The Worlds Longest Running Battery
In a physics lab at the University of Oxford there is a battery that has been powering a metal ball ringing two bells for a staggering 175 years and nobody knows why.
Were the Moon Landings Fake ? – Debunking The Conspiracy Theories
To have to be forced to even think about debunking this question is something of a sad indictment of our current zeitgeist. That said, the Moon Landing conspiracy, is one of those theories that seems to persist – so we’ll give it our best shot to explain the most pertinent objections that are often quoted as ‘proof’ that it was all fake, and nothing more than an attempt to humiliate the Russians and hoodwink the world in the cause of American glory.
Origins of Some English Eponyms : Titch, Platonic, Maudlin, Machiavellian
Eponyms are one of the most fascinating examples of how the English language gains new words. In this article we take a colourful look at the phenomenon that is the eponym gathering together the stories of the people behind the words that have passed into our everyday vocabulary : Titch; Platonic; Maudlin and Machiavellian.
How Can Flies Fly at Speed into a Pane of Glass and Seemingly Remain Uninjured ?
How Can Flies Fly at Speed into a Pane of Glass and Seemingly Remain Uninjured ?
The answer lies in a basic physics equation – one we would all have learned at school – and in the fact that the anatomy of a fly is rather springy.
5 Words Introduced to the English Language by Rudyard Kipling
Shakespeare is often credited as a the most prolific contributor of many of the words we use today in the English language. However he’s not the only venerable writer to do so. Rudyard Kipling, author of The Jungle Book, was also a highly prolific contributor, coining and popularising many words and phrases still in use in modern English.
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.
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...
Bonus Question : Is Hell Exothermic or Endothermic?
We at guernseydonkey.com are always keen to promulgate that ever exapanding ‘body of knowledge’ we like to call “intenet fluff”. Accordingly we recycle here for your delectation a story that seems to have begun its life way back in 1997 when the internet was still young. Multiple examples now exist and its opening often varies – who the setter supposedly was and at what institution – but the core of the piece is always the same. Enjoy! 🙂
How do the Stripes get into Striped Toothpaste?
We may just be mobile bags of chemicals but what separates us from other things like rocks, water & viruses are questions like “How do the Stripes get into Striped Toothpaste?”
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.
The Holly(wood) and the Ivy : Christmas Quiz Game
How well do you know your classic Christmas movies? Can you name the festive films from the image in this article?
A (brief) History of Christmas – Part 2
A history of Christmas might sound like a fairly simple undertaking. From nativity, to church, to family, to commerce – a story of high beginnings, a cosy, warm middle and the chill of cold hard cash and commercialism at the end. However its not quote that simple – the type of Christmas we celebrate today has a very winding tale indeed.
A (brief) History of Christmas – Part 1
A history of Christmas might sound like a fairly simple undertaking. From nativity, to church, to family, to commerce – a story of high beginnings, a cosy, warm middle and the chill of cold hard cash and commercialism at the end. However its not quote that simple – the type of Christmas we celebrate today has a very winding tale indeed.
Origins of Some English Eponyms : Farenheit, Colossal, Macabre, Dolby
Eponyms are one of the most fascinating examples of how the English language gains new words. In this article we take a colourful look at the phenomenon that is the eponym gathering together the stories of the people behind the words that have passed into our everyday vocabulary : Farenheit, Colossal, Macabre, Dolby
Is There Any Truth in the Old Weather saying of “Red Sky at Night Shepherds Delight” ?
Red Sky at Night – Shepherd’s delight. Red Sky in the morning – Sailor’s Warning” – This is one of those venerable bits of meteorological lore and weather experts confirms it to be around 70% reliable. But Why ?
