Recent Science Articles

Beneath the Surface: The First Time-Lapse to Record Coral Bleaching

Scientists are constantly capturing the devastating effects of environmental decline all over the world. However, doing so underwater has always proven to be a challenge. In the latest documentary binge watch, a team has successfully shown just how the world below the surface is declining at an advanced rate.

How Do Our Photographs Impact Our Modern Day Dating Life?

If you have ever used dating apps or websites, have you ever considered how your profile picture is perceived by other users looking for a date? Do you go for a quick "selfie" or a professionally shot and edited photo of yourself?

Capture SpaceX's Starlink Satellites From Your Backyard

We've seen Elon Musk's company SpaceX in the news consistently since their launch of the Starlink satellites, and with 12,000 set to be released into low earth orbit in the future, it might mean some pretty cool light trails for astro photos. Follow the steps below on how to take photos of the Starlink satellites from your backyard.

How Do Scientists Actually Create Images of the Coronavirus?

The coronavirus has caused a massive pandemic across the world, and yet, the virus itself, like any, is absolutely tiny, with a diameter of about 120 nanometers (or about .000004724 inches). It is so small, in fact, that traditional imaging techniques cannot resolve it. So, how do scientists create crucial images of the virus to better understand it and lead the fight against it? This excellent video will show you the science behind creating those images.

Is the Night Sky About to Be Ruined by SpaceX Satellites?

Some astronomers and observatories are complaining that satellites sent into low earth orbit by private companies to provide global internet and other services will impact night sky observation and ruin astrophotography.

How Does Autofocus Actually Work?

It's the unsung hero of your photos, and it's always been improving. It's that little switch on the lens. We've become accustomed to AF, and for good reason. It works, and it works very well.

Diffraction: A Concept Every Photographer Should Understand

Diffraction is something that can rob your images of sharpness, and as such, it is important to have a functional understanding of what it is and how to avoid it. This excellent video explains what diffraction is and how it varies based on different parameters.

How a Single Image Taken in 1995 Revolutionized Astronomy

The Hubble Space Telescope has been one of the most important scientific instruments to have ever been deployed, and it has provided countless advancements to the fields of astronomy and cosmology. This fascinating video takes a look at one of the earliest and most important images the telescope took and how it continues to impact science even 25 years later.

Stunning Video Goes Underneath One of the Most Important Antarctic Glaciers

Thwaites Glacier is one of the most crucial pieces in the future of Earth's climate, and as such, understanding its behavior is a high priority for scientists. A team of 100 scientists from the U.K. and the U.S. recently visited the glacier and recorded the first ever video from underneath the ice.

See How Neural Networks Turned a Film From 1896 Into 4K and Added Color

Neural networks are one of the most exciting developments in the computing world, with a wide range of potential applications. This video shows what happens when a neural network is used to take footage from 1896 and upscale it to 4K, add a faster frame rate, and even add color.

Scientists Record Incredible Footage of Atoms Bonding

Forget macrophotography. Nanophotography is pushing the boundaries of what was thought possible to record, as scientists have, for the first time, captured incredible footage of previously unseen physical processes.

The Art and Science of Photography: Why Is Photography So Hard? Part I.

Ever felt a little overwhelmed at the prospect of creating a great image? Ever wonder why it seems to happen so rarely? Creating a great photograph that resonates with your audience is really complicated. But in this three-part series, we’re going to try to bring a little bit of order to that chaos!

Plan Your Meteor Shower Photography From Your Smartphone

Experienced night sky shooters know that some of the most challenging targets are meteors. While meteor showers, which happen several times a year, will make capturing the elusive meteors easier because there are more of them, you can still point a camera to the sky with a 30 minute exposure and get nothing. Then, suddenly, a meteor can appear where you weren't pointing.

Rules: Love Them, Leave Them, or Break Them Just on Principle?

One of the interesting trends in the comments on a previous article on the rule of thirds was a reaction not just to that rule specifically, but to “rules” more generally. That got me thinking a bit. What are “rules”? Where do they come from? Is breaking them an act of rebellion; or one of self-destruction?

Art, Ethics, and the Power of a Good Story

Many interesting ethical issues arise across the photographic genres from the perspective of the photographer, their subjects, and their audience. This video on the broader subject of art and ethics, generally, presents a number of questions and thought experiments designed to get us thinking about the roles that art and ethics play in our lives.

What Is 'Computational Photography' Anyway?

Whether you've realized it or not, photography is moving away from pure optics. For the past few years, smartphone cameras have been relying on computational photography to overcome their physical limitations. But what does that even mean?

Can You Photograph Reality?

Do you believe that your images are objective representations of reality? You might be mistaken. Here are a few arguments why.

The Art and Science of Photography: Color Theory

Let me first say, for reasons that will become clear momentarily, that I’m a six-foot-seven-inch tall male who weighs approximately 200 pounds and has about a week’s (…okay, week-and-a-half’s) worth of stubble. And my favorite color is pink. Did you just do a double-take?

Why Are Some Cameras Rubbish at Taking Photos of Rainbows?

Camera sensors are incredibly complex pieces of engineering prowess, bringing together mankind’s attempt to replicate the behavior of the human eye in perceiving light, but there are still many limitations. Cameras are rarely good at capturing decent photographs of rainbows, but some cameras are significantly worse than others, thanks to a strange quirk of science.

Why Does the Vibrancy Slider Feel So Good!?

What do oversize truck tailpipes, paleolithic sculpture, and the vibrancy slider have in common? And what might they have to do with helping us create more engaging photographs? Why do some abstract paintings move you and others don't? Why should we react to an abstract work of art at all?

Mexican Physicist Solves 2,000-Year Old Problem That Will Lead to Cheaper and Sharper Lenses

In most lenses, the center of the frame might be razor-sharp, but the corners and edges always appear a little soft. It’s something that’s been a problem for thousands of years within optical devices, with many researchers giving up hope until a recent breakthrough from a Mexican physicist, who has now developed a formula that will change how lenses are manufactured.

Do Your Eyes See in 4K?

War of the resolutions again. This time it's a bit different. It's not about the benefits of 4K or 8K for the filmmaker or a photographer, but for the consumer. The question is: can the "resolution" of your eyes match 4K?

Scientists Are Using Drones to Study Tornadoes

Tornadoes are notoriously hard to predict and to study, but better understanding the complex processes that lead to their formation is crucial to providing the sort of advance notice needed to save lives. Researchers in Project TORUS are turning to drones to better study these dangerous storms.

Google Earth Engine Takes Time-lapse to a Higher Level

Check out these time-lapse selections from Google Earth Engine that run from 1984 to 2018. They're an epic way for photography and time-lapse to show the massive changes that have occurred to our planet within the span of a lifetime.

ISO Is Not Fake and Tony Northrup Is Wrong

A few days ago, camera industry guru Tony Northrup published a video arguing that in the age of digital photography, ISO is effectively meaningless and that it’s no different from dragging the exposure slider in Lightroom. Photographer Dave McKeegan has offered a response and argues that Northrup’s logic is completely wrong.

Crash Test Photography: Capturing the Impact in Slow Motion

A freshly released video from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) is giving insight into how the organization photographs its respected crash tests, which it conducts on behalf of car insurance companies.

Pomodoro Technique: The Secret to Efficient Photo Editing?

Subscribe to business or productivity "influencers" on the web and you'll receive a variety of tips: “Nap this long,” “Consume more of these,” “Turn that device off!” But how do these techniques apply to photo editing, and can a one-size-fits-all productivity approach help us photographers use our editing time more efficiently?

Watch an Asteroid Hit the Moon During a Lunar Eclipse

If you missed the recent Super Blood Wolf Moon eclipse, you missed an extra special event, as for the first time, an asteroid was captured impacting the moon during an eclipse. Check out video from the event.

Lessons Learned for Your Next Eclipse Outing

I got through the Sunday eclipse and helped a couple of friends with their first time try at eclipse imaging. It got me thinking about what I've learned over the years that might save you some time when the next one comes along.

Photographer Captures Exclusive Images of Humanoid Darling Sophia

We photograph inanimate objects practically every day. We even photograph non-human, animated objects, on a regular basis (hello, Fido). But what happens when you are asked to document the “life” of a humanoid, life-like robot?

Relive One of History's Most Stunning Photographs as the Astronauts Saw it in 4K

"Earthrise" is by far one of the most famous photographs ever taken, shot by astronaut Bill Anders on December 24, 1968, nearly 50 years ago, as he and fellow astronauts orbited the Moon. Using modern data and matching it with that from the mission, this stunning visualization shows what the astronauts saw in 4K.

The Fastest Camera Ever

If we could slow light down and see what it does in those trillionths of a second, we could answer more questions with regards to our existence itself. What exactly happens with photosynthesis and how do lasers go through glass? This video shows the answers.

Time-lapse Video Shows Rocket Launch from Space

We’ve seen plenty of time-lapse but this one is probably unique as it captures the launch of a Progress rocket directly from the International Space Station (ISS).