February 27, 2014

What If Everyone on Earth Jumped at the Same Time?

The BBC tried to organize a seismic event by having 50,000 people in one place jump at the same time. A kilometer away it registered as a .6 on the Richter scale, according to the video below by Vsauce.

What would happen if everyone on Earth jumped at exactly the same time in the same place? Would it cause an earthquake or knock earth off of its axis?

Image credit: Jorge Lascar/Flickr

Starts With A Bang

The big idea of Grand Unified Theories of physics

If the electromagnetic and weak forces unify to make the electroweak force, maybe, at higher energies, something even grander happens?

Microscopic image of a small electronic component with clear details of its structure and connections against a gray background.

The Future

Making microbots smart

What would it take to create a truly intelligent microbot, one that can operate independently?

Four-panel collage of historical philosophers in various artistic styles, including a sculpture, a sketch, and two realistic portraits.

Thinking

4 philosophers on how to live a happy life

From Taoism to hedonism, philosophers have devised all sorts of ways to live your best life.

A striking view of a blue planet, similar to earth, seen from space with part of its surface illuminated by sunlight against a starry background.

13.8

A new theory for how oceans form on other worlds

Explore how the study of exoplanets is transforming our understanding of ocean formation.

A collage of various international banknotes featuring portraits of historical figures.

The Learning Curve

How scientific thinking can fix collaboration in a mixed-up world

A physicist, a psychologist, and a philosopher walk into a bar and discuss a framework for thinking better in the 21st century.

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