sodium #Potassium #NaK #Alloy #Reactive #Oxygen #Air #Water #Reaction #Chemistry #ChemicalReaction
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10 May 2016
Piranha solution is a mixture of sulfuric acid (H2SO4) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) that is used to clean organic residue off substrates. The mixture is both an extremely strong oxidizer and acid that will destroy most organic matter.
The reaction takes place as two distinct processes with very different rates. The first reaction involves the rapid dehydration (loss of water molecule from reactants) that results in carbonization of organic molecules. The speed at which this violent process destroys organic material resembles that of a piranha feeding frenzy (hence the name).
The second, slower process converts hydrogen peroxide into extremely strong oxidizing agents capable of dissolving even elemental carbon. The oxidation of carbon manifests as the gradual clearing of soot and carbon char left by the initial dehydration process.
Source: https://youtu.be/xVYXmBuqlBk
#ScienceGIF #Science #GIF #Piranha #Chicken #Raw #ChemicalReaction #Reaction #Chemistry #SulfuricAcid #HydrogenPeroxide #Dangerous #Dissolve #Eat #Organic #Etch #Oxidizing
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10 May 2016
Drosera capensis , more commonly known as the Cape Sundew, is a carnivorous plant native to the Cape in South Africa. Its leaves are covered in brightly-colored tentacles that secrete a sticky mucilage that traps insects. When an insect gets stuck, the leaves roll lengthwise towards the center (thigmotropism) over the course of tens of minutes. This accelerates digestion by increasing the surface area of digestive glands in contact with the prey.
Source: https://youtu.be/T0w5a77LaFI
#ScienceGIF #Science #GIF #Plant #Carnivorous #Biology #DroseraCapensis #Wasp #Life #Nature #Sundew #Cape
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6 May 2016
This jellyfish was imaged during the NOAA’s 2016 Deepwater Exploration of the Marianas Trench while exploring the informally-named Enigma Seamount at a depth of 3,700m (2.3 miles). While scientists have determined that this hydromedusa belongs to the genus Crossota , the exact species classification is still unknown/undecided.
The red-colored radial canals seen within the bell are part of the jellyfish’s water vascular system used for locomotion, food and waste transport, and respiration. They appear to be connecting points for the bright yellow-colored gonads.
Source: https://youtu.be/QGFh3UNvuCQ (NOAA)
#ScienceGIF #Science #GIF #Jellyfish #DeepSea #Sea #Deep #Marianas #Deepwater #Exploration #NOAA #Species #Genus #Vascular #Colorful
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4 May 2016
On November 6, 2015, UP Aerospace launched a 20-foot tall SL-10 rocket into near-space with GoPro cameras mounted on the fuselage. The rocket carried a payload for testing the aerodynamics and stability of re-entry to the atmosphere.
The rocket reached an altitude of 396,000ft and speeds over Mach 5.5 (3,800mph) at engine burnout. This is the same launch that produced fantastic stage separation footage previously posted in this collection.
Source: https://youtu.be/bDoh8zQDT38 (GoPro)
#ScienceGIF #Science #GIF #Rocket #Space #Up #Aerospace #Launch #Engine #Camera #GoPro #SL10 #Payload #Mach
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3 May 2016
The Horsehead Nebula (Barnard 33) is a dark nebula located in the constellation Orion just south of the star Alnitak. The nebula was discovered in 1888 by Scottish astronomer William Fleming on a photographic plate at the Harvard College Observatory. The nebula is approximately 1,500 light years away from the Earth and spans several light years. The red/pinkish glow originates from hydrogen gas behind the nebula that is ionized by the nearby star Sigma Orionis.
This imagery is a composite of photographs taken with the Hubble Space Telescope’s Wide Field Camera 3 and the European Southern Observatory’s Visible and Infrared Survey Telescope for Astronomy.
Source: https://youtu.be/-PQpNb_yJVE
#ScienceGIF #Science #GIF #Hubble #Space #Telescope #NASA #ESA #Nebula #Horsehead #OuterSpace #Exploration #Discovery
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29 April 2016
The primary mirror of the James Webb Space Telescope is comprised of 18 individual mirror segments arranged in a hexagonal pattern. Each of the gold-coated beryllium mirrors measures 4.2ft (1.3m) across and weighs 88lbs (40kg). Once fully deployed in space, the individual segments will function as a single 21.3ft (6.5m) diameter mirror.
The mirrors were installed over the course of several months and required sub-millimeter accuracy in order to ensure the correct optical alignment. A laser-guided robotic arm was used to steer the mirrors into the correct position prior to bolting. The gold-coated mirrors were covered by protective cases during the installation process that will be removed prior to launch.
The James Webb Space Telescope is the scientific successor to NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope and is scheduled to launch in October 2018. The much larger mirror (6.5m vs 2.4m) will allow for the imaging of even more distant/ancient celestial objects.
Source: https://youtu.be/1d1sHLkmNQI
Learn More: http://goo.gl/yqWKS7
#ScienceGIF #Science #GIF #JamesWebb #Telescope #Space #Satellite #NASA #Mirror #Installation #Timelapse #Gold #Mirrors #Engineering #Robotics
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27 April 2016
NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope turned 26 years old last week and astronomers released imagery of an immense bubble being blown into space by a a super-hot, massive star. The stellar wind of hot gases released by the star moves at over four million miles per hour and sweeps up the cold, interstellar gas in front of it, forming the outer edge of the bubble.
The Bubble Nebula is seven light-years across and 7,100 light-years away from the Earth in the constellation Cassiopeia. It was discovered in 1787 by William Herschel, a prominent British astronomer. Hubble’s Wide Field Camera-3 imaged the nebula with unprecedented clarity in February 2016 and was used to create this animated flythrough.
Source: http://goo.gl/cEGKHw (NASA)
#ScienceGIF #Science #GIF #NASA #Hubble #Space #Telescope #BubbleNebula #Bubble #Nebula #Star #Gas #Astrophysics #Astronomy
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