Strange creatures found in Atlantic ocean

With a fearsome grin fit for a movie monster, this viperfish is a real-life predator that lurks in one of the world's most remote locations. An international team of 31 researchers found this and other strange animals while exploring the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, an underwater mountain range that runs from Iceland to the Azores islands west of Portugal (see Europe map). Over the course of five weeks, the team cataloged a host of exotic worms, colorful corals, unusual sea cucumbers, and weird fish. Clearly, viperfish has plenty to eat. Many of the species found on the ridge are rare and had only been discovered in recent years, scientists said. At least one species found during the survey—a tiny crustacean called a seed shrimp—is thought to be new to science.

Despite its delicate, decorated appearance, this jewel squid was found 1,650 lung-crushing feet (500 meters) beneath the surface of the North Atlantic. Scientists on a recent deep-sea expedition found the squid, called Histioteuthis, along with an abundance of other species thought to be very rare, if not unknown, elsewhere. Jewel squid are known for their mismatched eyes, one of which is larger than the other to scope for prey in the deep's darkness.



With its polka-dot mantle and cartoonish expression, this glass squid brings out a lighter side of the inky ocean deep. Scientists found the squid and other species while mapping more than 1,500 square miles (3,900 square kilometers) of an undersea mountain range in the North Atlantic. Until now the region had scarcely been explored because of its remoteness and depth. But the new survey shows that the ridge is teeming with life, said Monty Priede, expedition leader and director of the University of Aberdeen's Oceanlab research center. "The Mid-Atlantic Ridge is roughly equivalent in size to the European Alps and is one of the largest areas of habitat available in the ocean," Priede said.

In an ironic strategy for survival, a tiny shrimplike creature called an amphipod shows everything it has, inside and out, in an attempt to disappear. The unusual animal, called Phronima, is one of the many strange species recently found on an expedition to a deep-sea mountain range in the North Atlantic. Many small deep-sea creatures are transparent, or nearly so, to better camouflage themselves in their murky surroundings, scientists say.

Flying Fox Discovered

This unusual species of flying fox was recently discovered in the Philippines not long after it was deemed not to exist. Jake Esselstyn, a biologist with the University of Kansas, was among a team of researchers that found the animal, a type of fruit bat, last year while surveying forest life on the island of Mindoro. "When we first arrived on Mindoro, a local resident that we hired as a guide described the bat to me in great detail, and he asked me what it was called," Esselstyn said. "I politely told him that there was no such bat. I was wrong." Several days into the survey, the scientists accidentally captured a creature in a net that fit the guide's description: a large flying fox with bright orange fur and distinctive white stripes across its brow and jaw. "Our guide's description of the animal was quite accurate, and I had to apologize for not believing him," Esselstyn said, adding that the animal is now known as the Mindoro stripe-faced fruit bat. In his own defense, the scientist pointed out that the species' closest known relative lives some 750 miles (1,200 kilometers) away on an island in Indonesia. "It makes you wonder if there are other related species on islands between [the two]," he said. "It also makes you realize how there are probably many more species which have yet to be discovered—in the Philippines and elsewhere," Esselstyn added. "This discovery emphasizes the need for a great deal more basic biodiversity inventory research."

Asian ''Atlantis'' buildings

Submerged stone structures lying just below the waters off Yonaguni Jima are actually the ruins of a Japanese Atlantis—an ancient city sunk by an earthquake about 2,000 years ago. That's the belief of Masaaki Kimura, a marine geologist at the University of the Ryukyus in Japan who has been diving at the site to measure and map its formations for more than 15 years. Each time he returns to the dive boat, Kimura said, he is more convinced than ever that below him rest the remains of a 5,000-year-old city. "The largest structure looks like a complicated, monolithic, stepped pyramid that rises from a depth of 25 meters [82 feet]," said Kimura, who presented his latest theories about the site at a scientific conference in June. But like other stories of sunken cities, Kimura's claims have attracted controversy. "I'm not convinced that any of the major features or structures are manmade steps or terraces, but that they're all natural," said Robert Schoch, a professor of science and mathematics at Boston University who has dived at the site. "It's basic geology and classic stratigraphy for sandstones, which tend to break along planes and give you these very straight edges, particularly in an area with lots of faults and tectonic activity." And neither the Japanese government's Agency for Cultural Affairs nor the government of Okinawa Prefecture recognize the remains off Yonaguni as an important cultural property, said agency spokesperson Emiko Ishida. Neither of the government groups has carried out research or preservation work on the sites, she added, instead leaving any such efforts to professors and other interested individuals.

Ruins Point

Yonaguni Jima is an island that lies near the southern tip of Japan's Ryukyu archipelago, about 75 miles (120 kilometers) off the eastern coast of Taiwan (see map). A local diver first noticed the Yonaguni formations in 1986, after which a promontory on the island was unofficially renamed Iseki Hanto, or Ruins Point. The district of Yonaguni officially owns the formations, and tourists and researchers can freely dive at the site. Some experts believe that the structures could be all that's left of Mu, a fabled Pacific civilization rumored to have vanished beneath the waves. On hearing about the find, Kimura said, his initial impression was that the formations could be natural. But he changed his mind after his first dive. "I think it's very difficult to explain away their origin as being purely natural, because of the vast amount of evidence of man's influence on the structures," he said. For example, Kimura said, he has identified quarry marks in the stone, rudimentary characters etched onto carved faces, and rocks sculpted into the likenesses of animals. "The characters and animal monuments in the water, which I have been able to partially recover in my laboratory, suggest the culture comes from the Asian continent," he said. "One example I have described as an underwater sphinx resembles a Chinese or ancient Okinawan king." Whoever created the city, most of it apparently sank in one of the huge seismic events that this part of the Pacific Rim is famous for, Kimura said. The world's largest recorded tsunami struck Yonaguni Jima in April 1771 with an estimated height of more than 131 feet (40 meters), he noted, so such a fate might also have befallen the ancient civilization. Kimura said he has identified ten structures off Yonaguni and a further five related structures off the main island of Okinawa. In total the ruins cover an area spanning 984 feet by 492 feet (300 meters by 150 meters). The structures include the ruins of a castle, a triumphal arch, five temples, and at least one large stadium, all of which are connected by roads and water channels and are partly shielded by what could be huge retaining walls. Kimura believes the ruins date back to at least 5,000 years, based on the dates of stalactites found inside underwater caves that he says sank with the city. And structures similar to the ruins sitting on the nearby coast have yielded charcoal dated to 1,600 years ago—a possible indication of ancient human inhabitants, Kimura added. But more direct evidence of human involvement with the site has been harder to come by. "Pottery and wood do not last on the bottom of the ocean, but we are interested in further research on a relief at the site that is apparently painted and resembles a cow," Kimura said. "We want to determine the makeup of the paint. I would also like to carry out subsurface research."

Natural Forces

Toru Ouchi, an associate professor of seismology at Kobe University, supports Kimura's hypothesis. Ouchi said that he has never seen tectonic activity having such an effect on a landscape either above or below the water. "I've dived there as well and touched the pyramid," he said. "What Professor Kimura says is not exaggerated at all. It's easy to tell that those relics were not caused by earthquakes." Boston University's Schoch, meanwhile, is just as certain that the Yonaguni formations are natural. He suggests that holes in the rock, which Kimura believes were used to support posts, were merely created by underwater eddies scouring at depressions. Lines of smaller holes were formed by marine creatures exploiting a seam in the rock, he said. "The first time I dived there, I knew it was not artificial," Schoch said. "It's not as regular as many people claim, and the right angles and symmetry don't add up in many places." He emphasizes that he is not accusing anyone of deliberately falsifying evidence. But many of the photos tend to give a perfect view of the site, making the lines look as regular as possible, he said. Schoch also says he has seen what Kimura believes to be renderings of animals and human faces at the site. "Professor Kimura says he has seen some kind of writing or images, but they are just scratches on a rock that are natural," he said. "He interprets them as being manmade, but I don't know where he's coming from." But Kimura is undeterred by critics, adding that the new governor of Okinawa Prefecture and officials from the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization have recently expressed interest in verifying the site. "The best way to get a definitive answer about their origins is to keep going back and collecting more evidence," he continued. "If I'd not had a chance to see these structures for myself, I might be skeptical as well."

new 7 world wonders

Christ the Redeemer
The 105-foot-tall (38-meter-tall) "Christ the Redeemer" statue in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil was among the "new seven wonders of the world" announced July 7 following a global poll to decide a new list of human-made marvels. The winners were voted for by Internet and phone, American Idol style. The other six new wonders are the Colosseum in Rome, India's Taj Mahal, the Great Wall of China, Jordan's ancient city of Petra, the Inca ruins of Machu Picchu in Peru, and the ancient Maya city of Chichén Itzá in Mexico. The contest was organized by the New7Wonders Foundation—the brainchild of Swiss filmmaker and museum curator Bernard Weber—in order to "protect humankind's heritage across the globe." The foundation says the poll attracted almost a hundred million votes. Yet the competition has proved controversial, drawing criticism from the United Nations' cultural organization UNESCO, which administers the World Heritage sites program. "This initiative cannot, in any significant and sustainable manner, contribute to the preservation of sites elected by public," UNESCO said in a statement.

Great Wall of China

This newly elected world wonder was built along Chinas's northern border over many centuries to keep out invading Mongol tribes. Constructed between the fifth century B.C. and the 16th century, the Great Wall is the world's longest human-made structure, stretching some 4,000 miles (6,400 kilometers). The best known section was built around 200 B.C. by the first emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang Di. The wall was among the winners of the New7Wonders poll announced during a televised ceremony in Lisbon, Portugal. However the Chinese state broadcaster chose not to broadcast the event, and Chinese state heritage officials refused to endorse the competition.It was a different story for some of the other candidates. In Brazil, for example, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva encouraged his compatriots to vote for Rio de Janeiro's mountaintop statue of Jesus Christ.

Taj Mahal, India

The Taj Mahal, in Agra, Inatia, is the spectacular mausoleum built by Muslim Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan to honor the memory of his beloved late wife, Mumtaz Mahal. Construction began in 1632 and took about 15 years to complete. The opulent, domed mausoleum, which stands in formal walled gardens, is generally regarded as finest example of Mughal art and architecture. It includes four minarets, each more than 13 stories tall. Shah Jahan was deposed and put under house arrest by one of his sons soon after the Taj Mahal's completion. It's said that he spent the rest of his days gazing at the Taj Mahal from a window.

The Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, Turkey

The famous tomb at Halicarnassus—now the city of Bodrum—was built between 370 and 350 B.C. for King Mausolus of Caria, a region in the southwest of modern Turkey. Legend says that the king's grieving wife Artemisia II had the tomb constructed as a memorial to their love. Mausolus was a satrap, or governor, in the Persian Empire, and his fabled tomb is the source of the word "mausoleum." The structure measured 120 feet (40 meters) long and 140 feet (45 meters) tall. The tomb was most admired for its architectural beauty and splendor. The central burial chamber was decorated in gold, while the exterior was adorned with ornate stone friezes and sculptures created by four Greek artists. The mausoleum stood intact until the early 15th century, when Christian Crusaders dismantled it for building material for a new castle. Some of the sculptures and frieze sections survived and can be seen today at the British Museum in London, England.

Chichén Itzá, Mexico

Chichén Itzá is possibly the most famous temple city of the Mayas, a pre-Columbian civilization that lived in present day Central America. It was the political and religious center of Maya civilization during the period from A.D. 750 to 1200. At the city's heart lies the Temple of Kukulkan (pictured)—which rises to a height of 79 feet (24 meters). Each of its four sides has 91 steps—one step for each day of the year, with the 365th day represented by the platform on the top.

Machu Picchu, Peru

One of three successful candidates from Latin America, Machu Picchu is a 15th-century mountain settlement in the Amazon region of Peru. The ruined city is among the best known remnants of the Inca civilization, which flourished in the Andes region of western South America. The city is thought to have been abandoned following an outbreak of deadly smallpox, a disease introduced in the 1500s by invading Spanish forces. Hundreds of people gathered at the remote, 7,970-foot-high (2,430-meter-high) site on Saturday to celebrate Machu Picchu's new “seven wonders” status.

Petra, Jordan

Perched on the edge of the Arabian Desert, Petra was the capital of the Nabataean kingdom of King Aretas IV (9 B.C. to A.D. 40). Petra is famous for its many stone structures such as a 138-foot-tall (42-meter-tall) temple carved with classical facades into rose-colored rock. The ancient city also included tunnels, water chambers, and an amphitheater, which held 4,000 people. The desert site wasn't known to the West until Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt came across it in 1812.

Frankfurt autoshow

Europe's largest car show has long been a source for fantastic debuts. This year marked a trend reversal for many carmakers, as small-car companies like Mini and Peugeot introduced more comfortable models, while large-car makers scaled things down. Several breathtaking designs were also on display, like Lamborghini's futuristic $1.4-million carbon-fiber Reventon. But the mantra of the show was "fuel efficiency." From hybrid-diesel engines, to ultracompacts, to plug-ins that could power a house in a brownout, Frankfurt's carmakers had gas-sipping on the brain in 2007.

BMW X6 Concept ActiveHybrid: Hybrid Crossover Coupe

BMW's latest concept is a new kind of car: the sport activity coupe. It's basically a four-door sedan with a sloping coupe-like roofline and a jacked-up four-wheel-drive undercarriage. The concept also features a version of the fuel-saving two-mode hybrid-electric transmission that BMW has jointly developed with General Motors and DaimlerChrysler.

BMW 1-Series: Compact Fun

BMW returns to its roots with a light, compact sport sedan for a new generation of customers who don't desire the company's big, thirsty, gadget-laden models. Engine options include a pair of diesels and a 304-horsepower gasoline twin-turbo inline-six for world markets. In the U.S., we will get the twin-turbo 135i and a less-powerful 128i gas engine.

Fiat 500: Minicar Depicted as Children's Ride

Fiat's tiny 500 has long held a warm place in the hearts of European drivers. The company hopes to capitalize on that goodwill with a new 500 subcompact that promises outstanding fuel economy from 1.2- and 1.4-liter engines and five-star safety ratings, thanks to seven standard airbags.

Ford Verve: Future Ford Compact

The Verve concept forecasts the company’s plans for an upcoming compact model. This is basically a styling exercise; technology innovation is limited to little touches like LED lighting.

Jaguar XF: Facing the Future

The XF marks Jaguar's first serious effort to remake itself as a contemporary manufacturer competing on the merit of its products rather than trading on nostalgia. The supercharged 4.2-liter V-8 cat will compete against sleek sedans like the Mercedes CLS-Class.

Kia Kee: Four-Seat Coupe Concept

Kia is ready to announce its graduation from economy cars to luxury models. The Kee sport coupe features a 197-horsepower V-6 engine and six-speed manual transmission wrapped in a sleek "2+2" body (with tiny rear seats) courtesy of the company's new German design center.

Lamborghini Reventon: Million-dollar Supercar

If you had a spare million-plus dollars and were already a favorite Lamborghini customer, you might have made the list of 20 buyers for the Reventon, a flat-black car resembling a cross between a stealth fighter and the Batmobile. It's essentially the 640-horsepower, $356,600 Murcielago model with a lightweight carbon-fiber body.

Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG: Compact V-8 Thunder

It is obligatory for manufacturers of sport sedans to challenge the BMW M3. And this time, Mercedes has a shot at succeeding. The C63 AMG is armed with 457 horsepower and a thumping 442 pound-feet of torque, along with taut handling and a smart seven-speed transmission that may help it beat the Beamer's lap times.

Mercedes F700 Concept: Efficient Luxury

The F700 offers a preview of the future of large luxury sedans. A 238-horsepower twin-turbo 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine and 20-horsepower electric motor will propel the car to 60 mph in 7.5 seconds, while squeezing out 44 miles per gallon. A forward laser scans the road ahead so the F700 can adjust its active suspension for conditions to come.

Mini Clubman: Stretched 3-Door

The Clubman was possibly the most highly anticipated debut at the show. This stretched Mini features a larger backseat and a bigger rear cargo area.



Mitsubishi Concept cX: Clean Diesel

The Concept-cX shows Mitsubishi's notion of high performance in an environmentally conscious world. The cX is a turbocharged all-wheel-drive sporty compact SUV employing a dual-clutch transmission for maximum power to the road. But the engine is a fuel-efficient 1.8-liter clean diesel featuring a variable geometry turbocharger that maximizes turbo boost, plus a catalytic converter (new for diesel cars) and a particulate filter to minimize emissions.

Nissan Mixim: Scissor-Door Three-Seater Concept

Nissan is targeting this all-wheel-drive electric subcompact at younger buyers more accustomed to PlayStation than to Plymouth. The Mixim puts the driver in the center of the car, with two full-size rear seats and a little child's seat/parcel shelf behind the driver. Passengers enter through large scissor-style doors that lift out of the way.

Opel Flexstreme Concept: Stows Segway

As more cities consider fees for driving into congested areas, models like the Opel Flexstreme make a lot of sense. This concept car is designed to carry a pair of folding Segway scooters that can take the driver and a passenger from the car's remote parking place straight to the office. The car itself is a plug-in hybrid electric diesel.

Peugeot 308 RC Concept: French Sport Coupe

Small cars are efficient, affordable and practical—but not exciting. So as Peugeot launches its new 308 subcompact in Europe this fall, it's trying to stoke interest by also showing a concept sport coupe based on the same platform. The backseat is of questionable utility, but the company claims the trunk will hold a mountain bike.

Porsche 911 GT2: Turbo Track Weapon

A Porsche press announcement calls this car "the fastest and most powerful 911 homologated for the road ever to see the light of day." Translation: 530-horsepower driving through all four wheels.

Suzuki Concept Kizashi: Full-Size Sport Sedan

While the rest of the industry rushes toward the kind of small cars Suzuki's famous for, the automaker tries to bust out of its stereotype with a massive sport wagon that looks like a hot-rodded Dodge Magnum.

Toyota IQ Concept: The Minicar Future

The challenge of urban parking drove Toyota's design for the IQ concept car, which is less than 10 feet in length. Helping achieve that small size is a 3+1 seating arrangement: The seat directly behind the driver is for short-term riders or small children, while the other three are designed for adults.

Volvo ReCharge Concept: Plug-in Hybrid

Volvo exhibited a plug-in hybrid electric concept that uses wheel-mounted electric motors for propulsion. Juice comes from lithium-ion batteries than can be charged by a wall socket or by the on-board flex-fuel 1.6-liter internal combustion engine. Able to run 60 miles on batteries alone, it gets a long-range fuel efficiency of 124 miles per gallon. And the car can literally power a house if the electric grid goes down.

VW Up! Concept: Rear-Engine Microcar

After years of identity crises, VW has remembered that it was a small, affordable, rear-engine vehicle that made the company's name. The Up! brings Volkswagen back to its roots, with a tiny, cheap-to-manufacture car. The company is already plotting variants such as a mini-bus.

Audi RS6 Avant: Twin-Turbo V-10 Wagon

When the baby is crying and you need those diapers fast, Audi has your car. To build the RS6, the company stuffed a 580-horsepower twin-turbo V-10 engine into its A6 Avant wagon. The result: the speediest grocery-getter ever built.

Cloned iPod nano

Information on this is still sketchy, but Engadget has published a photo of a purported iPod nano clone (at right). For perspective, remember that Apple just announced the new “fatty” nano on September 5th. As PopSci reported in its September cover story, "Meet the iClone", Chinese manufacturers have became virtuosos of near instantaneous imitation. But if this report proves true, the Nano clone appeared insanely fast even by their frenetic standards.

Autonomous Flying Ambulances Could Save Troops

When there’s no safe escape, call in the Mules: These unmanned aerial vehicles could save lives on the battlefield—and off

U.S. troops are pinned down in a crowded city center. Several are wounded and need immediate evacuation. There are miles of labyrinthine roads and thousands of enemy gunmen between them and the nearest base. The threat from rocket-propelled grenades has grounded the big helicopters. There's one, final hope for these soldiers: the Mule, a compact, fully autonomous medevac aircraft powered by ducted fans—fully enclosed spinning blades that are smaller and more efficient than conventional helicopter rotors. This concept, created by Israel-based Urban Aeronautics, could revolutionize military and civilian emergency care. Within minutes of troops radioing in their GPS coordinates, two drones dart in at 100 mph and land neatly on a narrow rooftop. The casualties are loaded into pods on the UAV's sides—each vehicle can carry two patients—and the fore-and-aft lift fans speed up for vertical takeoff. Once airborne, a medic's voice, piped in by radio, comforts the wounded soldiers, distracting them from the gunfire outside and the disconcerting notion that their rescuers are robots. The idea, says 56-year-old designer Rafi Yoeli, is a vehicle that can brave dense forests, urban centers and combat zones where choppers, with their vulnerable rotors, can't. Yoeli, who founded Urban Aeronautics in 2001 after decades with companies like Boeing and Israeli Aerospace Industries, is currently building a prototype, aiming for a first flight in 2009. As an unmanned craft, it's both light and able to risk enemy fire. Yoeli is also trying to make it inexpensive, and civilian and military authorities in the U.S. and elsewhere have already expressed interest in his $1.5-million concept.The dual-ducted fan configuration used on the Mule is derived from failed "flying jeep" experiments of the 1950s. Those early models were doomed by aerodynamic problems, excessive weight and ducted fans that were too weak. Yoeli relies on new lightweight composite materials, sophisticated autonomous flight software and a patented duct design that boosts the fans' efficiency. The key is a series of directional vanes on both the top (inlet) and bottom (outlet) of the fans. This type of "vectored thrust" steers the craft using directed airflow instead of control surfaces. "It gives you six full degrees of movement," says Janina Frankel-Yoeli, Rafi's wife and marketing director. Urban Aeronautics faces several hurdles. "Ducted fans have been around for years," says Bob Behler, a retired Air Force general who once flew medevac aircraft and now works for the MITRE Corporation, which conducts technical research for the government. "They're very efficient, but reliability is questionable with vectored thrust." Nevertheless, Behler says that ducted-fan aircraft are great for urban operations. "You've got to have something that travels slowly and can maneuver around obstructions," he explains. He remains concerned, however, about not having a medical attendant with the patient. Frankel-Yoeli agrees, up to a point. "For regular evacuation, it's certainly not the preferred means," she says. "But if the casualty is in critical condition and you have no other means of getting them help, it's not a difficult question." The biggest obstacle, she contends, is psychological. "The problem is overcoming the natural fear of entering a vehicle without a pilot."

How it Works

CONTROL
The Mule uses ultraefficient ducted fans—basically, fully shrouded helicopter blades—to lift off vertically. Vane systems channel thrust in any direction, allowing the Mule to move sideways and forward and backward without rolling. If the front and back rotors change their relative speeds, the result is a yawing movement to the left or right.

TURBINE POWER
A single Rolls-Royce 250-C30 turbine helicopter engine powers the counter-rotating, three-bladed fans in front and back. The engine exhausts through the top of the fuselage.

WHIRLYBIRD
Enclosed rotors in ducted fans make the Mule less vulnerable to gunfire and permit it to fit into small spaces.

GO FAST
In forward flight, louvers in front and back [not shown] open to reduce drag. Mounted fans add power.

SNAP TO
Automated fly-by-wire controls are reliable and precise, permitting nimble maneuvers amid obstructions and landings on uneven terrain.

Secret Warplanes of Area 51

Special-Ops Infiltrator

The Vehicle: Vertical-takeoff-and-landing aircraft for transporting special-ops forces to hostile areas
The Technology: Blended-wing-body design with six jet engines powering lift fans and providing forward thrust
The Evidence: Patent filings, obvious gap in current arsenal, recent development of key technology

Recon Platform

The Vehicle: Unmanned flying-wing capable of long-duration surveillance flights, measured in days and weeks instead of hours
The Technology: Autonomous flight controls and ultra-efficient electric motors powered by solar panels or fuel cells
The Evidence: Patent filing, clear current need, recent development of key technology

Invisible Fighter

The Vehicle: Stealthy, unmanned combat aerial vehicle
The Technology: Visual stealth, including active fuselage lighting that blends into background
The Evidence: Patent filing, development of key technology, obvious gap in current arsenal

On-Time Delivery

The Vehicle: Aurora Mach 6-plus attack aircraft

The Technology: Ramjet-powered delta wing
The Evidence: Telltale sonic booms; unconfirmed sightings; unresolved history of long-rumored program; recent development of key technology; large, unexplained current budget allocation

Hollywood Physics

Take a look at a few of cinema's most mind-boggling moments of scientific inaccuracy—plus a few rare films that manage to get things (mostly) right

As we reach the close of the summer blockbuster season, reports of a recent paper by two professors at the University of Central Florida recently caught our eye. In it, the physicists Costas Efthimiou and R.A. Llewellyn assert that movies are making their students dumber. ""Sure, people say everyone knows the movies are not real," says Efthimiou, "but my experience is many of the students believe what they see on the screen." Whether you believe them or not, it's always fun to take a scientist's eye to the silver screen to see just how ridiculous things can get when directors and screenwriters set poetic license against physical reality. High-school physics teacher Adam Weiner does just that in his great new book Don't Try This at Home! The Physics of Hollywood Movies. Here, we take a look at a few of the worst offenders, and at the actual science behind them.

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Article taken from popular science