Ask Dr. Science

I wonder why scientists are treated with such disdain?

More physics

If you liked the sublimation of hot oil shown by William Shatner in my other posted video, you might be a physics nerd. Here's a video (in real time!!) of what happens if a railroad sealed container isn't vented properly.  It was emptied out and the hot gas remained inside, displacing volume.  The gas cooled, reducing the volume inside.

Safety dictates that the workers would have to keep a vent open after emptying it to avoid this problem.  This was a safety demonstration to show the public the power of our atmospheric pressure!

Note that air pressure works differently from gravity.  If you forgot in what ways, you can watch this.  Note that not everyone has a great control over gravity.

Physics!

No, not really.  In fact, this video is completely anti-science.  But it makes me feel good after watching it!  I'm a big fan of Christopher Walken, and don't mind Fatboy Slim.  In the interest of the theme, though, note how Christopher defies gravity.

Don't try this at home!

Brinicle of Death

This isn't really humour - especially not for the starfish it affects!  But it certainly is "science".

The temperature of the briny water is below freezing - of normal water - so it remains fluid.  It also becomes dense enough to sink.  It causes the less salty water outside to freeze solid to form the "brinicle".  Coooooool.

Fireworks fail

I posted recently about the opening and closing of the Mount Royal centennial celebration.  I posted a video showing our fireworks and was showing it to my friend Jim.  He told me of another, more interesting fireworks display in Scotland.

The entire show was choreographed to last over 10 minutes... but due to a technical problem, they went off within on minute.  Here's what transpired.

"Eat, Fry, Love"

William Shatner learns about combustion when he makes a deep-fried turkey.