Our Planet

Bowling ball and feather fall in a vacuum at the exact same speed [Here’s why]

A Bowling Ball and Feather Falling in a Vacuum

It’s a well-known fact that a feather will fall slower than a bowling ball due to air resistance. However, what happens if you remove the air and drop both objects in a vacuum? Surprisingly, they will fall at the exact same speed. This might seem counterintuitive, but it’s actually a result of a fundamental principle of physics known as the equivalence principle. In this article, we’ll explore why bowling balls and feathers (in general, heavy objects and light objects) fall at the same speed in a vacuum and the implications of this principle on our understanding of gravity.

Vulcan Points [island within a lake that is situated on an island located in a lake on an island]

Can you imagine an island within a lake that is situated on an island located in a lake on an island? Confused? Well, it is really confusing, but this island does indeed exist: Vulcan Points is the world’s largest island within a lake (Crater Lake) that is situated on an island (Taal Volcano Island) located in a lake (Lake Taal) within an island (Luzon).

Lake Baikal: the deepest lake in the World

Lake Baikal, located in southern Russia, is the world’s deepest and oldest lake, containing over 20% of the world’s unfrozen freshwater. This massive body of water, which is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is home to thousands of unique plant and animal species that can only be found in its waters. With its stunning natural beauty and fascinating ecological significance, Lake Baikal is truly a wonder of the world. In this article, we will explore some of the most interesting and surprising Lake Baikal facts that make this place so special.

Earth from the ISS [live HD streaming]

The International Space Station (ISS) has been orbiting Earth since 1998, providing scientists and astronauts with an unparalleled view of our beautiful planet. But thanks to advancements in technology and the availability of high-speed internet, people all over the world can now experience breathtaking views of Earth from the ISS in real-time.

Live HD streaming of Earth from the ISS has become a popular way for people to connect with the beauty and fragility of our planet, and to gain a deeper understanding of the science and technology that make this remarkable feat possible.

Here’s how everyday maps distort continent sizes

Australia vs Greenland map, their true sizes

When we think about maps, we often imagine a flat representation of the world. But did you know that the maps we commonly use, such as the Mercator projection, actually distort the size of continents? In this article, we’ll explore the history behind the Mercator projection and how it affects our perception of the world. We’ll also look at alternative map projections that accurately represent the true size of continents and how they can help us better understand our planet.

Changing Earth: How Satellites Give us a Unique Perspective on our Evolving Planet

Changing Earth: The decline of Aral Sea between 2000 and 2014.

The ever-changing Earth: our planet is constantly changing over the years. Some changes are part of nature, and some of them are on humanity’s shoulders. Some scientists even suggest that the Earth has entered a new geological epoch defined by human impact, called the “Anthropocene“. Over the years astronauts have taken photos of the Earth from space and documented these changes. NASA’s World of Change series shows how our planet’s land, oceans, atmosphere, and Sun are changing over time.

Alan Eustace breaks the skydiving record by jumping from 135,908 feet [41424.76 meters]

Alan Eustace parachuted from a balloon near the top of the stratosphere on October 24, 2014, falling faster than the speed of sound and beating the skydiving record set by the Austrian Felix Baumgartner in 2012.

Here’s how Japanese Honey Bees defend themself against the Japanese Giant Hornet [Amazing Videos]

Japanese honeybee-thermal defence against Japanese giant hornet

In the insects world, the Japanese Giant Hornet (Vespa mandarinia japonica) is a real beast. It is one of the subspecies of the Asian Giant Hornet (Vespa mandarinia), which is the world’s largest hornet. As its name suggests, it is endemic to the Japanese islands, where it prefers rural areas where it can find trees to nest in.

Using its scissor-like teeth that can wreak havoc on its prey, a single Japanese giant hornet can kill up to 40 European honeybees a minute. So, a few of them can decimate an entire colony containing 30,000 European honey bees. Compared to honeybees, it is really a giant: adults can be more than 4.5 centimeters (1.8 inches) long, with a wingspan greater than 6 centimeters (2.4 inches).

But, the Japanese honey bees have developed an amazing defense against these giants during their evolutionary process.

The incredible story of Chito and Pocho: “The man who swims with a crocodile”

Pocho the crocodile plays with his human friend Gilberto "Chito" Shedden.

A unique friendship between a man and a crocodile: nicknamed “Chito”, Gilberto Shedden, a Costa Rican fisherman, and naturalist had an unusual friend: “Pocho”, a huge crocodile longer than 5 meters (16 feet 5 inches), with a weight up to half a ton.

10 Amazing Kangaroo Facts

Kangaroo is an iconic marsupial that is indigenous to Australia and New Guinea. Marsupials are mammals that carry their young in a pouch. Here are 10 amazing kangaroo facts.