Posts Tagged ‘Explosions’
First Video of a Volcanic Eruption 4,000 Feet Underwater [Explosions]
Posted by: Gadget Boy in Gadget News, Technology on December 18th, 2009
This year a research expedition sent a remotely operated vehicle 4,000 feet below the surface of the Pacific Ocean and within ten feet of an exploding volcano. Today the first video footage from that expedition was released. Ka-boom.
Ok, maybe there's no ka-boom because there's no sound, but just looking at this video makes me imagine all that water wooshing by as everything begins to shake. Simply stunning. [Physorg]
Death of the Biggest Star Ever Reads Like a Comic Book [Space]
Posted by: Gadget Boy in Gadget News on December 5th, 2009
This ain't your standard supernova. A while ago, astronomers noticed an exploding star that was about 50 to 100 times brighter than normal. Here's why: It was freakin' huge.
After two years of studying light output from the star's death, one scientist is proposing that this star might have been the biggest ever known. About 200 times larger than a standard solar mass.
And when huge stars explode, it involves some really cool words. Check out this description:
But in the case of an extremely massive star, while its core is still made of oxygen, it releases photons that are so energetic, they create pairs of electrons and their anti-matter opposites, positrons. When the matter and antimatter meet, they annihilate each other.
Electrons and positrons? Matter and anti-matter? All fighting to annihilate each other and creating what may be the biggest nuclear explosion EVER? Man that sounds awesome.
I hope I get an FPS-style killcam view of the universe when I die, just so I can see stuff like this go down. [Space.com via Gearlog]
Shooting Anvils 200 Feet In the Air Is as Bloody Crazy as It Sounds [Explosions]
Posted by: Gadget Boy in Gadget News on October 21st, 2009
See that guy who kind of looks like Ernest Hemingway? His name is Gay Wilkinson. His favorite sport is to shoot anvils in the air. Anvils. He says that women ask him: "why would you like to do that."
I tell you why, women! Because he can. Just pack a lot of black powder between two anvils, put a notepad with the fuse in between, light up, and watch the anvil on top shooting up 100 to 200 feet into the air, stop for a second, and then fall down pretty much at the same spot.
Yes! I understand you, Mr. Wilkinson. I actually want to hang out with you, drink beer, eat grilled meat, fire up anvils, and change our names to Yosemite Sam and Wile E. Coyote for a day. [Riverfront Times via Boing Boing]
Lighting a Grill with Liquid Oxygen Is the Opposite of Safe [Science]
Posted by: Gadget Boy in Gadget News on September 16th, 2009
Don't try this at home: in this video crazyperson Theo Gray lights a grill with the help of some liquid oxygen. Suffice to say it's a bit of overkill, but just the kind of overkill we like. [Instructables via PopSci]
How Not to Demolish a Building [Demolition]
Posted by: Gadget Boy in Gadget News on August 3rd, 2009
Most building demolitions are precisely planned and controlled. When they aren't, a factory in Cankiri, Turkey, does a barrel roll through the streets. Oops! [Boing Boing]
Giz Service Announcement: Aim Fireworks Into the Air, Not At Your Mom [July 4th]
Posted by: Gadget Boy in Gadget News on July 4th, 2009
Here's another clip from the Consumer Product Safety Commission that proves, once and for all, that it is not okay to point fireworks at family members. Happy July 4th everybody! [CPSC]
Giz Service Announcement: Fireworks Can Blow Up Your Face [July 4th]
Posted by: Gadget Boy in Gadget News on July 3rd, 2009
Hey everyone, just checking in to make sure your holiday is kicking off with a bang. But that you haven't blown your face off with some giant aerial fireworks. Happy July 4th everybody! [CPSC]
