Statistics
The Illusion That Comes After Choosing: Berkson's Paradox
Berkson's Paradox is the phenomenon in which a false inverse relationship appears between two unrelated traits when you look only at a group filtered by some criterion. This piece
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Physics
When Light Cannot Escape: Total Internal Reflection
Total internal reflection happens when light traveling from a material with a higher refractive index toward a lower one hits the boundary beyond the critical angle and is reflecte
Education
Complete Only When the Pieces Fit: The Jigsaw Classroom
The jigsaw classroom is a cooperative learning method in which each student masters one piece of the material and teaches it to the group. This piece covers Elliot Aronson’s 1971 c
Chemistry
Chemistry’s Bundle for Counting Atoms: Avogadro’s Number
Avogadro’s number is the number of particles in one mole of a substance, about 6.02 × 10²³. This piece explains what it means, ways to grasp its size, how Avogadro, Cannizzaro, Los
Physics
The Real Reason the Sky Is Blue: Rayleigh Scattering
Rayleigh scattering, worked out by Lord Rayleigh in 1871, is the scattering of light by particles much smaller than its wavelength, such as air molecules, and it is far stronger fo
Physics
The Secret of Floating Iron Ships: Archimedes' Principle
An object in a fluid is buoyed up by the weight of the fluid it displaces. This piece explains Archimedes’ principle, why buoyancy comes from pressure differences with depth, when
Physics
The Secret of Walking on Water: Surface Tension
Why can a full glass of water bulge above the rim without spilling, and how do water striders walk on ponds? This article explains how surface tension arises, why water's is unusua
Physics
The Secret Behind Curving Balls: The Magnus Effect
Why does a free kick bend and a curveball drop? This article covers Newton's tennis ball, Magnus's cylinder experiment, the pressure difference created by spin, its uses in sports
Library & information science
Why Are Prolific Authors So Rare? Lotka's Law of Scientific Productivity
Why do a small number of researchers write so many papers? This article covers the inverse square law Lotka identified in 1926, its uses in bibliometrics, and its limits, such as e
Physics
When a Small Force Becomes a Big Sway: Resonance
Why does a swing go higher and higher when you push it in rhythm? This article explains what resonance and natural frequency mean, how the swaying grows, its uses in musical instru
Library & information science
The Hidden Order of Scattered Papers: Bradford's Law of Scattering
Why are the papers on a subject concentrated in just a few journals? This article explains how Bradford's law came about, dividing journals into zones in the ratio 1 : n : n², its
Physics
The Endless Jiggle: Brownian Motion
Why do tiny particles in water never stop jiggling? This article explains Brownian motion, first observed by Robert Brown, the principle Einstein uncovered behind it, Perrin's expe