Ecology

We have dismantled an automatic mechanical watch: what changes compared to quartz ones?

We have dismantled an automatic mechanical watch: what changes compared to quartz ones?

We all have our eyes on clocks every day but perhaps not everyone knows exactly how they work. For example: why do the second hands move jerkily in some watches while in others they move much more smoothly? And what is the mechanical component responsible for the classic “tic tac”? In this video we clarify these and many other aspects, ...

Why cracks form and what do they have to do with expanding resins

Why cracks form and what do they have to do with expanding resins

We often consider them just an aesthetic nuisance, a thin line to be covered with a little putty and a coat of paint. Yet, one crack in the wall sometimes it can be the signal that the building sends us to tell us that something is moving in the foundations. But how do we understand if we can rest assured ...

How smell contributes to interpersonal relationships: the influence of scents and odors in social dynamics

How smell contributes to interpersonal relationships: the influence of scents and odors in social dynamics

The sense of smell has long been considered a “secondary” sense compared to sight and hearing in understanding the human social behaviors. However, contemporary research in cognitive neuroscience, social psychology and evolutionary biology is progressively reevaluating its importance. Smell is not limited to perception of environmental odorsbut actively participates in building interpersonal relationships, as friendly as they are loving, influencing ...

Asteroid 2010 RF12 has a 10% chance of hitting Earth in 2095, but won't do any damage

Asteroid 2010 RF12 has a 10% chance of hitting Earth in 2095, but won’t do any damage

Purely illustrative artistic representation created with AI. Currently, the record for the highest probability of impact between an asteroid and the Earth goes to 2010 RF12a small “space rock” near-Earth of the Apollo group already passed 79,000 km from Earth in 2010 and which has 1 in 10 chance to hit the Earth the 5-6 September 2095. Fortunately, even in ...