Australian Science Illustrated – Issue 51 2017

22 | SCIENCE ILLUSTRATED

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390,900 species

How many plant species exist? The plants on Earth are primarily flowering plants,

whereas only about 1,000 coniferous tree species exist. The total number of plants is

Does the Moon Make

Tides in My Body Fluid?

According to the law of gravity, all masses in the

universe attract one another. So the Moon attracts our

bodies and pulls on our internal liquids (even our

blood), but the effect is very slight. Gravity decreases

with distance and small objects are less affected, so

humans cannot detect the pull of the Moon over the

massive pull of the Earth we live on.

Any effects caused by a Full Moon or New Moon are

likely due to light levels at night. A person used to a

dark night could find a bright Full Moon annoying as it

lights up their bedroom. And someone who is afraid of

deep darkness might find the time of the New Moon -

when nights are darkest - particularly unsettling.

SHUTTERSTOCK

Magnetic modelling wax

“swallows” a powerful

magnet made of the

metal neodymium.

Ordinary modelling wax

includes millions of

microscopic iron chips and is

not magnetic in itself.

The magnet is made up

of iron, boron, and

neodymium, also an element.

This alloy is the most powerful

known non-electric magnet.

The magnet produces a

magnetic field in the

modelling wax, which makes

the iron chips form north and

south poles, resulting in a

temporary magnet. The wax

"crawls" across the magnet,

and tries to distribute itself

evenly on all sides of it, until

the magnet is fully embedded.

The myth that the Moon's

gravity affects the water in our

bodies, making it difficult to fall

asleep, isn't true.

WHAT IS THIS?

MODELLING WAX

MAGNET

YOUTUBE

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