Ecology

What is a landslide and how is it studied from a geotechnical point of view

What is a landslide and how is it studied from a geotechnical point of view

While the Niscemi landslide continues, with new failures and the recent collapse of a three-storey building, in Italy attention has been rekindled on the fragility of the territory compared to landslide phenomena. The natural tendency of soils to slide towards new conditions of equilibrium makes it essential to identify tools and strategies capable of re-establishing the safety, especially in high ...

The absurd story of the Nazi submarine that sank due to the bathroom on board

The absurd story of the Nazi submarine that sank due to the bathroom on board

Image generated with AI. The Nazi submarine U-1206 he is among the protagonists of one of the most absurd stories of the Second World War, remembered not only for his great battles but also for small events that are often forgotten. In 1945, in fact, the submarine was forced to resurface in enemy waters – where it was immediately hit ...

Two avalanches between Friuli-Venezia Giulia and Veneto: how to calculate the risk and how to read the bulletin

Two avalanches between Friuli-Venezia Giulia and Veneto: how to calculate the risk and how to read the bulletin

Two avalanches several have affected the Friuli-Venezia Giulia and the Veneto: the Alpine Rescue intervened in Sella Nevea ea Casera Razzo for two avalanches which involved 6 people in total, one of whom was found lifeless after being overwhelmed by the snow. Accidents of this type – which occurred yesterday February 1st – are unfortunately not one novelty for our ...

What is olfactory memory and how it works: when scents evoke memories

What is olfactory memory and how it works: when scents evoke memories

The aroma of a freshly baked cake, the smell of rain on the asphalt or that of an old brand of sunscreen and “boom”, we are instantly catapulted into a precise moment in the past. This phenomenon, often referred to as “Proust syndrome” in honor of the writer who described the evocation of childhood memories, is not a simple poetic ...

What is Groundhog Day celebrated today in the USA and Canada: the curious tradition

What is Groundhog Day celebrated today in the USA and Canada: the curious tradition

In the United States and Canada, the February 2 is celebrated on Groundhog Day (Groundhog Day), a tradition in which a groundhog indicates whether the winter will still be long and cold or whether spring will come soon. This method, that is, that of observing the movements of animals to predict weather conditions, has very ancient roots in various cultures ...

What is pool cue chalk used for?

What is pool cue chalk used for?

Anyone who has ever played billiards you will surely have noticed that there are always gods present next to the table small colored chalk cubes which – as many films and TV series have taught us – must be rub yourself on the tip of the cue. But what exactly is this practice for? Its main purpose is to improve ...

Why did people once wear monocles?

Why did people once wear monocles?

Credits: W.carter, CC BY–SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons The monocle it wasn’t just a bizarre accessory from dandy: born as one optical instrument of myopia correction, although certainly impractical, but it soon turned into symbol of status and refinement. Used in particular by German soldierswas targeted by satire in the nineteenth century and underwent the definitive decline after the world ...

How tattoo removal works: the picosecond laser

How tattoo removal works: the picosecond laser

It’s possible remove a tattoo? Short answer: yes, thank you picosecond laser. It is a laser that selectively hits the pigments that make up the ink, thus heating them and fragmenting them. The results can be truly impressive, leading to complete removal of the tattoo, but this is not always the case: successful removal depends on several variables such as ...