Telescope Crash Course
Want to know all the basics about telescopes, as well as the best one to buy? Check out the link here (courtesy of the kids at the Brenham Community Center, Tx :)
Top 10 Hubble Space Telescope Pictures
Here is the Astronauts' Pick of the top 10 Hubble Space Telescope Pictures over the last 16 years.
Calling all Amateur Astronomers
You don't have to brave the cold, the desert, or late hours to help uncover new astronomical mysteries. Just turn on your computer.
Dancing Around the World
Here's an exploration of the happiness within us all, that may just make you smile.
Burning with Water
From blow torches to automobiles, good old fashioned water has even more amazing uses.
Is there such a thing as too much love?
Why do I include the international "free hugs campaign" here? Well besides trying to spread happiness wouldn't you say it's an interesting social experiment?
Have Wings Will Fly
Put sky diving and hang gliding together and what do you have? A jet powered flying wing of course!
Rube Goldberg Ping Pong Music Machine
This is what you get when you put 13,000 hours of musical and engineering talent together.
The Vegetable Orchestra
This takes playing with your food to a whole new level :)
Fuel from Salt Water?!
Using radio frequencies, a Floridian inventor has stumbled across a new way to produce fuel. (11/10/07)
The Secret Life of the Cell
An amazing "nano view" video simulation of the cell's inner workings.
Mars MER Rover Animation
From liftoff to landing, an extraordinary animation of the Mars MER rovers launched in 2003.
Invisible Water
Buoyancy due to the density difference between air and sulfur hexafloride. (SF6)
Alien Voices
Vocal Chord frequency due to gas density.
Transformers Meet Reality
Joint Strike Fighter (F35) transformation to VTOL configuration.
Optical Illusions and Mind Games
Magic Russian Floating Helicopter
Real or Optical Illusion? I'll give you a hint - frame rate.
Mind Reading or Mind Manipulation?
Can your computer really read your mind? See if you can figure out the cool, simple trick behind this mind blowing game!
Reality vs. Perception
The mind's interpretation of images, especially faces, makes some assumptions that are not always correct. See for yourself.
Memory Test (WARNING - this may be addictive :)
Remember the old "match the flag game"? Well if not, no worries. Here's a new fangled version that's not only fun, but may boost your IQ points in the process!
Dynamic Sand Art
The drawing suggests, the mind does the rest. Or at least this is certainly true for sand paintings.
Mind Boggling Sidewalk Drawings
Not only are these 2D pictures amazingly good. You'll swear they are coming out of the pavement.
Simple Questions You Can't Answer
Jumping to conclusions will get you in trouble with this test. But can you help it?
Simple Questions 2 (may the focus be with you)
So you're ready for more, but will experience help you? The only way to know is to try.
Mind over Body
Or is that body over mind. Try it and see.
Spelling is for the Birds
Could you read an entirely misspelled paragraph easily? You might be surprised. This is as close to closing your eyes and reading as you'll ever get!
Optical Illusions 101
Here are a number of static illusions to examine. All are simple and all are curious :)
Optical Illusions 202
If you're still up for more, take a look at these and see if you can convince your eye to find reality!
Color Aftereffect
This example will have you sure you're seeing colors, until they disappear.
Waterfall Illusion
Here's another example of a visual affereffect. But in this case it applies to motion.
Moving Illusions
Here are a few dynamic eye tricks to try. Just don't stare too long you might leave drool on your keyboard.
Hidden Bird
Movement helps us to distinguish figure from ground. In the case of camouflage, without movement we would see nothing.
Math and Quick Thinking
What do math and reflexive thought have to do with one another? Find out for yourself.
Do you really see what you read?
If you really think you see everything you read, here's a simple test.
Current Event Links
Can pixie dust regrow your limbs? (5/26/08)
Human experiments will soon demonstrate whether powdered pig's tissue can coax human stem cells to regrow limbs.
CERN to test super string theory (5/9/08)
Testing string theory has so far been a difficult task, but an insightful physicist and powerful CERN may start to yield some answers.
Archeologists uncover evidence of near Human Extinction (4/24/08)
Severe conditions just 70,000 years ago may have reduced the human race to as few as 2000 individuals.
World Food Shortages(4/11/08)
Extreme weather and population pressures are driving rice up prices as much as 70% in Asian countries.
New X Ray Technique Enables Excavation of Tiny Fossils(4/1/08)
A new, powerful X ray fossil excavation technique has uncovered 100 million year old bugs in opaque amber.
Dolphin Rescues Stranded Sperm Whales (3/12/08)
Could this be a demonstration of higher intelligence or interorganism communication?
Space Freighter Unpacks in Orbit (3/10/08)
European Space Freighter (ATV) module will soon dock with the International Space Station.
Bacteria Make Ice and Snow (2/29/08)
Studies have found that a significant contributor to the earth's rain and snow is due to bacteria in the atmosphere.
Self Healing Rubber (2/20/08)
Finally a material you can break that will fix itself!
NASA Messenger Probe Arrives at Mercury (1/18/08)
Although it will not reach a stable orbit around Mercury until 2011, NASA's Messenger Probe is already capturing terrific images of the planet's surface.
Learning Links
Math Tricks to Amaze ... Everyone
Learn to recognize mathematical patterns and perform genius level operations in minutes. This site doesn't just make math fun, it will make it look like magic ... to your teachers!
DaVinci's Machines
Amazing machine designs from the 15th century.
News Archives
Aerospace
An Active Glacier Found on Mars? (12/20/07)
A European probe may have found an active glacier formed from the water emmerging from underground.
Civilian Space Port (10/1/07)
Pictures and breif description of the World's first Civilian Space Port in New Mexico.
In Orbit (8/8/07)
Stunning pictures of the International Space Station and Space Shuttle Endeavour in Orbit.
Bio and Genetic Engineering
Turning Brain Signals into Speech(12/14/07)
Decoding human brain signals holds tremendous hope for paralyzed patients.
Primate Embryo Cloning (11/14/07)
First successful demonstration of primate embryo cloning advances stem cell research and the ethics debate.
Can the Banana be Saved? (1/6/05)
Horticulturalists and Genetic engineers are working to fix the flexibility that 15,000 years of banana cultivation have removed - genetic diversity.
Mechanics
Innovative Reverse Engineering (1/1/05)
The Honda Accord Rube Goldberg add.
Home Rube Goldberg on Steroids
A Full Home Rube Goldberg Machine - using nothing short of the kitchen sink.