Never forget that mayonnaise Is a thermodynamically unstable emulsion. If you are prone to forgetting, and want a reminder, delve into this study: “Effect of dietary proteins on mayonnaise techno-functionality and rheology: A Review,” Wahab Ali Khan, Muhammad Waseem, Iqra Yasmin, Syed Abdul Wadood, Aiza Qamar, Muhammad Rizwan Javed, Muhammad Saleem, and Crossby Osei Tutu, […]
Two scientists in Japan studied how the foam on a fresh cup of espresso makes that drink so thermodynamically delicious. My “Improbable Research” column on the RealClearLife web site gives details. It begins: What’s not so hot about hot coffee —no matter how much you love it — is how quickly it cools. Two Japanese scientists noticed […]
“Physics may aim for simplicity, yet the world it describes is a mess.” That’s the start of John Cartwright’s article, “Roll Over, Bolzmann,” in the magazine Physics World. It tells the story of Tsallis entropy: Our definition of entropy is expressed by one of the most famous formulae in physics, and dates back over a century […]
Elephant hair — the hair found on elephants — poses intricate puzzles for those who are inclined to look closely. This study works at solving one set of those puzzles: “What Is the Use of Elephant Hair?” Conor L. Myhrvold, Howard A. Stone, Elie Bou-Zeid [pictured here], PLoS ONE, 7(10), 2012, e47018. The authors, at […]