dash Rick's Portal Gun Science
Many worlds are out there, / Parallel realities to share!
sloane In September 1882, Thomas Edison opened America's first commercial power plant, safely delivering electricity to customers.
sloane The fierce rivalry between Nikola Tesla's alternating current and Thomas Edison's direct current shaped the modern power grid.
sloane The opening of Manhattan's Pearl Street Station proved that electricity could be centrally generated and distributed to the public.
Fun Fact
Portal gun sound: The iconic sound of Rick's portal gun was created by layering a synthesized laser with the sound of a flushing toilet.
Glossary
lightbulb (noun)
A glass bulb inserted into a socket, providing light by passing an electric current through a filament. Thomas Edison developed the first commercially practical version at his Menlo Park laboratory in 1879.
A glass bulb inserted into a socket, providing light by passing an electric current through a filament. Thomas Edison developed the first commercially practical version at his Menlo Park laboratory in 1879.
Quiz
What is the scientific name for a wormhole, which theoretically connects two distant points in spacetime?
lechuga Volcán Sierra Negra Galápagos
En Galápagos, la isla Isabela Sierra Negra, un volcán colosal Su caldera mide diez kilómetros Un gigante activo, ¡es real!
dash Unlike Rick’s fictional cybernetics, real brain implants let paralyzed patients control computer cursors with thoughts.
teacher Confectioners use corn syrup or acids to block crystallization and keep hard candy perfectly smooth.
renaissanceman Explore how Norse paganism was actually a survival guide against literal monsters. View the infographic to uncover the myths behind the beasts.
Fun Fact
Lightbulb filaments: Thomas Edison tested over 6,000 materials, including beard hair and coconut fiber, before finding that carbonized bamboo worked best.
Glossary
crystallization (noun)
The process of forming crystals from a liquid, gas, or solution. Confectioners carefully control this process to determine whether a sweet becomes grainy fudge or glassy hard candy.
The process of forming crystals from a liquid, gas, or solution. Confectioners carefully control this process to determine whether a sweet becomes grainy fudge or glassy hard candy.
Quiz
Who formulated the theory of general relativity, which first mathematically allowed for the existence of wormholes?
Achievement
Project completed!
Soy Maestro de Las prefecturas de Japón
sloane Harnessing Electric Light
From Menlo Park, a brilliant idea took flight, Thomas Edison brought the world electric light!
sloane In 1879, Thomas Edison created a safe, affordable electric light that replaced dangerous gas lamps.
marc Traditional pensions guaranteed a monthly check for life based on salary and years of service.
lechuga It’s wild how these cacti grew tree trunks just to escape hungry tortoises.
Fun Fact
Candy glass safety: Hollywood filmmakers use boiled sugar glass for stunt windows because it breaks safely without creating dangerous, sharp shards.
Glossary
pension (noun)
A regular payment made by an employer or state to a retired person, typically based on former service and salary. The 1963 collapse of the Studebaker automobile company's retirement fund exposed severe vulnerabilities in these plans.
A regular payment made by an employer or state to a retired person, typically based on former service and salary. The 1963 collapse of the Studebaker automobile company's retirement fund exposed severe vulnerabilities in these plans.