Among the most popular videos in Science Times are the animated clips sharing tips about surviving a tornado, tsunami, or heat wave. Our audience also loves the informative videos about extreme weather phenomena and space. Without further ado, here are the top videos of Science Times in 2023.
How To Survive a Tornado in Real Life - Safety Tips
Tornadoes are violent rotating jets of air that begin from a thunderstorm and strike the ground. An average of 1,000 tornadoes hit the country every year, with an average of 1,500 injuries and 85 fatalities. To increase your chances of survival from the tornado, you must be prepared for it and have a concrete plan.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends keeping an emergency kit, including water, non-perishable food, and medication. A tornado emergency plan should be in place for the family, including access to safe shelter, and children should be educated about tornadoes.
Awareness of weather patterns is also crucial to preventing injury during a tornado. Listening to local radio and television stations and a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) weather radio station is essential for tracking changing weather conditions in the affected area.
How To Survive a Tsunami? According to Science
Tsunamis are among the deadliest natural disasters that can occur on the planet. Earthquakes near the seafloor displacing large amounts of water result in enormous ocean waves moving in all directions, causing this phenomenon. Other potential causes are volcanic eruptions, landslides, and meteorites.
To survive, identify key signs of tsunamis like earthquakes, roars from the ocean, sudden draining of water showing the ocean floor, and sudden rise or wall of water. When you observe any of these, practice evacuation plans and map the routes to a highland area. Choose an area that is at least a mile away from the coast. Strategize a family emergency communication plan and sign up for the warning system in the community.
For those in the water, grab on something that floats, and for those in a boat, face the direction of the water and head out to sea. Go inland when in the harbor. Stay in the area for those outside the tsunami zone unless authorities tell you to move.
How to Survive a Heat Wave Without Air Conditioning At Home
Heatwaves strike during summer months when the weather is hot and humid. But it can occur any time of the year in some regions - when there's a prolonged period of high pressure in the atmosphere, causing hot air to be trapped near the ground. Heatwaves' severity and duration depend on location, climate, and weather patterns. It can be deadly, especially for vulnerable populations such as the elderly, young children, and individuals with certain health conditions.
To survive without air conditioning at home, use box fans and ceiling fans to promote air circulation, and open doors using box fans to push hot air outdoors. The box fans can function like an exhaust system, drawing cooler evening air into the house. In the evening, open windows to promote air circulation; when the sun rises, close all doors and windows, including curtains and binds, to keep indoors cool for as long as possible.
Soak your feet wet in buckets or basins; you can also wet towels and bandanas and wear them on the shoulders or head for an additional cooling effect. Most importantly, take a cold shower or bath and use a spray bottle filled with cold water for refreshing spritzes throughout the day. Stay downstairs because hot air rises, and the upper stories of the home will be warmer than the ground floor.
Cyclone vs. Typhoon vs. Hurricane vs. Tornado: Are They All The Same?
This episode of Science Curiosities highlights the differences between a cyclone, a typhoon, a hurricane, and a tornado. They all love warm ocean waters as they provide energy to groove. Hot, moist air rises and creates a low-pressure dance floor for storms.
Cyclone is known for its classic counterclockwise spin. Its move is predictable and will surely make an entrance. It's a general term for a low-area storm with high winds rotating about a center of low atmospheric pressure with a crossing speed of 118 kilometers per hour.
Typhoon has the same move but a different name. It's a violent storm that occurs in regions of the Philippines, India, and the China Sea.
A hurricane is a type of cyclone that spins clockwise. It's an extremely large, powerful, and destructive storm with very strong wind that occurs, especially in the western part of the Atlantic Ocean. A hurricane has a diameter of 500 to 1,000 miles and moves at 80 to 130 miles per hour.
A tornado is a violent wind consisting of winds that spin very fast, uprooting many trees and causing much damage. Its average speed is between 64 to 160 kilometers per hour, with a length of 250 feet across.
They are not the same. However, they are like siblings with unique personalities. Typhoons, cyclones, and hurricanes are globe-trotters, while the tornado is the wild child closer to home.
Space Junk: How Does NASA Clean Up This Cosmic Mess?
NASA and TransAstra work together to clean space debris as space junk has become an increasing problem. TransAstra, a startup in space logistics, recently received a $850,000 early-stage NASA contract for a bag that might inflate once it enters orbit.
Its inflatable capture bag is like a cosmic trash bag sending a trash bag, ready to spring to action once it is in orbit. It's like a vacuum cleaner to space but way more relaxed. It's like having a space tug called a "worker bee" that maneuvers the bag through the cluttered space lanes and collects bits of space junk along the way. You can liken it to a celestial cleanup crew working tirelessly to make space for future endeavors.
It was TransAstra's second inflatable catch bag contract. The company also received an early-stage contract from NASA for 2021, initially focusing on asteroid or space rock capture.
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