How to make space-glass | The Royal Society #space #science #physics #chemistry

20 May 2026
In deep space astronauts are predicted to experience 50-60 times the radiation they do on Planet Earth. Scientists, like Dr Katrina Skerratt-Love at the University of Liverpool, are now studying how to make glass for windows and portholes that can withstand this radiation, while remaining crystal clear – whether for spaceships, space stations, or potential living environments on Mars!

#space #mars #astronomy #physics #chemistry #science

Dr Katrina Skerratt-Love is a Royal Society Career Development Fellow. Find out more about the Fellowship here: https://royalsociety.org/grants/caree…

About the Royal Society
The Royal Society is a Fellowship of many of the world’s most eminent scientists and is the oldest scientific academy in continuous existence.
https://royalsociety.org/

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When 90% of life on Earth was wiped out #science #earth #life

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Wales waking up in pure gold

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The origins of the alphabet

20 May 2026 Words Unravelled with RobWords and Jess Zafarris
Let’s explore the mysteries of our weird alphabet. Rob and Jess are joined by Danny Bate, author of Why Q Needs U, to discuss where our letters came from and why they make the noises they make.
🅰️ How was A originally an ox?
𝑄 Why does Q always appear with U?
🦓 Is it ZEE or ZED?
These questions answered and so many more in an alphabetically astounding episode of Words Unravelled.

📖 Buy Danny’s book, WHY Q NEEDS U: https://geni.us/WhyQNeedsU

👕 OUR MERCH 👚
US SHOP: https://wordsunravelledshop.myspreads…
EU/UK SHOP: https://wordsunravelledshop.myspreads…

👂LISTEN: https://podfollow.com/words-unravelle…
or search for “Words Unravelled” wherever you get your podcasts.

==LINKS==
Rob’s YouTube channel: / robwords
Jess’ Useless Etymology blog: https://uselessetymology.com/
Rob on X: x.com/robwordsyt
Jess on TikTok: tiktok.com/@jesszafarris

#etymology #wordfacts #English

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The sudsy secrets of soap

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Sound of hail falling on rocks

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This Tree Survived an Atomic Bomb — and Still Growing

19 May 2026 #humanrevealed #didyouknow #ginkgo
Ginkgo biloba | vascular cambium | R-genes | flavonoids | 600 years no aging | Hiroshima survivor tree

A single ginkgo tree survived the 1923 Tokyo earthquake and the 1945 Hiroshima atomic bomb. Scientists discovered why — its cambium never stops dividing, its defense genes never go quiet, and its chemistry keeps cleaning the wood from the inside.

⏱ TIMESTAMPS
0:00 — 1923 Tokyo earthquake: one tree still standing
0:27 — 1945 Hiroshima: six ginkgo trees inside the blast radius
1:06 — The vascular cambium: a layer that never slows down
1:58 — R-genes: defense compounds that stay active with age
2:17 — Flavonoids: a slow rinse that protects the wood
2:37 — Bark as a firewall: how the outer layers absorbed the damage
3:01 — 600 years, no aging: what biology almost never sees
3:42 — Hibakujumoku: survivor trees sent to 100+ cities
4:29 — Nature speaks. We translate.

🎬 About this video
Researched and produced by humans.
Every fact is backed by published research — sources listed below.
AI generates visuals and narration under human direction.

📖 SOURCES
Vascular cambium activity in 600-year-old ginkgo — Wang et al. 2020, PNAS
R-gene expression maintained in aged ginkgo — Wang et al. 2020, PNAS
Flavonoid biosynthesis in ginkgo wood tissue — Wang et al. 2020, PNAS
Hibakujumoku survivor tree program — Green Legacy Hiroshima
1923 Great Kanto Earthquake ginkgo survival — Tokyo Metropolitan Government records
Hiroshima A-bomb survivor trees — Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum
Ginkgo bark fire resistance — Hori et al. 1997, Journal of Wood Science

#humanrevealed #didyouknow #ginkgo #ginkgobiloba #survivortree #hiroshima #hibakujumoku #aging #biology #nature #science

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Chile’s Monkey Puzzle Trees Are Thriving in Scotland — And Nobody Can Explain It

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Italian artist Fontanesi creates surreal images by stitching together two of his own photographs into a single frame

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This Bird Drinks the Ocean #seabird #shorts

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