Facts of the Matter: Hypothesis links language to our thought processes
In the intricate tapestry of human society, language and culture stand as pillars that shape our perceptions, influencing how we view the world around us. Read more
Richard Brill is a retired professor of science at Honolulu Community College. His column runs on the first and third Fridays of the month.
In the intricate tapestry of human society, language and culture stand as pillars that shape our perceptions, influencing how we view the world around us. Read more
In the annals of maritime history, the quest for determining longitude at sea was a long- standing challenge that captivated the minds of sailors, scientists and governments alike. Read more
In the vast expanse of Siberia lies a geological wonder that has puzzled scientists for decades — the Siberian Traps. Read more
In the realm of quantum physics, a fascinating phenomenon known as quantum spin plays a crucial role in understanding the behavior of subatomic particles. Read more
The Voynich Manuscript, a cryptic and enigmatic text shrouded in mystery, has baffled scholars, cryptographers and historians for centuries. Read more
Infinity, by definition, is the idea of something that is endless or without boundaries. Read more
The concept of matter-antimatter asymmetry has captivated the scientific community for decades. Read more
A word from Captain Obvious: The sun rises in the east and sets in the west. Read more
Some minerals have color because of what they do to light that passes through them or reflects from their surfaces. Read more
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When speaking of mass extinctions, we evoke a seriousness that transcends anything that we have experienced in human history. Read more
For more than 100 years the safest, most effective, least expensive and widest-ranging drug known to man has been available to ease headaches, stop inflammation and lower fever. Read more
We have understood for a long time that the oceans play a significant role in transferring heat from the equator to the poles, but only in recent years have we begun to understand the importance of the link between ocean and atmosphere. Read more
Earth is the water planet, but perhaps it is equally appropriate to call Earth the water cloud planet. Although liquid water is a distinctive feature of planet Earth, water clouds are even more so. Read more
Feeling tired today? Most of us grow more weary as the day goes on and as the years pass. We say we are out of energy or getting low on energy, which is a fact. Read more
Equilibrium is a state of balance of opposing actions that is central in virtually everything that happens, from basic physics to dance and the arts, economics and social ideologies. Read more
Before the development of magnetic resonance imaging, X-rays were the only way to image inside the body. But X-rays are too energetic and show hard structures such as bones while they penetrate connective tissue and organs that show only as ghostly images. Read more
There are two ways that a substance can respond to an electric field. Read more
A beach seems constant from day to day, yet it is an ever-changing river of sand. On a geologic time scale the life of a beach is like a fruit fly in our human time. Read more
Searching for water on Mars and looking for other distant planets that may be Earth-like recalls that it is not only water, but also carbon that is necessary for life. Read more
Today’s chemical measurements are 1,000 times more sensitive than in the 1970s. Analyses at the parts per billion range — about one drop in a swimming pool — are commonplace. Read more
Folk wisdom has recognized the role of empty calories in weight gain and obesity for years, but there has not been much public discussion about the addictive qualities of sugar. Read more