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Why the golden age of total solar eclipses is already behind us
Total solar eclipses have captivated humans for centuries for their rarity, fleeting durations and world-altering effects. But, as this animation from MinutePhysics explains, these astronomical events used to be more frequent and spectacular many millions of years ago, and are, very slowly but quite surely, becoming a thing of the past. Unravelling why we happen to exist in the tail end of the total-eclipse era, this short provides a brief yet rich dive into planetary physics.
Video by MinutePhysics
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Animals and humans
Why be dragons? How massive, reptilian beasts entered our collective imagination
58 minutes
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Biology
How the world’s richest reds are derived from an innocuous Mexican insect
5 minutes
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Physics
The abyss at the edge of human understanding – a voyage into a black hole
4 minutes
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Chemistry
Why do the building blocks of life possess a mysterious symmetry?
12 minutes
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Cosmology
Tiny, entangled universes that form or fizzle out – a theory of the quantum multiverse
11 minutes
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Astronomy
The history of astronomy is a history of conjuring intelligent life where it isn’t
34 minutes
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Metaphysics
Simple entities in universal harmony – Leibniz’s evocative perspective on reality
4 minutes
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Biography and memoir
Passed over as the first Black astronaut, Ed Dwight carved out an impressive second act
13 minutes
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Engineering
A close-up look at electronic paper reveals its exquisite patterns – and limitations
9 minutes