Predicting the lifetime of an electric ion thruster is notoriously difficult. You have to account for the chamber wall effects, which are not present in space environments. Researchers within several ...

Explore jaw-dropping high-voltage experiments with a Tesla transformer as we test an old Nokia phone, generate sparks, and demonstrate a mini Tesla lamp. See how electricity behaves, witness safe but ...

Benjamin Franklin experimented with electricity on fowl. Portrait of Benjamin Franklin by Joseph Duplessis, courtesy of The Library of Congress In 1751 Benjamin Franklin planned an electrical ...

Bits of material levitating against gravity, a stream of water deflected by invisible means, sparks of light appearing out of thin air; with observations like those, it’s a wonder that the early ...

Watch as tiny pieces of foil magically dance and float inside a bottle! This fascinating experiment demonstrates the invisible force of static electricity and shows how electrical charges can move ...

Scientists successfully generate electricity from Earth’s rotation in groundbreaking experiment, potentially opening a new frontier in renewable energy technology. Grew up back East, got sick of the ...

It’s taken over 250 years of shocking experiments to understand how quickly electricity moves! How fast does electricity move – and why? In 1746, a French physicist electrocuted a large group of monks ...

James is a published author with multiple pop-history and science books to his name. He specializes in history, space, strange science, and anything out of the ordinary.View full profile James is a ...

A utility sends phone alerts when wind power is cheap. A builder sells “zero bill” houses. They’re among several experiments to redefine how people value electricity. By Somini Sengupta Photographs ...