They have a word for that in Greek / Russian / Italien … (things you can’t say in English)
If you look at the statistics around the English language you’d think that we already have more than enough words in this ‘language of the World’. However as much as we like to think of English as the biggest and best of all the World languages, it turns out there’s just some things you can’t express in one word … but you can in other languages. Attaccahottoni (Italian); Schnorrer (Yiddish); Soutpiel (Afrikaans); Aware (Japanese)
Asimov’s Three Laws of Robotics
One of the most prolific, and best in my opinion, science fiction writers, Isaac Asimov, is synonymous for his future histories of the human race and their interactions with robots. Rather than fear them he seems to suggest we embrace them as members of our society. In the first of his ‘Robot Novels’ he even goes so far as to suggest 3 Laws that should be hard wired into these Artificial Intelligence automatons.
Hard Science : The Relative Hardness of Being
Here’s a rather random, but nevertheless interesting, science fact : Did you know that there’s a Scientific scale of hardness ? And when you see it you’ll find that its surprisingly simple – no equations, no calculus and no test tubes involved at all.
What is the Mozart Effect & How Much Can Babies Actually Hear Inside their Mother ?
There’s a popular belief that’s been around for a while that playing calssical music to a baby and even an unborn child will make them smarter. This is otherwise known as “The Mozart Effect”. So, this rather begs the question …. “Is there any truth in this?” and if so “How much can a baby actually hear inside their Mother’s womb?”
Were the Dinosaurs Cold-Blooded like all today’s Reptiles ?
The problem with dinosaurs is that they lived a very long time ago- between 250 million and 65 million years ago – and the vast majority of our knowledge of them is based on fossilized bones and skeletons, which are all that have survived the ravages of time. So can we tell if dinosaurs were warm or cold-blooded ?
How and When did the American Accent evolve?
How and When did the American Accent evolve? : The answer to this question is somewhat surprising … It’s not so much that their accent evolved as that ours did.
What did Middle English (the language of Chaucer) Sound Like ?
English, with all its vagaries and annoying inconsistencies, remains the single most important and influential language in today’s world. English language has been subsequently divded into about 5 distinct periods. Middle English, the language of Chaucer, is one of the most notable. But what did it sound like ?
Speak Like a Guern – Phrases only a Guern will understand
Every community will have its own ‘in-phrases’ and terms and Guernsey is no exception. In this article we introduce you to some modern day ‘Guern Speak’, terms that only a true Guern will understand.
How Do Quartz Watches Work ?
Quartz watches – we all know of them, use them , rely on them – but have you ever stopped to wonder how they work ? How a mineral like quartz can possibly be used to keep acurate time? Well wonder no more, in this article we hope to lay bare some the secrets and mysteries of the little marvel on your wrist, the quartz watch.
Are you an April Fool or April Wizard : Can You Spot the Fake from the Real ?
A lot of what we think we “know” to be true can sometimes turn out to be no more than clever fiction. In this article we’ve got a list of literary facts (or not) as the case may be. But can you tell the truth from the fiction ?
Why do we shake hands as a greeting?
The reason we shake hands has nothing to do with warmth or kindness and everything to do with mistrust. Just as we clink glasses so that if our companion has poisoned our drink he’ll get to drink some of his own poison (by virtue of contents slopping between glasses), we shake hands to check for concealed weapons.
How did the First Telephone System Work : Diaphragms, Bells & Switches
This is one of those seminal inventions that can only work and ‘take off’ as a practical reality if you get a critical mass of people to take up the technology. In this article we look at some of the seemingly small, but vastly important, things that needed to happen in order for, what we take for granted today – the modern telephone system, to actually become a reality.
Supernatural Guernsey
Guernsey folklore possess a rich set of superstitious tales, involving a variety of different supernatural beings, some helpful to the Guernsey folk, some not. In this article we look as a few of these “characters” that our ancestors were sure inhabited and stalked across the island.
20 Old English Words to Revive : From Apricity to Jargogle to Widdendream
As language evolves, new words are born and others die out. In this article we look at some delightful English words that time has forgotten.
Why Does Your Whole Body Ache When You Get a Cold or Flu?
Most of us will be familiar with the aches that seem to accompany the bouts of flu we sometimes contract, especially during the change of seasons. But why does our whole body ache, including bits that really shouldn’t like teeth & hair ?
