Debunking Boyle's Self-Flowing Flask

This paper investigates the widespread myth of perpetual motion devices based on the so-called Boyle’s self-flowing flask, frequently popularized in online videos. A simplified theoretical model is developed to describe the dynamics of the system, showing that the flow inevitably decays and that the maximum operating time is only a few seconds for realistic geometries. Simple original tabletop experiments with hoses of different sizes confirm this picture, yielding even shorter operating time...

Book review: The Druze Emir in Renaissance Europe : Review of Gorton, Ted J., Renaissance Emir: A Druze Warlord at the Court of the Medici

This review critically examines the biography of Fakhr ad-Din Ma’n II, a Druze emir whose life spanned the complex geopolitical and cultural landscapes of the Early Modern Levant and Renaissance Europe. Gorton’s work offers a meticulously researched and accessible account of Fakhr ad-Din’s political career, exile in Tuscany, and enduring legacy, situating him within broader narratives of cross-cultural diplomacy, religious identity, and Mediterranean courtly culture. The review highlights the...

E pluribus union(s)? : Assessing the diversity of organisation among food delivery couriers across Europe

Gravitational wave experiments : achievements and plans

Gravitational wave (GW) experiments have transformed our understanding of the Universe by enabling direct observations of compact object mergers and other astrophysical phenomena. This chapter reviews the concepts of GW detectors, such as LIGO, Virgo, and KAGRA, and describes their operating principles, data acquisition and analysis techniques, and some of the methods used to extract source properties. The scientific impact of GW observations is discussed as well, including contributions to a...