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

Have trouble perceiving red and green? Join the club. Colorblindness is the most common genetic disorder worldwide, but its severity can vary. For some, difficulty seeing red and green may be a minor annoyance (red-green colorblindness is by far the most common variety of colorblindness). For others, it can taint even seemingly ordinary experiences—enjoying a vivid sunset, for example, or picking out fresh produce. Colorblindness can even prevent some people from pursuing jobs where color vision is critical, like nursing and aviation. Beginning in 1999, visionary researchers Maureen and Jay Neitz of the University of Washington began researching and developing a colorblindness cure. Now, using a virus-based gene therapy and a group of highly trained monkeys, the Neitzes may have finally created a cure for the colorblindness blues.

Macroscope Video: A Cure for the Colorblindness Blues

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.

Macroscope Video: A Cure for the Colorblindness Blues

SciFri

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