Richard Brill is a retired professor of science at Honolulu Community College. His column runs on the first and third Fridays of the month.
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
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
Proteins are the most important of all biochemicals. They are involved in nearly all bodily processes in one way or another. Read more
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
‘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
The continents are: Australia, Antarctica, Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, South America and Zealandia. Read more
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
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
By strict definition, a catalyst is a substance that increases the rate of a chemical reaction without itself undergoing any permanent chemical change. Read more
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Thinking machines are here, or not. The debate continues while developments in artificial intelligence create more and more sophisticated machines that are becoming more and more humanlike. Read more
The blustery winds over the past month have made us feel as if winter has set in for real. It is Hawaii, and the temperature rarely drops into the 60s, but we have “thin” blood and feel the cold more than our temperate-climate counterparts who might welcome 70 degrees in February as a cause for celebration. Read more
Most radiation is not harmful; in fact, most of it is useful. People discover new uses and new methods every day for use in health, industry, business, entertainment and scientific research. Read more
The gusty weather over the past couple of weeks piqued my interest in where wind comes from. Read more
As intuitive as that may sound, the muggy air fools our senses. The fact is that humid air is lighter than dry air. Read more
The December solstice occurs at 12:44 a.m. Hawaii time Wednesday. At this instant the sun will reach its southernmost point on the ecliptic and start northward again. Read more
Just about everyone knows that the moon orbits Earth once every month. What we do not commonly know is that the moon’s orbit is not circular; it is elliptical. Read more
You might not realize it, but certain fundamental units are the basis for all of our everyday measurements as well as those of the most precise scientific experiments. Read more
The big news in satellites today is small. With cellphone-size electronics in place, minisatellites called nano-satellites or CubeSats are instrumental in a new space revolution. Read more
The hottest lights on the market today are cool light-emitting diodes, or LEDs. LEDs are made from semiconductors, which differ from conductors in the way their crystal structure holds electrons. Read more
It’s nearly certain that each of us consumes some fermented food or beverage daily. Bread, cheese, yogurt, beer, cured salami, cocoa and pickled foods such assauerkraut and kim chee are some examples of fermented products. Read more
