Ryan Rykaczewski describes one of the most massive migrations on the planet, driven by the sun. Image by Tintinnidguy (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], via Wikimedia Commons 

#ExplainTheSun  - The Largest Migration on The Planet

According to research published in the journal Cognitive Science, toddlers can figure out when their parents are joking, with the help of clear social cues. For example, if a parent holds up a cup of water to their elbow (as though they’re offering their joint a drink), exclaiming “That’s not how you drink!” helps their child understand that they’re joking. (Without that hint, kids might be left wondering if their elbows are, in fact, thirsty.) The study also found that kids can differentiate between joking and pretending—two activities that, though similar, may contribute to a child’s development in somewhat different ways. Elena Hoicka, a developmental psychologist and one of the paper’s authors, describes the potential benefits that sharing a beverage with your elbow, throwing a rubber chicken on your head, and galloping a block as if it's horse can have for kids.


Can Babies Take a Joke?

Once, there was the ordinary incandescent light bulb. It shone brightly, but wasted much of the energy put into it as heat. Then came the compact fluorescent. And as costs have dropped, consumers have increasingly been switching to light-emitting diode (LED) technology for many lighting applications, in an ongoing search for a more efficient bulb. Now, in work published in the journal Nature Nanotechnology, researchers report that nanophotonic devices may be able to breathe new life into old incandescent technology. Marin Soljačić and Ognjen Ilic, two authors of the study, explain how they’ve been able to “recycle” some of the incandescent bulb’s wasted heat and re-emit it as visible light, boosting efficiency.

For the Lowly Incandescent Bulb, a Ray of Hope

Science, technology, and other cool stuff from public radio's Science Friday. It's brain fun, for curious people. From WNYC Studios.

Can Babies Take a Joke?

SciFri

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