Five Incredible Acts of Science, Now in Gif Form

As all lovers of science know, the natural world is extremely fascinating, but sometimes difficult to grasp. Things like videos and infographics help make these complex subject matters easier to understand. Here, we present you with five GIFS that make science fun and simple.

Aerial Dominance

If you think humans have impressive navigational skills, you may find yourself stunned by the mad skills of these birds, and how they easily outmaneuver other birds with their razor-sharp reflexes.

Falcons, and other eagles, are so effective at flying due to the fact that they have long feathers and a short tail. They also have a rather strange way of hunting prey mid-flight, which you can learn more about here.

Prince Rupert's Drop

This phenomenon, sadly enough, isn't nearly as well-known as it should be. Simply put, prince Rubert's drops are the result of molten glass interacting with much cooler water. Something really strange happens under the right conditions.

Here, all of the stages the molten glass goes through during the transformation are outlined and sped up for maximum effect.

You can learn more about it here. Rest assured, it's very cool.

Synchronicity in Action

Synchronicity is a phenomenon in which one or more external things seem to be intrinsically tied together. Take an orchestra—when an assortment of separate instruments work together to make music—for example. Despite the fact that each has a separate, distinct sound, they eventually get on the same wavelength.  Of course, there are other examples,  like GPS systems, certain sporting events (like synchronized swimming) and even a human heart beat.

This GIF shows synchronicity in nature, with a flock of birds.

Birth Pangs of the Moon

As it has been theorized, several billions of years ago, a Mars-sized object struck Earth, flinging materials from both ancient worlds into space. In the following hundreds of millions of years , this material coalesced into the moon—Earth's cherished companion.

This GIF speeds up the whole process, showing how gravity gradually brought the chunks of rock together as if the whole thing took place in just 59 days.

Ferrofluid in a Glass Jug

A ferrofluid, simply put, is a material that has the fluid properties of a liquid, but the magnetic properties of a solid. As such, it becomes magnetized when exposed to a magnetic field.

This GIF demonstrates what happens when you run a magnet against a glass jar with a ferrofluid inside of it.