Topology is a type of math. It studies how shapes change when you stretch or squeeze them. Geometry looks at exact sizes, like the length of a line. Topology is different. It is like a game with rules. One rule might be that shapes can change into each other without tearing. For example, a donut and a coffee mug are in the same family. Both have one hole. You can mold a clay mug into a donut without breaking it. Another rule might be about shapes with no clear inside or outside. A Möbius strip is one such shape. It is a loop with a twist. A ball can roll all over it without crossing an edge. Topology helps scientists understand what is possible. Engineers use it to invent new things. Cosmologists use it to study the universe. Physicists use it to learn about matter.

Have you ever heard a basketball shoe squeak on the court? That sound happens when players stop or turn quickly. Scientists now know why. They used high-speed cameras to watch shoes slide on glass. The shoe sole sticks and slips in tiny bursts. These bursts happen about 4,800 times every second! Each burst makes a sound wave. The pitch of the squeak matches how fast the bursts happen. The ridges on the shoe sole help make the squeak clear. Without ridges, the sound is messy. Scientists also found that the thickness and stiffness of the sole set the pitch. To make silent shoes, makers could tune the squeak to a very high pitch that humans cannot hear. But dogs can hear it, so your pet might not like them. The scientists even made rubber blocks that squeak to play a song from Star Wars. This shows that squeaky shoes can be fun too!

Do you cry when you chop an onion? A new study says you can stop those tears. Use a sharp knife and cut slowly. This keeps the onion juice from flying into your eyes.

Onions make a chemical that stings your eyes. When you cut an onion, tiny drops of this chemical fly into the air. If they hit your eyes, they cause tears.

Scientists used a high-speed camera to watch onion drops fly. They found that a dull knife needs more force to cut. This force squashes more cells and sends drops flying fast — up to 90 miles per hour!

But a sharp knife cuts with less force. Slow, steady cuts keep the drops low. They don't reach your eyes. So you won't cry.

The study also helps scientists learn how germs spread through the air. The same way onion drops fly, germs might travel too.