Weather’s mugginess is all relative
As I sat in my kayak in Maunalua Bay in the muggy air and dwindling afternoon light last week, my thoughts focused on humidity. Read more
Latest Stories by Richard Brill
Kilauea eruption is classic example of ‘gentle’ volcano
Even with as much publicity as the current Puna eruption has garnered, there is still some misunderstanding about Kilauea Volcano’s eruptive behavior. Read more
Theories on Earth’s shape continue to fall flat
The recent surge in debate among supposedly educated people about the shape of planet Earth is surprising, considering Eratosthenes, an ancient Greek scientist, measured its circumference 22 centuries ago. Read more
Containment is main difficulty with fusion power
Thermonuclear reactions deep in the sun’s interior consistently generate the same amount of energy as 2.5 billion 500-megawatt generators, the largest on Earth. Read more
Different scales make it relative when calculating degree of hotness
Is water at 200 degrees Fahrenheit twice as hot as water at 100 degrees Fahrenheit? Read more
Star-studded event of the year unearths scientific gold mine
The Science magazine event of the year was the collision of two neutron stars. This event, the first ever detected, produced both light and gravitational waves. Read more
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Resonance a prime effect happening all around us
Resonance is forced motion at a frequency near the natural oscillation frequency of a system. Read more
Annual Geminid meteor shower highlights unusual space object
If the sky is not cloudy tonight and the air is not too cold, it might be worth a few minutes to have a look in the southern sky for the meteoric streaks of light from the Geminid shower. Read more
OLED display technology overcomes some limits of semiconductors
Diodes, like transistors and computer chips, rely on semiconductivity. Read more
Research hints at healing potential of bioelectricity
Luigi Galvani discovered bioelectricity in the late 1770s when he began to experiment with muscular contraction of frog’s legs by electrical stimulation. Read more
Asteroid’s unusual orbit hints at new type of heavenly object
Asteroids are common in our solar system, but astronomers have never seen one from outside the solar system, until now. Read more
Once written off to illusion, the curveball is a wonder of aerodynamics
Spin is in. Stars spin around supermassive black holes. Planets spin in orbit around the sun. Read more
Crystals show multifaceted qualities of inorganic solids
Crystals are everywhere. With few exceptions the solid inorganic substances that make up our world are crystalline. This includes rocks, minerals, ceramics and metals. Read more
Excellent view of total solar eclipse is worth the trip
My wife and I recently returned from watching the total solar eclipse on Aug. 21. Having been aware of the event and seeking ideal viewing sites since summer of 2016, we made arrangements and reservations that would have been impossible at a later time. Read more
Gravitational waves offer astronomical revelations
In Einstein’s theory of general relativity, gravity is not a force as it was in Newton’s description. In Newton’s view, gravity was due to the attraction of two masses according to the size of the masses and the distance between them. Read more
The creation and shapes of proteins are still unknown
Proteins are the most important of all biochemicals. They are involved in nearly all bodily processes in one way or another. Read more
Smell works more like a sixth sense sometimes
To humans, the sense of smell has a direct link to emotions. Who among us has not, at one time or another, had a memory and its associated feelings come rushing at us when catching a whiff of a perfume, theater popcorn or one of thousands of smells that we associate with events from our past? Read more
Recent ‘king tides’ caused by a combination of factors
‘King tides” is a colloquial term for the highest occurring tides. They are a type of spring tides, which have nothing to do with spring, but rather the position of the sun and moon. Read more
Zealandia debate centers on definition of a continent
The continents are: Australia, Antarctica, Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, South America and Zealandia. Read more
Seeing the smallest objects requires humongous energy
It is an interesting aspect of the universe and an ironic sense of unity that it requires more energy to see smaller objects. This is the result of the properties of waves in general and specifically the nature of electromagnetic waves. Read more
Magnetic ‘magic’ offers a cool way to charge, cook
Charging a cellphone on an induction pad seems like magic, and in a way it is. Induction is a feature of electromagnetism that Michael Faraday stated in 1831, now known as Faraday’s law. It is the basis for much of modern electrical and electronic technology. Read more
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