Pendulum plummeted

In 1851, French physicist Léon Foucault constructed a device to demonstrate the rotation of the earth to Napoleon III and the Parisian elite using laboratory equipment rather then astronomical observations. The apparatus which now carries his name caused a sensation and was replicated throughout Europe. The Foucault Pendulum slowly describes a certain pattern with its swing as the earth revolves beneath it (ANIMATION HERE). After his initial demonstration, Foucault installed a permanent pendulum in the Panthéon, which was moved a few years later to the Conservatoire des Arts et Métiers in Paris. But after swinging successfully for more than 150 years, the pendulum’s 67 m cable snapped in 2010 and its 28 kg brass-coated lead bob crashed to the floor of the Musee des Arts et Metiers. The marble floor was fixed, but the bob was irreparably damaged. Scientific instruments curator Thierry Lalande said remorsefully at the time, “It’s not a loss, because the pendulum is still there, but it’s a failure because we were unable to protect it.” Foucault's legacy, however, remains intact since his pendulum has become a staple in science museums around the world. And an exact copy of the original has been swinging permanently since 1995 under the dome of the Panthéon in Paris.

Posted with Blogsy

Busted

While it is uncertain that Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet ever existed, romantics flock to Verona, Italy, to the Casa di Giulietta (Juliet’s house). Once probably owned by the Cappello family, who may have inspired the bard, this tentative connection has made it a major tourist attraction. It does, after all, have the balcony made famous in the play (IMAGE ABOVE). But the popularity of the site has resulted in some problems. A year ago, authorities banned the posting of notes addressed to Juliet by the lovelorn on the walls of the building, because of the damage the chewing gum and other adhesives have caused. Now it has been revealed that the right breast of the bronze sculpture of Juliet which stands in the courtyard has been disfigured at the hands of those same tourists. Their sentimental touches – meant to bring luck in love – have in fact rubbed holes in her bosom. The statue is believed to be at risk and it has been suggested that a portion of visitor entrance fees be devoted to its maintenance.

Posted with Blogsy

Space scarab

I may have seen this amulet belonging to King Tutankhamun when I visited the traveling exhibition of his treasures in the 1970s. Little did I know that the yellow scarab at the center predates the ancient Egyptian king's 14th c. B.C. reign by 28 million years. That's when a comet hit the Sahara desert and heated the sand to such a degree that it formed silica glass and spread it over a wide area. The scarab, microscopic diamonds, and a mysterious black pebble dubbed “Hypatia” have been found by an international collaboration of geoscientists, physicists, and astronomers to be the first physical evidence left on the planet by a comet strike. Team member David Block of Wits University explains, “Comets always visit our skies – they’re these dirty snowballs of ice mixed with dust – but never before in history has material from a comet ever been found on Earth.”

 

Posted with Blogsy

Aurora from above

We've seen beautiful photographs, like those above, of the Northern and Southern lights. And some of us have seen in person the Aurora Borealis (I have, from an airplane on my way to Seattle) and the Aurora Australis. But how about a view of the latter from space, animated, compliments of NASA?

Posted with Blogsy

Hambleton gets hammered

I feel a great affinity for people who have special collections,* having had one myself, though I have since sadly had to disassemble most of my Cabinet. The image above shows the spectacular collection of meteorites that Robert Elliott has amassed since 1996. Many of them he found himself with the use of a metal detector, including the Hambleton meteorite, a 38.8lb (17.6 kg) rusty metallic rock he identified on a walk with his wife in North Yorkshire, U.K., in 2005. Considered his greatest discovery, the Hambleton meteorite is a pallasite, a rare type described as "fruitcake," because it is run through with semi-precious gemstones, in this case peridot crystals (IMAGE HERE). Elliott has parted with pieces of his collection by selling them to celebrities and other collectors and by trading them to Britain's Natural History museum. He has sold dozens of his specimens, including pieces of the Hamilton meteorite, at auctions in 2009 and 2011. A third auction is being held in Edinburgh today and a 6.4lb (2.9kg) slice of the Hambleton rock is expected to fetch £7,000-10,000. But Elliot is not in it for the money. "Catch a falling star — that's what I do. There's a bit of romance there. These things are falling stars. They are so old — they saw the planets forming, they have seen comets and they have suffered extremes of temperature."

 

*Thanks to Wendy Muir for this link!

 

Posted with Blogsy