Science News

Explore the asteroids (3D Simulation): http://www.asterank.com/3d/

This image shows how a basic mechanical system can produce both order and chaos. The dots are actually points on a plot: each point shows the angle (x-axis) and speed (y-axis) of an imaginary rotor (like a helicopter blade spinning without friction or air resistance) at a single moment in time. This map is the result of 1,000 imaginary trials: during each one, the blade begins at a different angle and velocity, and its trajectory is mapped every second for 100 seconds. As the process repeats, the plotted points begin to form an image composed, in some areas, of highly regular patterns, and, in others, of scattered, randomly arranged dots.

Of course, the number of digits in π is infinite, but over the years, as computers have become more powerful, we know many more of them than ever before. But it’s one thing to say that I can download trillions of digits of π and another to make some sort of sense out of all of these digits. Into this steps a team of researchers from Australia, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and Simon Fraser University with some elegant visualizations of π. In a recent paper, they used a classic method of visualizing large strings of numbers: the random walk.

More on "Pi": http://www.scoop.it/t/science-news?tag=pi

The point is to show how advances in imaging and data visualization technologies enable inter-disciplinary research which just a decade ago would have been impossible to conduct. There is also a somewhat artistic quality to these images, which reinforces the notion of data visualization being both art and science.

CONNECTOME: http://www.scoop.it/t/science-news?tag=connectome

Visual thinking is an approach that uses art to develop critical thinking, communication and visual literacy skills. Incorporating sketching and visual note-taking skills for meeting facilitation in real time instead of using PowerPoint presentations is an effective way to solve problems, articulate ideas and communicate with clients and team members.

The picture up top is adapted from a rather simple but effective piece of data visualization, created by the folks at design studio TWO-N, which represents the first four-million digits of Pi in a brilliant mess of interactive pointillism.

Other stories about PI: http://www.scoop.it/t/science-news?tag=pi

Our interpretation of the world around us may have more in common with the impossible staircase illusion than it does the real world.

Articles about NEUROSCIENCE: http://www.scoop.it/t/science-news?page=1&tag=neuroscience

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This video illustrates the creation of memory threads. A simulated P2P network is generated where each peer contains digital memories.

In this new RSA Animate, Manuel Lima, senior UX design lead at Microsoft Bing, explores the power of network visualisation to help navigate our complex modern world. Taken from a lecture given by Manuel Lima as part of the RSA's free public events programme.

Via: http://www.scoop.it/t/newmediainschool/p/1832595210/manuel-lima-visualizes-knowledge-in-our-interconnected-world-in-a-brand-new-rsa-animated-video

This visualization reveals the freshwater stores that NASA’s GRACE (Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment) satellite detects from space and shows how that data can be used to evaluate groundwater gains and losses, critical information in the effort to conserve the water that people depend upon

Jola et al. make the interesting observation that experienced viewers of ballet, even without physical training, covertly simulate the movements for which they have acquired visual experience, their empathic abilities heighten motor resonance during dance observation - activating the same brain motor pathways actually being used by the dancers.

Articles about NEUROSCIENCE: http://www.scoop.it/t/science-news?page=1&tag=neuroscience

Scale is a simple concept. From a very early age, children know about big and small, heavy and light, more and less. Extreme scales, however, are another story.