New Jersey – How & When did it Get It’s Name?
Jun17

New Jersey – How & When did it Get It’s Name?

New Jersey – What’s in a Name?

Read More
Why Do Onions Make us Cry When We Cut them ?
May27

Why Do Onions Make us Cry When We Cut them ?

Why Do Onions Make us Cry When We Cut them ? : In a Nutshell : Breaking open onion cells which releases enzymes which in turn react with other released substances to release a volatile gas – which when it reaches our eyes, it reacts with the water that is intended to keep our eyes moist.

Read More
Why Do Our Fingernails Grow Faster Than Our Toenails?
Mar11

Why Do Our Fingernails Grow Faster Than Our Toenails?

No, you’re not imagining it – your toenails really do grow much more slowly than your fingernails. In this article we look at some theories

Read More
The Way We Speak – Why we use Adjectives in a certain way
Feb18

The Way We Speak – Why we use Adjectives in a certain way

There is a rule we all seem to follow unconsciously to do with English adjective order. A blueprint discovered by writer Mark Forsyth.
[opinion – size – age – shape – colour – origin – material – purpose]

Read More
What’s the Origin of the Term OK ?
Feb11

What’s the Origin of the Term OK ?

“OK” – the all-purpose American expression that became an all-purpose English expression that became an all-purpose expression in dozens of other languages. It’s amazing that we ever got along without it at all. But we did. Until 1839.

Read More
Who Invented Spaghetti?
Jan28

Who Invented Spaghetti?

There seems to be a fair bit of controversy and some urban myth surrounding this particular question, which could also be asked as “Who invented Pasta ?” In this article we look at the origins of pasta and spaghetti.

Read More
How Old is Your Cat in Human Years ?
Jan21

How Old is Your Cat in Human Years ?

A question often asked by cat owners when trying to decide if their pet pussy is young, middle-aged or just plain ‘over the hill’. The calculation is fairly simple. Compared to dogs, which have greater variation based on size and breed, the method to calculate a cat’s age is pretty standard.

Read More
Why Do Humans Have Finger & Toenails?
Oct22

Why Do Humans Have Finger & Toenails?

A fingernail is produced by living skin cells in the finger. Fingernails and toenails are almost exclusively a feature of humans and primates. But why do we have them at all ?

Read More
How Did Different Human Skin Colours Come About ?
Feb26

How Did Different Human Skin Colours Come About ?

Skin colour is the result from the presence of a pigment called melanin, located in the epidermis, or outer skin layer, and produced by cells called melanocytes. But why would there be such a variety in Human Skin Colour ?

Read More
The History of Shrove Tuesday
Feb19

The History of Shrove Tuesday

Modern Britain is a very secular society but there are many traditions that people still partake in that have a very religious significance without people really realising. Take for example ‘Shrove Tuesday’ – what exactly is the “shroving” bit about and why the obsession with pancakes on that day ?

Read More
Why Are There 5,280 feet in a mile?
Jan01

Why Are There 5,280 feet in a mile?

There are 5,280 feet in a mile – a pretty ‘odd’ number – buy why ?

Read More
What is Horsepower?
Oct23

What is Horsepower?

In a Nutshell : Horsepower is a term that describes how much work an engine or other source does over a specific period of time.

Read More
How do Ants Communicate ?
Sep25

How do Ants Communicate ?

When ants discover a food source its not long after that their fellow colony members descend on that location to make the most of any tasty morsel that’s been discovered. Clearly there’s some form of communication going on between colony members – but how ?

Read More
Why are some solids like glass and perspex transparent?
Aug28

Why are some solids like glass and perspex transparent?

Anything that is transparent allows light rays to get through the thicket of atoms packed within it more or less unscathed. The reason light can make it through substances like glass is that their molecules only mop up light of wavelengths shorter than those of visible light.

Read More
Why Do We Cry?
Jun19

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.

Read More

Pin It on Pinterest