This triple gear is a real thing, and thanks to some intricate math and the advent of 3-D printing, it exists. Before this, at least as far as I can tell, a triple-meshed gear required one of the gears to turn in the opposite direction as the other two. That is no longer the case. I can’t for the life of me imagine what this would be used in, but hey … at least we have it now. Get to designing! (via henryseg on Shapeways)
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This triple gear is a real thing, and thanks to some intricate math and the advent of 3-D printing, it exists. Before this, at least as far as I can tell, a triple-meshed gear required one of the gears to turn in the opposite direction as the other two. That is no longer the case.

I can’t for the life of me imagine what this would be used in, but hey … at least we have it now. Get to designing!

(via henryseg on Shapeways)

Source: shapeways.com

This GIF might break your brain a little:

Take a look at the sequence of images below (I recommend clicking through to enlarge, Tumblr Dashboard folks). Works best if you stare at the dot:

Color? Or black and white?

The rods and cones of your retina respond to the illumination (black-white) and color of a scene, respectively. But that input passes through one key information filter on the way to your visual cortex. 

In a sense, your rods and cones take a wavelength survey of the visual field, measuring all the wavelengths they are capable of measuring. It’s the “opponent process” that begins to give color meaning. It’s not only how “red” something is, it’s also how “not green” it is. Likewise, a yellow tulip in the original image from above is intensely “not blue”.

When looking at the “blue” tulips, your blue photoreceptors get fatigued. This creates the illusion of yellow when the blue surplus is taken away. 

Ouch. I need to close my eyes.

How Bees and Butterflies See Butterflies and bees can both sense pigments in the center of flowers that we can’t see. UV photography techniques pioneered by Klaus Schmitt and others capture this better than anything else I’ve seen. See how the center of the flower gets darker as the UV fades in? Bulls-eye. And what’s up with the glowing butterfly?! Living in a UV world would be awesome, except for all the DNA damage to your retinas thanks to the unfiltered radiation. Click here to watch the latest episode of It’s Okay To Be Smart for more on how bees and butterflies have evolved to see flowers in a new light. And subscribe! It’s free.
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How Bees and Butterflies See

Butterflies and bees can both sense pigments in the center of flowers that we can’t see. UV photography techniques pioneered by Klaus Schmitt and others capture this better than anything else I’ve seen. See how the center of the flower gets darker as the UV fades in? Bulls-eye.

And what’s up with the glowing butterfly?! Living in a UV world would be awesome, except for all the DNA damage to your retinas thanks to the unfiltered radiation.

Click here to watch the latest episode of It’s Okay To Be Smart for more on how bees and butterflies have evolved to see flowers in a new light. And subscribe! It’s free.

Whose Air Would You Share? In response to the latest episode of It’s Okay To Be Smart, “Whose Air Do We Share?” many of you shared with me who you were most excited to share air molecules with. There were plenty of Carl Sagans and other great minds offered, as well as Amy Poehler and even a horse (Secretariat). But many of you also sent in touching answers, like grandparents you’ve never gotten to meet, or people who left us too soon. When we step past all the atmospheric science and interesting math about just how small and shared our atmosphere is, I think this bit of poetic connection will prove to be my favorite part of this episode. I mean, science providing us with a profound sense of connection, true links to the past, true community with those we can no longer see and with those we have never met? That’s a breath of fresh air. Click here to subscribe and to check out more episodes.
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Whose Air Would You Share? In response to the latest episode of It’s Okay To Be Smart, “Whose Air Do We Share?” many of you shared with me who you were most excited to share air molecules with. There were plenty of Carl Sagans and other great minds offered, as well as Amy Poehler and even a horse (Secretariat). But many of you also sent in touching answers, like grandparents you’ve never gotten to meet, or people who left us too soon. When we step past all the atmospheric science and interesting math about just how small and shared our atmosphere is, I think this bit of poetic connection will prove to be my favorite part of this episode. I mean, science providing us with a profound sense of connection, true links to the past, true community with those we can no longer see and with those we have never met? That’s a breath of fresh air. Click here to subscribe and to check out more episodes.
Zoom Info

Whose Air Would You Share?

In response to the latest episode of It’s Okay To Be Smart, “Whose Air Do We Share?” many of you shared with me who you were most excited to share air molecules with.

There were plenty of Carl Sagans and other great minds offered, as well as Amy Poehler and even a horse (Secretariat). But many of you also sent in touching answers, like grandparents you’ve never gotten to meet, or people who left us too soon.

When we step past all the atmospheric science and interesting math about just how small and shared our atmosphere is, I think this bit of poetic connection will prove to be my favorite part of this episode.

I mean, science providing us with a profound sense of connection, true links to the past, true community with those we can no longer see and with those we have never met? That’s a breath of fresh air.

Click here to subscribe and to check out more episodes.

descepter: Ever wonder what happens if you cry in space? This needs to be the internet’s go-to “so many cries” GIF. Score update:Hadfield: 1,342People who don’t like space: 0 Are there any people who don’t like space, actually? Watch Chris Hadfield’s full video explanation of why tears don’t fall in space here.
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descepter: Ever wonder what happens if you cry in space? This needs to be the internet’s go-to “so many cries” GIF. Score update:Hadfield: 1,342People who don’t like space: 0 Are there any people who don’t like space, actually? Watch Chris Hadfield’s full video explanation of why tears don’t fall in space here.
Zoom Info
descepter: Ever wonder what happens if you cry in space? This needs to be the internet’s go-to “so many cries” GIF. Score update:Hadfield: 1,342People who don’t like space: 0 Are there any people who don’t like space, actually? Watch Chris Hadfield’s full video explanation of why tears don’t fall in space here.
Zoom Info

descepter:

Ever wonder what happens if you cry in space?

This needs to be the internet’s go-to “so many cries” GIF.

Score update:
Hadfield: 1,342
People who don’t like space: 0

Are there any people who don’t like space, actually?

Watch Chris Hadfield’s full video explanation of why tears don’t fall in space here.

(via sincerelyscience)

Source: descepter