All Articles
The Day the Gateway to the East was Renamed : When Constantinople became Istanbul
On the 28th March 1930 – after 1,599 years, 10 months and 17 days – Constantinople, named after the Roman Emperor Constantine, became Istanbul.
How Do we See Colour?
The human eye and brain work together to perceive colour. Light is sensed on the retina at the back of the eye. The centre of the retina contains about 6-7 million cells called cones. Different ones are sensitive to red, green, and blue light.
Wordsmith – Test your Guernsey French
Guernsey French is theoretically the mother tongue of our island home, Guernsey. However it is dying out rapidly. So how many of these Guernsey French words do you know (or can guess)? Improve and test your Patois wordpower by matching each of the words below to one of the multiple possible definitions.
When Left Can be Right and Right Can be Wrong – Left & Right Handed Molecules
Our Universe is a remarkable place and not a little odd in some of the ways it works. For instance have you ever heard of left and right handed molecules ? Or been told that, chemically speaking, an orange is a ‘left-handed’ lemon!
Wacky-pedia : Weird Questions, that you never even asked, Answered – Can Psychologists Assess Your Personality From How you Dip Your Fries ?
In this article we present you with some wacky facts as well as answering some of the more weird questions – questions that you never even knew you should’ve asked!
Can Psychologists Assess Your Personality From How you Dip Your Fries ?
Why Do We Cry?
Why Do We Cry? In a Nutshell : Crying is beneficial to health and mental well-being. A good cry is great for body and mind.
We also look in this article at the very complex plumbing system and tear film layers that work hard to protect your eyes.
So How Long is Once in a Blue Moon ?
People have been using this phrase to imply “hardly ever” for at least 400 years. But in the last 150 years it has a new meaning that allows us to actually be more precise …
The (Unintended) Fastest Object ever launched by Man
If you were asked what you thought the fastest object ever launched by man was – what would you say? A hypersonic jet, a spacecraft ?
How Much is the Earth Affected by the Other Planets?
While the planets may not affect us in ways astrologers would have us believe, events on Earth are undoubtedly influenced by the gravitational pull of our celestial neighbours and the results are rather more important than liaisons with tall dark strangers. But what exactly are the effects?
Guernsey Quiz – How Well Do you know the Bailiwick ?
How would you rate your knowledge of our dear old Sarnia Cherie ? Are you a ‘Bailiwick Brainiac’ or a ‘Channel Island Chump’ when it comes to an appreciation of the history and culture of THE best Channel Island ?
Test your knowledge with 25 questions we’ve prepared to tempt & tease out those nuggets of information that we’re sure you will have squirrelled away somewhere in the recesses of your brain. And if not, and it’s all new to you, then, hey – “Every day is a school day” as they say 🙂
Mysteries of History : Camelot – Was it Real? Did it Exist?
HISTORY RECORDS ACTUAL EVENTS whereas myths spin tales that help explain a culture’s worldview. It’s where history and myth intersect that we find some of the most enduring legends. In this particular article we look at Camelot.
The Origin of The Union Jack
Is the Union Jack the coolest flag in the world? Well, it’s certainly one of the most recognisable. An instant design classic that is forever associated with Britain, the Queen and Empire. But how did it come about?
Management Folklore : The Peter Principle, Dilbert Principle & Parkinson’s Law
The Peter Principle, Dilbert Principle & Parkinson’s Law are all terms that you may have already heard of as tongue in cheek commentarys of the state of workplace management. But what are they really?
What are People Made of?
There are several ways we could measure what we are made of. We could classify ourselves as amounts of fat, bones, and muscle. Or maybe we could express ourselves by percentage of water (about 50-60% if you really want to know).
Why do we get goose bumps when we are cold?
Goose bumps are small bumps on a person’s skin at the base of body hairs. Tiny muscles at the base of each hair contract and pull the hair erect. The most common type of goose bumps is a response to cold.
