Articles by

Rhett Allain

How to Measure the Earth’s Radius With Legos

More than 2,000 years ago, pretty much every educated human knew the Earth was round. There are...

Can a Hydroelectric Dam Really Make the Days Longer?

How many times have you said, “I wish the days were longer”? Well, NASA scientists say the...

The Physics of the Northern Lights

The aurora borealis is usually visible only way up north, but over the past 18 months, shimmering...

How Do Metal Detectors Work?

Why would you want to detect metal? Oh, I don't know … maybe you want to find...

In Orbit You Have to Slow Down to Speed Up

If you watch sci-fi movies, you’d think that flying a spaceship is just like driving a slightly...

How to Get Your Kids Into STEM Even When Its Future Is Uncertain

Blame the lightsabers. That’s what led me to become a professor. As a high school student, one...

5 More Physics Equations Everyone Should Know

In January I wrote a piece titled “5 Physics Equations Everyone Should Know.” Lots of you weighed...

How Energy-Generating Sidewalks Work

We walk here, we walk there, we walk everywhere. Maybe you’re headed to work or to lunch...