/oss/taxonomy/term/2344/all en /oss/article/you-asked-general-science/there-safer-time-fly <hr /> <p><em>This article was first published in <a href="https://skepticalinquirer.org/exclusive/is-there-a-safer-time-to-fly/">The Skeptical Inquirer.</a></em></p> <hr /> <p>Flying in an airplane is incredibly safe despite what our anxieties and fears might tell us. According to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), aviation has become the first ultra-safe transportation system in history. That means that for every ten million cycles (one cycle involves both a takeoff and landing), there is less than one catastrophic failure.</p> Fri, 26 May 2023 10:00:00 +0000 Ada McVean M.Sc. 9515 at /oss /oss/article/critical-thinking-health/funhouse-mirror-risk-perception <p>The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated many preexisting problems. One of them is how to vet the avalanche of information flowing down at us on a daily basis. Another is how to properly assess the risks that we face.</p> Fri, 09 Jul 2021 18:22:36 +0000 Jonathan Jarry M.Sc. 8780 at /oss /oss/article/history/bewitched-witchcraft <p>It is part of human nature to try to rationalize illness and misfortune. Today, many point accusing fingers at pesticides, food additives, or electromagnetic radiation as possible culprits in undermining our health. In less sophisticated times, witchcraft was deemed to be responsible. Natural disasters and sicknesses were due to spells cast by those in league with the devil. Then, as now, people feared what they did not understand. And they did not understand witchcraft.</p> Fri, 30 Oct 2020 17:00:00 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 8463 at /oss /oss/article/did-you-know/dragonflies-experience-much-g-force-fighter-pilots <p>Gravity and the human body have a finicky relationship. Too <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Micro-g_environment#Health_effects_of_the_micro-g_environment">little</a> gravity and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Micro-g_environment#Health_effects_of_the_micro-g_environment">humans</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Micro-g_environment#Health_effects_of_the_micro-g_environment">lose bone density, experience extreme nausea and become anemic.</a> Too much gravity and humans <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G-LOC">lose consciousness and die</a>.</p> Thu, 23 Aug 2018 16:20:02 +0000 Ada McVean B.Sc. 7319 at /oss /oss/article/did-you-know-technology/lightning-striking-planes <p>Have you ever been in a plane that was struck by lightning? It happens to the average plane about once a year. It’s a terrifying experience to be sure, but the passengers inside are actually completely safe, due to some smart design elements in airplanes. <span>Most planes are made of aluminum and the ones that are not usually still contain metal frames. This metal framing acts as a conductor so that when electricity enters it at any point it spreads across all metal parts.</span></p> Mon, 03 Jul 2017 21:33:15 +0000 Ada McVean B.Sc. 2563 at /oss /oss/article/did-you-know/airplanes-turbulence-0 <p>Turbulence during a flight may make plates crash to the floor but it doesn’t make planes crash. Airplanes are built to withstand turbulence, but people aren’t, so it can make for a most unpleasant experience. Temperature changes attributed to global warming are expected to make for more turbulent skies.</p> Sun, 14 May 2017 02:34:20 +0000 OSS 2450 at /oss /oss/article/did-you-know-general-science/it-really-dangerous-use-your-phone-plane <p>The fear behind the rule of ‘no phones on planes’ is that portable electronic devices could potentially interfere via electromagnetic radiation with the measurement and navigation tools on board. Modern planes, however, are built incredibly resistant to electromagnetic radiation, they can actually withstand a lightning strike without instrument problems, and so the small amounts of radiation from your devices aren’t likely to bring down the plane. </p> <hr /> <p><a href="https://twitter.com/adamcvean">@AdaMcVean</a></p> Thu, 11 May 2017 21:46:06 +0000 Ada McVean B.Sc. 2441 at /oss /oss/article/did-you-know-health/plane-air-doesnt-make-you-sick <p>It’s time to put to rest the idea that plane air will make you sick. While the thought makes sense, as the air on a plane is indeed recycled, and the many passengers are spreading their germs into it, this misconception forgets one major part of plane’s ventilation system- HEPA filters. These filters are the same ones trusted to keep hospital surgical units clean, and plane air is re-circulated, and therefore re-filtered 20-30 times per hour. It’s also important to remember that only about 50% of air on a plane is recycled.</p> Thu, 11 May 2017 21:44:47 +0000 Ada McVean B.Sc. 2440 at /oss