Simplifying science. Deep dives weekly where I explain phenomena in physics, biology, math, chemistry. Scientist Sundays- I highlight a lesser known scientist🤓 https://x.com/IoniaSciencehttps://bsky.app/profile/ioniascience.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/ioniascience.bsky.social/post/3ligegfodnc2iWhat if I told you that hugging your baby more could change their brain and shape their future happiness? The science shows that love and affection in infancy are biological necessities for a healthy brain and emotional development. Let’s dive in.⬇️ 1/718 Feb 2025 03:54 +0000at://did:plc:2pgldshhiegvbzodbtah62wd/app.bsky.feed.post/3ligegfodnc2ihttps://bsky.app/profile/ioniascience.bsky.social/post/3lhxf3sf3pc2eIf this doesn't encourage you to clean your phone more often, I don't know what will 🤣12 Feb 2025 04:56 +0000at://did:plc:2pgldshhiegvbzodbtah62wd/app.bsky.feed.post/3lhxf3sf3pc2ehttps://bsky.app/profile/ioniascience.bsky.social/post/3lhq2jmim2k2uThis Scientist Sunday goes to Mary Anning (1799-1847), a self-taught paleontologist and fossil collector. Her discoveries along England's Jurassic Coast revolutionized our understanding of prehistoric life and extinction.⬇️1/609 Feb 2025 06:58 +0000at://did:plc:2pgldshhiegvbzodbtah62wd/app.bsky.feed.post/3lhq2jmim2k2uhttps://bsky.app/profile/ioniascience.bsky.social/post/3lhq2jmim2k2uThis Scientist Sunday goes to Mary Anning (1799-1847), a self-taught paleontologist and fossil collector. Her discoveries along England's Jurassic Coast revolutionized our understanding of prehistoric life and extinction.⬇️1/609 Feb 2025 06:58 +0000at://did:plc:2pgldshhiegvbzodbtah62wd/app.bsky.feed.post/3lhq2jmim2k2uhttps://bsky.app/profile/ioniascience.bsky.social/post/3lh52yfk5g22dThe size of a Siberian tiger! Adult males typically weigh between 400 to 660 pounds (180 to 300 kg) and can reach lengths of 10 to 12 feet (3 to 3.7 meters)!01 Feb 2025 17:46 +0000at://did:plc:2pgldshhiegvbzodbtah62wd/app.bsky.feed.post/3lh52yfk5g22dhttps://bsky.app/profile/ioniascience.bsky.social/post/3lgubvnayoc2cBird murmurations, especially seen in starlings, are mesmerizing displays of coordinated, fluid movements by thousands of birds in the sky. But did you know that one of the primary reasons for murmurations is defense against predators like falcons and hawks? ⬇️ 1/229 Jan 2025 05:56 +0000at://did:plc:2pgldshhiegvbzodbtah62wd/app.bsky.feed.post/3lgubvnayoc2chttps://bsky.app/profile/ioniascience.bsky.social/post/3lgk622xm322cJapanese honey bees have a fascinating defense strategy called thermoballing. When a giant hornet invades their hive, bees swarm around it, vibrating their muscles to generate deadly heat! The temperature within the swarm can rise to around 46°C (115°F), which is lethal to the hornet!25 Jan 2025 05:20 +0000at://did:plc:2pgldshhiegvbzodbtah62wd/app.bsky.feed.post/3lgk622xm322chttps://bsky.app/profile/ioniascience.bsky.social/post/3lg5oc7wl4s2eThe numbers we use today (0-9) have a fascinating history! Brahmi (3rd c. BCE): Early Indian numerals Hindu (5th c. CE): Birth of '0' & the decimal system Arabic (8th c. CE): Transmitted to the Islamic world Medieval (10th c.): Popularized in Europe Modern (17th c.): Refined for universal use20 Jan 2025 06:06 +0000at://did:plc:2pgldshhiegvbzodbtah62wd/app.bsky.feed.post/3lg5oc7wl4s2ehttps://bsky.app/profile/ioniascience.bsky.social/post/3lfymew3yvs2tSlow motion of the Chinese flying tree frog displaying different strategies for high-stakes landings on thin branches of varying sizes! A master of aerial acrobatics! 📹Science doi: 10.1126/science.z521z8b18 Jan 2025 05:49 +0000at://did:plc:2pgldshhiegvbzodbtah62wd/app.bsky.feed.post/3lfymew3yvs2thttps://bsky.app/profile/ioniascience.bsky.social/post/3lfdlwwno4k2iGroundbreaking discovery! Using JWST, astronomers have identified 44 gravitationally magnified stars in a galaxy 6.5 billion light-years away! This record-breaking find in the Dragon Arc reveals new insights into distant stars and dark matter structures. 1/209 Jan 2025 21:15 +0000at://did:plc:2pgldshhiegvbzodbtah62wd/app.bsky.feed.post/3lfdlwwno4k2ihttps://bsky.app/profile/ioniascience.bsky.social/post/3lf4unr73as2zHow do plants maximize their exposure to the sun? Through phototropism! Phototropism is the process of turning in response to a light source. A plant achieves this with a hormone called auxin. ⬇️1/307 Jan 2025 05:02 +0000at://did:plc:2pgldshhiegvbzodbtah62wd/app.bsky.feed.post/3lf4unr73as2zhttps://bsky.app/profile/ioniascience.bsky.social/post/3lezcyt43lc2iThis Scientist Sunday we are honoring Larry Tesler (1945 - 2020), a computer scientist who profoundly shaped the way we interact with technology. If you have ever used "copy" and "paste" on a computer. That's thanks to Tesler!⬇️1/705 Jan 2025 19:08 +0000at://did:plc:2pgldshhiegvbzodbtah62wd/app.bsky.feed.post/3lezcyt43lc2ihttps://bsky.app/profile/ioniascience.bsky.social/post/3leityfrmec2xOn this day 100 years ago, December 30, 1924: Edwin Hubble announced the discovery of galaxies beyond the Milky Way, proving that our universe is far larger than anyone had imagined.30 Dec 2024 05:57 +0000at://did:plc:2pgldshhiegvbzodbtah62wd/app.bsky.feed.post/3leityfrmec2xhttps://bsky.app/profile/ioniascience.bsky.social/post/3legi3gvmzk2xThis Scientist Sunday goes to Katharine Burr Blodgett (1898 - 1979), the first woman to earn a Ph.D. in physics from the University of Cambridge and the inventor of 'invisible' or nonreflective glass, used in camera lenses, eyeglasses, some electronic displays, and more.⬇️1/629 Dec 2024 07:19 +0000at://did:plc:2pgldshhiegvbzodbtah62wd/app.bsky.feed.post/3legi3gvmzk2xhttps://bsky.app/profile/ioniascience.bsky.social/post/3legi3gvmzk2xThis Scientist Sunday goes to Katharine Burr Blodgett (1898 - 1979), the first woman to earn a Ph.D. in physics from the University of Cambridge and the inventor of 'invisible' or nonreflective glass, used in camera lenses, eyeglasses, some electronic displays, and more.⬇️1/629 Dec 2024 07:19 +0000at://did:plc:2pgldshhiegvbzodbtah62wd/app.bsky.feed.post/3legi3gvmzk2xhttps://bsky.app/profile/ioniascience.bsky.social/post/3le7uzvr5kk22Can the predator-prey relationship be described mathematically? The Lotka–Volterra predator–prey model is a pair of differential equations that helps us understand the relationship between predators and their prey in an ecosystem.⬇️1/626 Dec 2024 16:22 +0000at://did:plc:2pgldshhiegvbzodbtah62wd/app.bsky.feed.post/3le7uzvr5kk22https://bsky.app/profile/ioniascience.bsky.social/post/3le2yrolzjk2qMudskippers are a type of fish that can live both in and out of water! They are commonly found in mangrove swamps, tidal flats, and muddy shores of the Indo-Pacific region. 📹BBC24 Dec 2024 17:45 +0000at://did:plc:2pgldshhiegvbzodbtah62wd/app.bsky.feed.post/3le2yrolzjk2qhttps://bsky.app/profile/ioniascience.bsky.social/post/3ldt37nc6vk2qThe Malayan Leaf Frog, or Long-nosed Horned Frog, is a fascinating species of frog native to the rainforests of Southeast Asia, particularly in Malaysia, Thailand, Sumatra, and Borneo. It is a master of camouflage, with its appearance resembling a dead leaf.21 Dec 2024 14:08 +0000at://did:plc:2pgldshhiegvbzodbtah62wd/app.bsky.feed.post/3ldt37nc6vk2qhttps://bsky.app/profile/ioniascience.bsky.social/post/3ldt37nc6vk2qThe Malayan Leaf Frog, or Long-nosed Horned Frog, is a fascinating species of frog native to the rainforests of Southeast Asia, particularly in Malaysia, Thailand, Sumatra, and Borneo. It is a master of camouflage, with its appearance resembling a dead leaf.21 Dec 2024 14:08 +0000at://did:plc:2pgldshhiegvbzodbtah62wd/app.bsky.feed.post/3ldt37nc6vk2qhttps://bsky.app/profile/ioniascience.bsky.social/post/3ldrdssrddc2oIo: The most volcanically active world in the Solar System! This five-frame sequence captures a colossal plume erupting from Io's Tvashtar volcano, towering 200 miles (330 kilometers) above the surface! 📸 NASA20 Dec 2024 21:36 +0000at://did:plc:2pgldshhiegvbzodbtah62wd/app.bsky.feed.post/3ldrdssrddc2ohttps://bsky.app/profile/ioniascience.bsky.social/post/3ldcipkanh22wCan cancer be contagious? Generally speaking, no it is not. But Tasmanian devils face a unique challenge with Devil Facial Tumor Disease (DFTD)—a contagious cancer. Why? Tasmanian devils have very low genetic diversity, especially in immune system genes. ⬇️1/2 Video: T-cell in action! 📽️NanoLive14 Dec 2024 23:54 +0000at://did:plc:2pgldshhiegvbzodbtah62wd/app.bsky.feed.post/3ldcipkanh22whttps://bsky.app/profile/ioniascience.bsky.social/post/3lcsnyfahe22iThis Scientist Sunday goes to Gertrude B. Elion (1918-1999). Elion was an American biochemist and pharmacologist, renowned for her groundbreaking work in drug development. Elion contributed to the development of a multitude of new drugs: ⬇️(1/5)08 Dec 2024 16:46 +0000at://did:plc:2pgldshhiegvbzodbtah62wd/app.bsky.feed.post/3lcsnyfahe22ihttps://bsky.app/profile/ioniascience.bsky.social/post/3lcsnyfahe22iThis Scientist Sunday goes to Gertrude B. Elion (1918-1999). Elion was an American biochemist and pharmacologist, renowned for her groundbreaking work in drug development. Elion contributed to the development of a multitude of new drugs: ⬇️(1/5)08 Dec 2024 16:46 +0000at://did:plc:2pgldshhiegvbzodbtah62wd/app.bsky.feed.post/3lcsnyfahe22ihttps://bsky.app/profile/ioniascience.bsky.social/post/3lc5emjwcqh2iDid you know wood ants have a secret weapon? They can shoot formic acid from their abdomens to defend their colony! The spray repels predators, subdues prey, and even keeps their nests clean with its antimicrobial properties.30 Nov 2024 05:32 +0000at://did:plc:2pgldshhiegvbzodbtah62wd/app.bsky.feed.post/3lc5emjwcqh2ihttps://bsky.app/profile/ioniascience.bsky.social/post/3lbzn26aojh2iEver wondered why turkey makes you sleepy? It's not just the tryptophan! 🦃💤 While turkey does contain tryptophan, it's the carb overload from stuffing, mashed potatoes, and pie that boosts serotonin production, making you feel drowsy. Happy Thanksgiving science!28 Nov 2024 17:52 +0000at://did:plc:2pgldshhiegvbzodbtah62wd/app.bsky.feed.post/3lbzn26aojh2ihttps://bsky.app/profile/ioniascience.bsky.social/post/3lbx42rrhc22eFarfarout is the most distant object ever observed in our solar system! Discovered in 2018 during the search for the hypothetical Planet 9. Its orbit is so extreme, it takes over 1,000 years to complete one trip around the Sun and is likely 400–600 km (250–370 mi) in diameter.27 Nov 2024 17:43 +0000at://did:plc:2pgldshhiegvbzodbtah62wd/app.bsky.feed.post/3lbx42rrhc22ehttps://bsky.app/profile/ioniascience.bsky.social/post/3lbuynuhh332iScientists can now map RNA across an entire mouse brain—no slicing required! The TRISCO method makes tissue transparent, allowing fluorescent probes to reveal RNA at single-cell resolution in 3D. A breakthrough for neuroscience and spatial transcriptomics! 📹Science26 Nov 2024 21:37 +0000at://did:plc:2pgldshhiegvbzodbtah62wd/app.bsky.feed.post/3lbuynuhh332ihttps://bsky.app/profile/ioniascience.bsky.social/post/3lbpgzaytpt2iThis Scientist Sunday we're honoring Robert H. Goddard (1882 - 1945). Goddard, often dubbed the "father of modern rocketry", paved the way for the space age and the rockets we see today. Let's dive into his legacy! ⬇️1/724 Nov 2024 16:38 +0000at://did:plc:2pgldshhiegvbzodbtah62wd/app.bsky.feed.post/3lbpgzaytpt2ihttps://bsky.app/profile/ioniascience.bsky.social/post/3lbpgzaytpt2iThis Scientist Sunday we're honoring Robert H. Goddard (1882 - 1945). Goddard, often dubbed the "father of modern rocketry", paved the way for the space age and the rockets we see today. Let's dive into his legacy! ⬇️1/724 Nov 2024 16:38 +0000at://did:plc:2pgldshhiegvbzodbtah62wd/app.bsky.feed.post/3lbpgzaytpt2ihttps://bsky.app/profile/ioniascience.bsky.social/post/3lbjaqp65mk26The Gonatus onyx is a deep-sea squid that exhibits a fascinating and rare brooding behavior. Unlike most squid species, which lay their eggs and leave them to develop independently, Gonatus onyx females carry their egg clusters with them until they hatch!22 Nov 2024 05:30 +0000at://did:plc:2pgldshhiegvbzodbtah62wd/app.bsky.feed.post/3lbjaqp65mk26