Why do people still believe the Earth orbits the Sun when it’s not factually true?
Physics education can be pretty well described as a series of lies of ever-decreasing size. Force is not exactly equal to mass times acceleration, it turns out you can push a rope…
Do submarines ever surface for better speed if they are in the middle of the ocean with a low chance of encountering a ship?
The bow wave of a large ship at 30 knots is a magnificent thing unless you are an engineer. For them it represents a massive waste of energy….
What is the most dangerous plant on planet Earth?
Wild parsnip plant (Pastinaca sativa). Warning :Graphic images I didn’t know about this plant or its toxicity until I saw a post by a lady in the USA…
Is it possible to terraform Sahara?
Human beings are such impatient creatures. So, you use ground penetrating radar on the Sahara and you know what you find? Rivers. Tons of them. Big and small….
How do navy divers deal with sharks during operations?
I worked with some SEALs during one of my Afghanistan deployments. One night, a SEAL told me a story about one of his swims in BUD/S. It was…
Does Alpha Centauri have a solar system like ours?
Alpha Centauri is a solar system but it is nothing like ours! First of all, Alpha Centauri is a solar system in itself not the name of a…
What is Dimethylmercury?
Let’s establish something first: mercury is extremely toxic. This is probably the first thing you learn about mercury in chemistry class: If you’re exposed to liquid elemental mercury (pure mercury) – even…
Are US Navy carrier strike group escorts expected to absorb a missile to keep it from hitting the aircraft carrier?
See this thing … Yes, it’s a Naval helicopter.Ardleigh Burke’s and Ticonderoga’s carry two each. When they are not being used for ASW operations they roles include using…
Why are the 747-8 engines placed differently than on the older versions?
In older aircraft the engines were hung on pylons that extended downwards. It was designed like that for a reason. If you were to place the engines too…
Why was the aircraft carrier USS America CV-66 almost impossible to sink when it was used as a test target in 2005 while battleships with much thicker armor were routinely sunk in combat in WW2 using now-obsolete weapons?
The USS America is the only super carrier ever sunk, either on purpose or in combat. It took four weeks and they ended up having to scuttle her…