Surprising Science — July 31, 2014

1991 RadioShack Ad

A weekly newsletter featuring the biggest ideas from the smartest people

According to History Pics, everything in this 1991 RadioShack ad now exists in our smart phones. Check out the ad yourself and ask, “Is there an app for that?” Chances are, today — yes.

Image credit: History Pics

A weekly newsletter featuring the biggest ideas from the smartest people

A black and white image of a bunch of spheres, symbolizing the multiverse concept discussed by scientists.

Starts With A Bang

How logic and reasoning can fail as scientific tools

In logic, ‘reductio ad absurdum’ shows how flawed arguments fall apart. Our absurd Universe, however, often defies our intuitive reasoning.

Life

Moving trees north to save the forests

As the world warms, trees in forests such as those in Minnesota will no longer be adapted to their local climates. That’s where assisted migration comes in.

Starts With A Bang

Why “incompleteness” matters in theoretical physics

Physicists just can’t leave an incomplete theory alone; they try to repair it. When nature is kind, it can lead to a major breakthrough.

An abstract composite image depicting where life began with mountainous terrain, chemical structures, and a monochrome inset of a cloudy sky.

Starts With A Bang

What was it like when life first sprang forth on Earth?

Although early Earth was a molten hellscape, once it cooled, life arose almost immediately. That original chain of life remains unbroken.

A computer-generated image of a bright celestial object with an accretion disk, possibly representing what the sun looked like when it was born.

Starts With A Bang

What was it like when the Sun was born?

It took 9.2 billion years of cosmic evolution before our Sun and Solar System even began to form. Such a small event has led to so much.

Up Next

Culture & Religion

From Homeless to Hollywood Mogul

James Cameron was homeless when he wrote Terminator, according to History Pics. Yet he sold the film rights for $1. Why? He took the extremely low salary in exchange for getting to direct the project. Smart bargain. Image via History Pics