Cafe Science

The meter is the world's ultimate measure, but how did it become "the" meter? What is this measurement based on? The story of this revolution in measurement traces its roots to the French Revolution. Scientists decided that an equal and united people should have equal and united measures. So they sent a pair of young astronomers out to measure the world, and invent the meter. Little did they know they'd find nothing but war, deception, and strife along the way. As a result of this ill-fated mission, the meter carries an error that still persists today. Still think the metric system is so perfect?

See Through engine in slow motion.

Engineers at MIT have found a way to prevent hydrogels from dehydrating.

Building a perfect igloo takes cool science!

Thanks to Google Making and Science for supporting this series, and to Sean Carroll for collaborating on it!

1 tablespoon of olive oil destroys half an acre of waves on this lake. What The Physics?!

Teflon was in the spacesuits the Apollo crew wore for the moon landing, in pipes and valves used in the Manhattan project, and it may be in your kitchen, as the nonstick coating on frying pans and cookie sheets.

This is a the musical Tesla coil used in the video, It was a lot of fun and I recommend getting one!

There are cosmic snipers firing at random into the unvierse. What are they and what happens if they hit us?

Used in everything from bullet-proof vests to the walls of the Pentagon, polyurea's strength comes from its long-chain molecules.

The crazy story of the arbitrary temperature scale used in a tiny minority of countries.

What exactly makes a journey to Mars so perilous? Is it okay to touch Martian dirt with your bare hands?

Silicone oil droplets provide a physical realization of pilot wave theories.

Solving a 5 yr old personal mystery about "Why Water Walks on Water".

We have the choice to attack one of our oldest enemies with genetic engineering. But should we do it?

A look inside the teenage brain!

How can time be slower and faster at the same time?

The elephant is a creature of epic proportions - and yet, it owes its enormity to more than 1,000 trillion microscopic cells.

Though people are most familiar with Plato's fictional Atlantis, many real underwater cities actually exist. Peter Campbell explains how sunken cities are studied by scientists to help us understand the lives of our ancestors, the dynamic nature of our planet, and the impact of each on the other.

The longest recorded case of hiccups lasted for 68 years ... and was caused by a falling hog. While that level of severity is extremely uncommon, most of us are no stranger to an occasional case of the hiccups. But what causes these 'hics' in the first place? John Cameron takes us into the diaphragm to find out.

How can science help you wake up without coffee?