Science

DIY science is the perfect way to use your creative skills and learn something new. With the right supplies, some determination, and a curious mind, you can create amazing experiments that open up a whole world of possibilities. At home-made laboratories or tech workshops, makers from all backgrounds can explore new ideas by finding ways to study their environment in novel ways – allowing them to make breathtaking discoveries!

Showing Off Aluminum’s Natural Reactivity via Gallium Alloy

Showing Off Aluminum’s Natural Reactivity via Gallium Alloy

Very interesting vid from 16-year-old Hayden Parker, who impressed me greatly with his animated chemistry demonstrations at Maker Faire. Metallic aluminum can be dissolved in liquid gallium to create an aluminum-bearing alloy that is liquid at ambient conditions. Because it can flow in the alloy, the aluminum cannot form a stable passive oxide layer and will react violently with water, which nicely demonstrates the normally-hidden high natural reactivity of metallic aluminum.

Continue Reading Sean Michael Ragan1
How-To: Operate a Homemade Scanning Electron Microscope

How-To: Operate a Homemade Scanning Electron Microscope

When we last checked in on Ben Krasnow’s homemade SEM, he had just achieved his first successful image with the device. As his latest video shows, the project has come a long way since then. It’s a long clip, by internet standards, at almost 10 minutes, but Ben does a great job of communicating what he’s doing and why, taking us through each step in the imaging process, from loading the sample, through pumping down the vacuum chamber and powering up the electronics, to fine-tuning the image itself.

Continue Reading Sean Michael Ragan2
Open Source Space Flight Attempt Today

Open Source Space Flight Attempt Today

Copenhagen Suborbitals is a suborbital space endeavor, based entirely on private donors, sponsors and part time specialists. Our mission is to launch human beings into space on privately built rockets and spacecrafts. The project is both open source and non-profit in order to inspire as many people as possible, and to involve relevant partners and […]

Continue Reading John Baichtal48
Recycling Paperbacks as Partitions

Recycling Paperbacks as Partitions

Diane spotted this interesting idea from London designer Lucy Norman, who writes: “There is currently no infrastructure set up to recycle the paper from books because the paper is low grade and the glue on the spine must be removed. The Paperback Partition is made from this waste, creating an aesthetically pleasing and interesting divide in a room. It provides both good heat insulation, and acoustic insulation…”

Continue Reading Sean Michael Ragan66