Science in action this week
History of the Steinhart Aquarium
As we celebrate its 90th anniversary, we look back on the history of the Academy's Steinhart Aquarium.
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see all videos »Science Today Quiz
What do Vesta and the moon have in common?
- Astronomers have found proof that both were impacted with asteroids
- Both have gone through planetary development
- Both have an iron core
- All of the above
What is the force that rips a star apart as it approaches a black hole?
- Weak force
- Tidal force
- Strong force
- Electromagnetic force
Correct!
The tidal force is an effect of gravity, one of the four fundamental forces in nature—namely, the strong force, weak force, electromagnetic force, and gravity. Read more about the dangerous nature of black holes here.
Bummer!
The tidal force is an effect of gravity, one of the four fundamental forces in nature—namely, the strong force, weak force, electromagnetic force, and gravity. Read more about the dangerous nature of black holes here.
What percent of Mercury’s radius is part of its core?
- 27%
- 55%
- 85%
- 73%
Yes!
NASA’s MESSENGER spacecraft measured variations in Mercury’s gravitational pull to reveal that its core is larger than originally expected. Find out more here!
Sorry.
85%. NASA’s MESSENGER spacecraft measured variations in Mercury’s gravitational pull to reveal that its core is larger than originally expected. Find out more here!
Dark matter is made up of:
- Weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs)
- Brown dwarfs
- Antimatter
- We don’t know
That’s right!
We have no idea! Mysterious dark matter makes up most of the mass of the Universe. It sounds imaginary, but we know it exists because it influences us through the effect of gravity. Read more here.
Oops!
We have no idea! Mysterious dark matter makes up most of the mass of the Universe. It sounds imaginary, but we know it exists because it influences us through the effect of gravity. Read more here.
What would happen to earth if the Sun emitted a superflare?
- Damage the ozone layer
- Kill off species
- Visible change in sunlight
- All of the above
Nice work!
Superflares occur when a star has a magnetic outburst, releasing a burst of charged particles. Such events take place rarely on most stars, and probably even less often on our Sun. Check it out!
Nope.
All of the above. Superflares occur when a star has a magnetic outburst, releasing a burst of charged particles. Such events take place rarely on most stars, and probably even less often on our Sun. Check it out!
You got out of correct. The average so far is .
About Science Today
Science Today is the California Academy of Sciences’ channel for current stories on cutting-edge technologies, life, Earth, space and sustainability. Content is produced in-house and is distributed throughout the museum, on the internet and through various partners. Please share your comments on what you find important in the changing world of science.
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Top Story: August 15, 2013
Confirmed Source of GRBs?
The same short-duration gamma-ray burst seen on June 3rd that produced a few moons’ worth of gold was still visible nine days later when the Hubble Space Telescope observed its remains.
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Top Story: August 19, 2013
A Trip to Cameroon
Two very different Academy scientists traveled to Cameroon together earlier this summer, in search of frogs, in a race to save them.
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Top Story: August 20, 2013
How Much Do Black Holes Eat?
How can we "see" how much the black hole in the center of our galaxy is eating?
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Top Story: August 21, 2013
Spicy!
When did food start to taste good?
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Top Story: August 22, 2013
Dirty Microbes
How can soil microbes improve farming practices?
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Top Story: August 23, 2013
Colors of the Cosmos
The phrase “Colors of the Cosmos” makes for a catchy title, but real scientific value lies behind those alliterative words.
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Top Story: August 26, 2013
Frogsicles
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Top Story: August 27, 2013
Supervolcanoes in Space
And you think supervolcanoes here on Earth capture a lot of attention...
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Top Story: August 28, 2013
Ocean Acidification Research
What’s going on with the oceans and what can we do?
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Top Story: August 29, 2013
Speed Limits for the Birds
Can birds read speed limit signs?
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Top Story: August 30, 2013
Fire!
Links to visuals and articles about the devastating Sierra Rim Fire.
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Top Story: September 3, 2013
A Break From Warming
Why has global warming taken a hiatus?
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Top Story: September 4, 2013
Hot Jupiters
What can hot Jupiters tell us about the diversity of planets in our universe?
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Top Story: September 5, 2013
Whooping Crane Migration
Humans are learning a lot about whooping crane migration behavior from a distance.
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Top Story: September 6, 2013
LADEE
While there is no officially acknowledged “man in the moon,” there is a LADEE...
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Top Story: September 9, 2013
Massive Tamu Massif
How can you hide a large volcano here on Earth? Place it several miles below the surface of the Pacific Ocean.
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Top Story: September 10, 2013
New Chytrid
When researchers found fire salamanders in the Netherlands dying at a rapid rate from a skin fungus, they thought the infection looked familiar.
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Top Story: September 11, 2013
2012 Extremes
When are extreme events part of natural climate variability and when are they due to climate change?
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Top Story: September 12, 2013
Convergent Evolution in the Genes
How does echolocation work at the gene level for diverse animals like bats and dolphins?
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Top Story: September 13, 2013
Whiskey, Wolves, and Fungus Sex!
A sampling of a few science headlines from this past week...
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Top Story: September 16, 2013
Explosion Explained
What kept Darwin up at night? The Cambrian explosion.
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Top Story: September 17, 2013
California Legless Lizards
Four new species of colorful legless lizards are described today.
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Top Story: September 18, 2013
Legless Lizards' Lives
Fascinating reptiles deserve fascinating names and homes!
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Top Story: September 19, 2013
Voyager’s Great Leap
Have we actually left the Solar System at long last?
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Top Story: September 20, 2013
Signs of Life
Buried ancient rivers and missing martians-- our Friday round-up of science headlines!
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Top Story: September 23, 2013
Sea Otter Awareness Week
Celebrate these engaging and rebounding animals!
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Top Story: September 24, 2013
Hungry Sea Otters Save Shorelines
Researchers are discovering just how vital sea otters are to healthy ecosystems.
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Top Story: September 25, 2013
Undoing Extinction
Scientists are trying to revive and restore a tragically lost species, the passenger pigeon.
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Top Story: September 27, 2013
Fish Face!
Meet your distant relative, Entelognathus primordialis, possibly the first earthling with a familiar face.
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Top Story: September 30, 2013
Fishing for Electrons
A novel way to generate electricity from sewage.
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