

The Giant Mirrors Brought Sunlight to Rjukan
Sam Eyde, the man who founded Rjukan, proposed the idea of a “Solspeil,” or sun mirror, above Rjukan in 1913. He realized the value of the “sun in Rjukan” during the winter. Additionally, he needed to provide his employees with opportunities for wintertime sunlight. One of the few concepts that Sam Eyde was unable to carry out to completion was this one.
Instead, to get the people of Rjukan to the winter sun, his successors built a gondola in 1928. The name of this gondola is Krossobanen. It continues to be useful and serves as a vital link between the town and the mountains, where the sun’s rays are restricted in the winter. Every year, Krossobanen transports thousands of people to the mountains.

Delivering the sun to the people of Rjukan is a concept that was first conceived in 1913 and has now been made possible by modern technology.
Martin Andersen, an artist and local resident, revived the concept in 2005. The mirror was formally inaugurated in 2013 – 100 years after the concept.
The town square in Rjukan is surrounded by a computer-controlled heliostat that collects the sun’s rays and directs them there. The three heliostats are made up of computer-controlled mirrors that track the sun as it rises and set and reflect its rays into the market square in Rjukan.
Technical specifications
At a height of 742 meters above sea level, or roughly 450 meters above the Rjukan market square, the sun mirror is constructed on the mountainside. Each mirror has an area of 17 meters, totaling 51 meters squared.

The market square has an elliptical shape with a size of about 600 m2, and the mirrors reflect the sunlight into it. Compared to the light that is captured by the mirrors, the effect of the light that is reflected is between 80 and 100%.
Rjukan
The industrial town of Rjukan is located at the base of the huge Gaustatoppen mountain, deep within the confined Vestfjord valley in Telemark, which is ringed by high mountains.

A thriving small community called Rjukan makes do for nearly half of the year without the sun. The town is located at the bottom of an east-west oriented valley, and the Gaustatoppen (1883 meters above sea level) and other nearby mountains to the town’s immediate south block the sun from September to March.
The hydro story played a crucial role in the founding of the town, which was developed by Norwegian industry. Sam Eyde, the man behind Hydro, constructed Rjukan at the start of the previous century. The town, a so-called “company town,” was planned by Norsk Hydro with the top architects and engineers of the time.

The Accidental Birth of Super Glue: Dr. Harry Coover's WWII Discovery
Dr. Harry Coover was trying to develop clear plastic for gun sights during WWII when he accidentally created cyanoacrylate, an extremely strong adhesive. Initially dismissed, it was later marketed as Super Glue in the 1950s.

How Dmitri Mendeleev Developed the periodic table of the elements
1850 Dmitri Mendeleev walked almost a thousand miles to Moscow so he could apply for the University of Moscow. Although he was not accepted, he walked to St. Petersburg where he was accepted, And with that education, he developed the the periodic table of the elements

Ocean Atlas: Exploring the World’s Largest Underwater Sculpture in the Bahamas
On the western coast of New Providence in Nassau, Bahamas, there is a tourist attraction that you can dive down to see. Called Ocean Atlas, this is the largest single underwater sculpture ever installed. It depicts a local Bahamian girl carrying the weight of the ocean, in reference to the Ancient Greek myth of Atlas holding up the heavens.

The story of Lionel the Lion-Faced Man, Stephan Bibrowski
Stephen Bibrowski, also known as Lionel the Lion-faced Man, was a well-known sideshow entertainer. His entire body was covered in long hair, giving him the appearance of a lion; this was most likely due to a rare condition known as hypertrichosis. Lionel traveled to the United States in 1901 and began performing with the Barnum and Bailey Circus.

The Physics Behind Why Cats Always Land on Their Feet
Cats have an extraordinary survival skill known as the “righting reflex” that allows them to twist midair and land on their feet, even when dropped upside down. This uncanny ability is made possible by their flexible spine, lack of a functional collarbone, and a combination of biological sensors and physical laws governing motion. Astonishingly, kittens develop this reflex as early as three weeks old, mastering the art of graceful landing that defies everyday expectations. This article unravels the science and mystery behind this feline feat.

The Unique Grana Double Tree of Piedmont, Italy
The “Grana Double Tree” in Piedmont, Italy is a highly unusual tree, which consists of a cherry tree growing atop a mulberry tree. It is essentially a two-species, two-tiered hybrid duplex.

Meteorite found in Sahara Desert older than the earth
This Sahara Desert Meteorite was discovered to be older than the earth itself. This Meteorite is estimated to be 4.6 billion years old, while earth is estimated to be 4.54 billion years old.

How Sleep Cycles Affect Cognitive Function and Memory Retention
Sleep is not just rest—it's an active process where our brain cycles through stages that shape cognition, memory, and overall mental performance. Different sleep phases, from deep slow-wave sleep to REM dreaming, play unique roles in consolidating memories, boosting attention, and refreshing brain networks. Explore how sleep cycles work and why they are essential to learning and sharp thinking.

Stephen Hawking’s Warning: Humanity Has Less Than 200 Years to Escape Earth’s Limits
Stephen hawking says humanity won't survive without leaving earth. In fact, human beings may have less than 200 years to figure out how to escape our planet

The Evolution of Flight: From Dinosaurs to Birds – A Journey Through Time and Science
Flight is one of nature’s most remarkable adaptations, but its origins trace back millions of years before modern birds took to the skies. Emerging from theropod dinosaurs during the Jurassic period, birds evolved feathers, wings, and lightweight bodies that enabled powered flight. This detailed narrative explores the fascinating evolutionary path from ground-dwelling dinosaurs to the aerial masters of today, blending science, intriguing fossil finds, and surprising trivia about our feathered ancestors.

Woman's transplanted 'man hands' became lighter and more feminine over time
After losing both arms in an accident, an Indian girl received limbs from a male donor. The donor hands, which were formerly huge and hairy, changed skin tone and became thin and feminine over time to mix in with her body.

Scientist injects himself with 3.5m yr old bacteria for immortality and amazing happens
Russian scientist injected himself with a 3.5 million-year-old strain of bacteria, just to see what would happen. According to Brouchkov, Bacillus F has a mechanism that has enabled it to survive for so long beneath the ice, and that the same mechanism could be used to extend human life, too.

India's chandrayaan-3 becomes the first landed craft on moon's south pole
India's chandrayaan-3 becomes the first land craft on moon's south pole. It landed safely on August 2023

For the First Time in 60 Years, Scientists Discover a 'Lost' Echidna Species
An expedition team in Indonesia discovered the elusive, egg-laying animal (Echidna) named after David Attenborough, which had not been seen since 1961.

Dr. Leonid Rogozov: the surgeon who removed his own appendix.
Dr. Leonid Rogozov was a legendary surgeon who operated on himself in 1961 to remove an inflamed appendix.

Henrietta Lacks: Who Was She? Here's how HeLa cells became necessary for medical research
Henrietta Lacks was died in 1951. The tumor that killed her has been alive and growing to this day. The tumor is immortal and was used to progress the Polio vaccine and is the jumping point for most human cell research to this day. Scientists have grown some 20 tons of her cells.

Dr. Donald Hopkins: From Smallpox Eradication to Near-Ending Guinea Worm Disease
Dr. Donald Hopkins helped eradicate Smallpox, and is on the verge of killing another disease. He's taken Guinea Worm Disease down from 3.5 million cases a year to just 28 cases last year.

Megamouth Shark And Her Babies Found Dead In The Philippines
Filipino zoologists have recorded a pregnant megamouth shark for the first time ever since the rare aquatic specie was discovered in 1974.

The Mystery of the Darvaza Gas Crater: A 50-Year Inferno
Scientists lit a hole filled with natural gas on Fire in 1971, expecting it would burn only for few days. The hole has been burning for the past 48 years & is called "The Door To Hell".

The Science Behind Pigeons in Cancer Detection and What It Means for Medicine
In a groundbreaking study, researchers have discovered that pigeons can be trained to distinguish between cancerous and non-cancerous tissues in medical images with accuracy rivaling that of human experts. This surprising capability opens new avenues for understanding visual perception and has potential implications for improving diagnostic tools in medicine. Here is the fascinating science behind pigeons’ ability to spot cancer and what it signifies for the future of medical imaging.

The Mystery of Canada's Magical Spotted Lake
Lake Khiluk, the world's most mineralized lake, and one of the most mysterious places on Earth. Each of these spots has a distinct chemical content and is said to cure various diseases.

Mystery of 300-year-old mummified mermaid is being probed
There is a 300-year-old mummified mermaid with 30 centimetres tall and features a human-like head, two hands with what appear to be fingernails, and its lower body that look like a fish tail. The “mermaid mummy” is being probed by Japanese scientists in an attempt to unravel the mystery of its existence.

Why are there 24 hours in a day and 60 minutes in an hour
Ancient Babylonians did math in base 60 instead of base 10. That's why we have 60 seconds in a minute and 360 degrees in a circle.

This Yogi Spent 76 Years Without Eating or Drinking Anything and Confirmed by
Prahlad Jani, the starving monk who lived 76 Years without food and water.

How did Howard Florey discover penicillin
Penicillin was discovered by Alexander Fleming, but he never attempted to turn it into an antibiotic. It wasn't until ten years later that Howard Florey discovered Fleming's obscure paper and understood the mold's potential. Up to 200 million lives may have been saved as a result of Florey's work.