White horses may seem to be at an evolutionary disadvantage: they are easily spotted by predators and suffer from higher...

Stories from Physics 11-14 14-16

French physicist and mathematician Étienne-Louis Malus was originally to have studied at an engineering school but, following...

Stories from Physics 11-14 14-16

Light travels in one direction but vibrates at right-angles to this – sideways and up and down. Polarisers let only the...

Enrichment Activity 5-11 11-14

Scattering of light by molecules in the atmosphere alters the polarisation of light emitted from the sun.

Stories from Physics 11-14 14-16

Many organisms use polarised light for orientation. Ecologists have expressed concerns about the impact of artificial sources...

Stories from Physics 11-14 14-16

Unlike the animals described above, humans are largely polarisation-blind. However, some individuals may be able to perceive a...

Stories from Physics 11-14 14-16

Historians have speculated about how Viking seafarers were able to navigate in cloudy conditions that obscured the Sun and...

Stories from Physics 11-14 14-16