More than Just a Funny Word – The Meaning behind and Origin of Abracadabra
You might be tempted to think that the word ‘Abracadabra’, beloved of magicians and children’s party entertainers, is just a silly made up word – but you’d be wrong. It’s a very real and very ancient word with some sinister connotations.
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 ?
Strange but True : Medical Scanners from Old Battleships
The idea that all war is forever over and that swords will be put to a more peaceful use is appealing, but seemingly ever beyond our grasp. The literal forging of weapons into a better purpose seems far fetched, so it will surprise you to know that today we literally are doing this! Medical Scanners are being made from old WW2 and pre-WW2 Battleships. But why ?
Are Copper or Magnetic Bracelets Effective Against Disorders like Arthritis?
This is one of those perennial questions : Are Copper or Magnetic Bracelets Effective Against Disorders like Arthritis?
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 ?
Bio Sonar Bacteria and Tackling Antibiotic-Resistant Bugs
Bats are well known for employing sonar to find their way as they fly in the depths of darkened caves. What you may not know is that this highly evolved location finding mechanism, also called Echolocation or sometimes ‘bio sonar’, is actually used by several kinds of animals
Why Does Alcohol Make You Drunk?
Alcohol has been used by humans for medicinal and recreational purposes for thousands of years (see the sidebar ‘When Was Beer First Brewed’), but scientists still aren’t entirely sure how it makes us tipsy
How does soap work?
A bar of soap is a chemical miracle – a little scented block that unleashes molecular forces when dunked in water. In this article we look how this little miracle actually works.
Great British Inventions
The British have always been an innovative and inventive nation. Just how inventive may surprise you. In this article we look at just four of the inventions that Britons have made without which, life today would be very different indeed : The Telephone; The Steam Engine; The Catseye and The Hypodermic Syringe
Great British Inventions
The British have always been an innovative and inventive nation. Just how inventive may surprise you. In this article we look at just four of the inventions that Britons have made without which, life today would be very different indeed : The Marine Chronometer; Hip replacements; The Electric Motor and Waterproof Materials
Are We Still Evolving ?
Have our technological, biological and medical advancements to date put us out of reach of evolutions effects, or at least reduced their impact ? In this article we consider just a few of some of the ideas floating around at the moment.
Pontifications – answers to the fluff of everyday life
Answers to some of the amusing questions and fluff we muse on from time to time like : Why are typewriter keys layed out as they are ? ; How exactly does asprin find a headache ? ; Why is the Earth’s core still hot ?
Penicillin – Wonderstuff
The story of the miracle drug that we tend to take for granted today … Penicillan.
