All Articles
Time to Take Out the Space Junk
According to NASA, America’s space agency, the skies high above the Earth are cluttered up with around 23,000 pieces of man-made space junk measuring 10cm or more across, zipping along at great speed and posing a threat to working satellites.
English Words that Used To Have Vastly Different Meanings To What We Understand Today
How would you rate your vocabulary ? Average; Better than Average ; Exceptional ?
It may not matter how good you think your command of English is because in this article we reveal some surprising revelations about some of the words, you may have thought you had a thorough understanding of, had, in point of fact, some VERY different meanings in the past.
Guernsey’s Pagan Icon – La Gran Mere du Chimquiere
At the entrance to the St Martin’s Church yard there is a rather curious pagan symbol that has no real business being there, right next to a Christian Church. It’s a standing stone carved into the shape of a female figure known as La Gran’mere du Chimquiere (Grandmother of the cemetery). What is more there’s a second such stone outside the Castel Church. So where did they come from and why are they outside 2 island churches ?
How Does Bitcoin Work?
Bitcoin, the world’s “first decentralised digital currency”, was launched in 2009 by a mysterious person known only by the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto, and whose true identity to this day is still unknown. But … What exactly is Bitcoin, and how does it work?
Guernsey and Her Island Fiefs
One of the most enduring effects of Guernsey’s association with Normandy is the system of fiefs in the island. The island’s link with the Crown is feudal, as the Queen is still Duchess of Normandy. In this article we look at how Guernsey’s fiefs came about and how they worked.
Why Can’t We Eat Grass ?
Grass stems and similar green leafy bits of plants make up the major part of the diet of many common animals, including cows, sheep, kangaroos and horses. If they can eat it, so why can’t we?
How Online Advertisers Read Your Mind
There’s something deeply unnerving about how on line retailers, like Amazon for example, seem to know just what many of your interests might be and mange to suggest tempting offers. They seem to have a sort of 6th sense of what some of your eclectic interests might be. So how is it done ?
The First Telephones in the Bailiwick of Guernsey
The telephone was invented in 1876 by Alexander Graham Bell, and a limited telephone network was in operation in London as early as 1879. Before long, this had spread to other areas of Britain, and it was only a matter of time before Guernsey showed an interest.
How Do We Acquire our Own Unique Taste for Foods & Why do they Change Over Time ?
Did you know that your sense of smell and taste are connected? Also, as you get older, these senses can change ?
Can We Tell What the Lifespan of a Dinosaur was ?
The problem with dinosaurs is that they lived a very long time ago- between 250 million and 65 million years ago – But is possible to tell what the lifespan of a Dinosaur might have been ?
Some Guernsey Place Names & Their Meanings
Place-names are not just arbitrary sounds or quaint words. They had meaning to our remote ancestors who derived them for a reason. They give us insight into their world . In this article we look at just a few of some of Guernsey’s place names and their meanings.
A Brief History of St Patrick’s Day
The 17th March, St Patrick’s Day, is celebrated, certainly in the in the US, with a seemingly endless cornucopia of party like events, they even dye the Chicago River is green the Saturday before each St. Patrick’s Day. But what is the story behind the Saint and his relationship to Ireland where he is the official patron saint?
Why Eating Chocolate (can be) good for you
There is little doubt about the deliciousness of chocolate. But its health benefits are less clear. Chocolate has been implicated in causing a litany of problems, including acne and obesity. In large enough quantities it even has the potential to poison people. HOWEVER in recent years studies have found that eating small amounts of the right kind of chocolate can actually be healthy. Why? The short answer lies in the chemistry of...
Guernsey’s Buried Artillery – Guns in Victoria Gardens
Standing opposite each other in Victoria Gardens opposite the Town Fire Station, like sentinels from another age, you’ll find two heavy calibre artillery pieces – trophies of a previous war. They’re not British or even French but German and date back not to the dark days of Occupation but to the First World War. How they came to be here and their survival through another world war, and subsequent re-discovery, is even more fascinating.
