Tom Hawking

New York

Writer and Editor at Freelance

Freelance Editor at Australia Institute

Writer at The Guardian, @popsci and elsewhere; former EIC @flavorwire and others.

Articles

비 냄새의 비밀, 박테리아와 곤충의 ‘은밀한 거래’

2 weeks ago | popsci.co.kr | Tom Hawking

마른 땅 위로 비가 내리면 공기 중에는 특유의 흙냄새가 퍼져나간다. 이 향기에는 ‘페트리코(petrichor)’라는 이름이 붙어있다. 1964년 호주 과학자들이 그리스어로 돌을 뜻하는 페트로스(petros)와 신들의 피를 의미하는 이코르(ichor)를 합쳐 만든 시적인 이름이다. 하지만 서정적인 이름 뒤에는 토양 속 미생물이 수억 년간 이어온 생존 전략이 담겨있다. 미 육군 공병단 소속 생태학자 라이언 버즈비는 비 속 흙냄새의 주성분이 ‘지오스민(geosmin)’과 ‘2-메틸이소보르네올(2-MIB)’이라는 두 유기 화합물이라고 설명한다. 현재 과학계의 정설에 따르면, 두 화합물은 토양에 사는 박테리아가 방출하는 물질이다. 버즈비는 “화합물들은 흙의 미세한 틈에 축적된다”라며 “비가 내려 흙 표면에 충격을 가하면, 이 물질들이 대기 중으로 방출되는 것”이라고 말한다.
The science behind the smell of rain

2 weeks ago | popsci.com | Tom Hawking

The smell of rain is called “petrichor,” and its origins are surprisingly complex. Image: Sally Anscombe / Getty Images You know the smell.
Australia's giant extinct marsupials may be ID'd using tiny bone bits

3 weeks ago | popsci.com | Tom Hawking

Palorchestes azael was an unusual marsupial herbivore. It had retracted nasal bones on the skull, which means it could have had a small trunk like that of tapirs. CREDIT: Dr Anne Musser © Australian Museum.
How to handle the tech challenges of moving overseas

3 weeks ago | technewstube.com | Tom Hawking

Tech News Tube is a real time news feed of the latest technology news headlines.Follow all of the top tech sites in one place, on the web or your mobile device.
Prepping your gadgets, accounts, and apps for an overseas move

3 weeks ago | theverge.com | Tom Hawking

TechHow to move your gadgets, make sure they work in your new home, and avoid getting locked out of your apps. How to move your gadgets, make sure they work in your new home, and avoid getting locked out of your apps. Jun 5, 2025, 12:00 PM UTCIf you buy something from a Verge link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics statement.
June skygazing: A strawberry moon, the summer solstice… and Asteroid Day!

3 weeks ago | popsci.com | Tom Hawking

In the Northern Hemisphere during the spring, the bright star Regulus is easy to spot above the eastern horizon. The alpha star of the constellation Leo, Regulus is the spiky star centered in this telescopic field of view. Regulus is a hot, rapidly spinning star that is known to be part of a multiple star system.
How to get better at snooker... with physics

1 month ago | popsci.com | Tom Hawking

A man playing snooker at a billiard club in Beijing on May 6, 2025. Zhao Xintong's historic victory at the World Snooker Championship is set to spur the game to even greater heights in China and sparked predictions the country could come to dominate the sport. CREDIT: Pedro Pardo/AFP via Getty Images.
How to get better at snooker… with physics

1 month ago | sports.yahoo.com | Tom Hawking

The 2025 World Snooker Championship recently wrapped up, with China’s Zhao Xintong beating former champion Mark Williams in the final to become his country’s first world champion. However, earlier in the nail-biting tournament it was another player who made world news—Northern Ireland’s Mark Allen. Allen compiled a rare perfect break of 147 points, making him only the 11th player to do so during a World Championship match, and earning him a roughly $53,000 (£40,000) bonus.
May skygazing: Meteors, a floral moon, and cosmic beehive

1 month ago | popsci.com | Tom Hawking

A flight-illuminated path and the Milky Way are appearing in the night sky during the Eta Aquarids meteor shower, peaking in Ratnapura, Sri Lanka, on May 5, 2024. The Eta Aquarids Meteor Shower is an annual event caused by Earth passing through debris left behind by Halley's Comet.
What does 'remastering' an album actually mean?

2 months ago | popsci.com | Tom Hawking

Image: Tony Anderson/Getty Images “Digitally remastered!” Whether it’s another 10-disc Beatles box set just in time for the holiday season or a compilation of hip-hop classics on Spotify, relatively old songs will almost certainly come with the proclamation that the music has been remastered—and that as a result, they sound better than ever. But what does “remastered” actually mean?