(4/4)This same process is behind some surprisingly common stuff. Epsom salt soaks can help reduce swelling by pulling fluid out of tissues, and IV fluids are carefully balanced so your cells don’t shrink or swell.
Nothing's ever as simple as it seems–even breakfast!
#OsmosisInAction #ScienceEveryday
(3/4) Water likes to spread itself around. It naturally moves to areas with higher concentrations of “non-water” particles, and moves across gradients to achieve a more even distribution.
(2/4) The hard-boiled egg in this pic is surrounded by salty water, and something subtle is happening: water is moving out of the egg. Why? Osmosis, that’s why!
An EGG-CITING science thread 🧵
Pop quiz! Which of the following is true about eggs?
A. They each have 6g of protein for mad gainz
B. They hold the secrets of the universe
C. Both
Not sure why it's C? Head to the fridge to see what eggs can teach us about an essential life process! (1/4)
A potential clue for treating MS? Let's yak about it!
Scientists found a mutation in yaks that helps repair myelin, the protective insulation around nerves. The discovery could guide future treatments for brain diseases.
www.sciencenews.org/article/yaks...
We’ve mapped the Moon better than parts of Earth’s ocean.
Now scientists have discovered new deep-water ecosystems in the Caribbean, revealing previously unknown coral communities living far below the surface.
Makes you wonder...what else is down there?
www.bbc.com/news/article...
It's a great day for a bird fact! Arctic terns fly ~56,000 miles each year from pole to pole. How do they navigate? Birds have a built-in magnetic sense: light-sensitive molecules in their eyes react to Earth’s magnetic field, letting them see direction like a natural compass. Check out that route!
Then, as the plane moves past you, the sound waves behind it are stretched out. Fewer waves reach your ears per second (lower frequency), so the pitch sounds lower and gradually fades with distance.
Wa-lah (waaaAAAaaalah?)
Next, as the plane passes overhead, there is a quick transition from compressed waves (approach) to stretched waves (receding). This produces the characteristic sudden drop in pitch that you hear.
Doppler? I hardly know h– ah, nevermind Anyway, here's how the doppler effect works! As an object (in this case, a plane) approaches, the sound waves in front of it are compressed. This means the waves reach your ears more frequently (higher frequency), so the pitch sounds higher. (cont ⬇️)
My walk down a Roatan street was full of colorful critters, like these Cuban blue anoles catching some sun. In my quest to ID them, I learned that Anolis allisoni can thermoregulate by changing color from green to brown to blue!
I guess even with these good views, you can still catch the blues 🦎
One of the strangest “science culture” moments I’ve ever heard: Hustler magazine helped expose one of the most famous dolphin research stories of all time.
I wasn't expecting to add Hustler to my list of science communication sources, but life's funny like that!
www.alieward.com/ologies/delp...
This episode of #ologies taught me that dolphins are social, vocal, and navigate drama like the rest of us. It also taught me that I probably don't want one as a roommate 🤷♀️
www.alieward.com/ologies/delp...
