Astronomy
Supernova Explosion: The Death of Massive Stars
Supernovae are extremely powerful, releasing enormous amounts of energy when they explode. That’s why the visible light emitted by them can be seen even without a telescope. […]
Science
Astronomy
Oscar Duhalde and the Discovery of Supernova 1987A
In 1987, a supernova was discovered by the Chilean telescope operator Oscar Duhalde. He simply noticed the bright supernova in the sky, with no telescope, during his break time. […]
Chemistry
Noble Gases: The Non-reactive Elements
Neon can stand in for helium as a cryogen, and xenon has revolutionized flash photography, and even served as a medical anesthetic. The discovery of radon ultimately led to the important acceptance of the notion that elements can transmute through radioactive decay. […]
Chemistry
Helium: A Coveted Strategic Natural Resource
Helium provides unreactive buoyant gases and the gold-standard cryogenic liquid to help cool superconductors. […]
Chemistry
Argon: The ‘Lazy’ Noble Gas
Once discovered, the inertness and remarkably weak intermolecular forces of noble gases have lent them to a number of important uses in an array of technologies. […]
Astronomy
Astronomer Frank Kameny: Founding Father of the Gay Rights Movement
Frank Kameny was barred from pursuing astronomy because of his sexual orientation. He dedicated his life to breaking down the barriers that had stood in his way, so others wouldn’t have to suffer the way he did. […]
Astronomy
Making Astronomy a Fairer and More Equitable Field
Efforts have been made by astronomers to remove gender-based barriers for today and tomorrow’s scientists. Margaret Burbidge led the way, and Decadal Surveys now include topics for how to support the astronomy community. […]
Astronomy
Margaret Burbidge: Breaking Barriers in Astrophysics
Margaret Burbidge’s enthusiasm for astronomy led her to applying for a postdoctoral research position at Mount Wilson. However, she was turned down as women were barred from staying on the mountain and working as lead observers. […]
Chemistry
The Octet Rule and the Debate over Its Accuracy
Although the rule of eight seemed unquestionable at first, the existence of compounds such as sulfur hexafluoride showed that this rule can be violated and disobeyed. […]
Chemistry
The Periodic Table: The Second Row Elements of the P-block
The valence electrons characterize the element’s bonding behavior. Carbon can create varying compounds because it can form four chemical bonds. Fluorine is super reactive because it only needs one electron to reach the octet. […]