We've gotten used to the fact that we our phones can be used as anything from a flashlight to a video camera at a moment's notice. It's easy to get distracted and forget just how awesome the technology that they're made up of actually is! That includes, of course, the science behind all of it. Science is all around us, and we use it to discover awesome new things every day whether it's a breakthrough in physics or medicine or astronomy — or simply in using your computer or driving a car. It's everywhere!
But if you don't feel like you have enough science in your life, then you've come to the right place. We've got five handpicked apps to help bring a bit more science to your day.
TED
If you aren't already familiar with TED talks then you seriously have no clue what you've been missing out on. TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, and Design, and these talks are given by some really fascinating people. Covering everything from Stephen Hawking talking about questioning the Universe, to Amazon's Jeff Bezos discussing web innovation, to a guy making a clarinet out of a carrot right there on the stage. There are thousands of videos here, spanning dozens of languages, so ignoring TED talks would be an epic mistake.
While you don't need the TED app to check out any of these talks, it is the easiest way to get your fix when you are on the go. The TED app will lets you download and bookmark your favorite talks, lets you know when new talks are added, and even has a radio option. You can also cast to your Chromecast or Android TV. TED talks are on the pulse of the way the world is changing, and it's a great place to hang out if you realize there is a lack of science in your life.
Science Daily
In today's world, trying to keep up with every bit of science news that comes out is nigh on impossible. There just isn't enough time in the day to spend it hunting for news. That's where Science Daily comes. This app is built specifically to help to find the science news that you're looking for without any hassle in the process. It gives you hundreds of new articles daily on over a dozen different topics.
There aren't really many bells and whistles to be found on the Science Daily app. Instead you'll find tons of articles to slake your thirst for science. There are a half dozen main categories like Health and Education with niche topics nestled underneath. You can also check out just the Top Science News or Latest Headlines easily as well. When you come across the articles that are fascinating it's also a breeze to bookmark or share them. You can also adjust the sizing of article fonts to make it easier to read.
Download: Science Daily (Free)
Skeptical Science
Climate change science is a big deal, and a surprisingly controversial one at that. There's a lot of yelling and misinformation out there, and Skeptical Science aims to explain what peer reviewed science has to say about global warming. They give you an easy-to-navigate app that lets you easily educate yourself on the topic. It gives you access to the most common arguments against climate change, and then provides you with the facts to show how that argument is flawed — or just plain wrong.
Each argument gives you a great page with all the info you need, with the skeptic argument at the top, followed by what science currently says and then a longer explanation backed up with sourced facts. This trifecta makes it really easy to see and understand the science behind the debate; as they say, knowledge is power, and it's hard to argue with what the scientific experts on the subject have to say.
Download: Skeptical Science (Free)
Electronics 101
Have you ever thought about wanting to refresh your electronics knowledge? Does your kid have questions you can't remember the answers to? If you answered yes to either of those questions, then you should definitely check out Electronics 101. This is just one of over a dozen apps by Education Flow that can help you catch up on topics like Physics, Biology, and Calculus.
Each of these fantastic educational apps is made to be accessible whether you learned about the topic years ago or this is your first encounter. You'll get a breakdown of the terms, along with any symbols that are regularly used. These 101 apps are more or less text books, and they work really well doing just that. You can easily refresh your existing knowledge or start teaching yourself the basics. Electronics 101 is easy to use, and is completely available even when you're offline.
Download: Electronics 101 (Free)
Hubble Space Center
Space is the final frontier, the last place left unexplored, and no one tool has done more to bring outer space down to earth than the Hubble Space Telescope. And so we have the Hubble Space Center app to bring you all the best from the Hubble Telescope. It's a great app for both the new new fan of space and those that have been enamored with the universe for years.
The Hubble Space Center gives you access to everything this fantastic telescope has to offer. From facts about the Hubble Telescope itself, to news, to photos of space further away than we could possibly see with the naked eye. With over a thousand images in the gallery, you can easily share them to Facebook, or even set them as your wallpaper. If you've ever wanted to see space up close, this is a great place to start.
