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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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Biology
‘Save the parasites’ may not be a popular rallying cry – but it could be a vital one
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Metaphysics
What do past, present and future mean to a philosopher of time?
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Computing and artificial intelligence
Why large language models are mysterious – even to their creators
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Evolution
The many ways a lizard tongue sticks, grasps, pinches and plops – in slo-mo
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Biology
Starlings swoosh like brushstrokes across the sky in this dazzling short
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Engineering
From simple motors to levitating trains – how design shapes innovation
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Ecology and environmental sciences
The tree frog die-off that sparked a global mystery – and revealed a dark truth
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Film and visual culture
Our world has very different contours when a millimetre is blown up to a full screen
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Astronomy
The remarkable innovations inspired by our need to know the night sky
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