#the Sun
Questions about “the Sun”.
8 articles
Why do auroras glow?
Curtains of light rippling across the night sky. We think of them as a polar sight, yet they were recorded in Japan as far back as the seventh century.
Why do comet tails point away from the Sun?
A long tail sweeping across the night sky like a broom. It is tempting to think a comet trails its tail behind it as it flies, but that isn’t always the case.
How many times a day does the International Space Station circle Earth?
A huge laboratory flies 400 kilometers over our heads. For the astronauts who live there, a “day” runs to a rhythm completely unlike ours on the ground.
Why are plants green?
Fresh spring leaves, deep summer forests: why are plants so uniformly green? Behind that question lies a surprisingly deep puzzle: why aren’t they black?
When was the umbrella invented?
On a rainy day, an umbrella is indispensable. But trace its long history back far enough, and it turns out it wasn’t made for rain at all.
Do honeybees talk by dancing?
In the pitch-dark hive, one bee starts to whirl and shimmy, and her sisters gather around. Packed into those moves is information of astonishing precision.
Did the name “Impressionism” begin as an insult?
The bright paintings of Monet and Renoir are loved all over the world. Yet on the day their group got its name, a newspaper was laughing at their work.
Where does the Japanese word “tasogare” come from?
Tasogare is a beautiful Japanese word for dusk. It is written with the characters for “yellow” and “dusk,” yet its sound has nothing to do with them. Trace it back and you reach a few words spoken in the half-light.