It started as a low, haunting roar building in the distance. It grew into a deafening thunder that drowned out all else. The sky turned an unnatural shade of green, then black. The wind lashed at ...

AMES, Iowa – The Iowa State University Tornado Simulator kicked up a thick and slowly spinning funnel cloud over a model of a small town, overwhelming the miniature streets, buildings and homes.

Researchers have developed a simple laboratory model using a water tornado to simulate the dynamics of gas and dust in planet-forming discs. Experts have long tried to study the swirling clouds of gas ...

This photo shows the upper part of the water tornado model. The acrylic glas tank has a diameter of 50 centimetres and is illuminated with LED strips. The water forms a vortex whose surface shape ...