If you enjoyed this article, I’d like to ask for your support. Scientific American has served as an advocate for science and industry for 180 years, and right now may be the most critical moment in ...

It’s rare, but not impossible. Static electricity, the same thing that shocks you when you touch a doorknob, could ignite gasoline fumes when pumping fuel at a gas station. Without taking the proper ...

Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. When hair picks up an electrostatic charge, the strands repel each other and stand on end. (Whitney Hayward/Portland Press ...

James is a published author with multiple pop-history and science books to his name. He specializes in history, space, strange science, and anything out of the ordinary.View full profile James is a ...

We’re all familiar with static electricity and its many “appearances.” It can be an annoying spark when you walk across a rug; allow you to stick a balloon against a wall after rubbing it across your ...

MINNEAPOLIS — When someone touches something and gets shocked, it's awkward and a bit painful. What causes static electricity? And what actually happens when you get shocked? Visitors of the ...

For centuries, static electricity has been the subject of intrigue and scientific investigation. Now, researchers from the ...

DENVER — Static electricity is a touchy subject. Touch or rub two materials together, and they can exchange electric charge. But the details behind the phenomenon of static electricity are poorly ...