Are any plastics biodegradable? Some are, but most aren’t. It depends on what they are made from and how they are made. Most natural materials biodegrade once they are dead. Inside the cells of the dead material are polymers, which are chains of small molecules strung together. Bacteria and other organisms break down the cell […]
#836 Are any plastics biodegradable? Read More »
What is peat? Peat is a layer of partly decomposed organic matter on the surface of a soil. It has a high water content and a low oxygen content. Accumulations of peat are called peatlands and they are found in 180 countries worldwide, in different quantities. The highest concentrations are in northern Europe, northern
#835 What is peat? Read More »
What is your risk of dying every year? It depends on your gender, age, race, where you live, and so many other factors, but it is possible to make a rough estimate of your chances of dying at every age. A person’s statistical risk of dying at every age is useful knowledge for governments, the
#834 What is your risk of dying every year? Read More »
When we think about important figures in the history of aviation, Orville and Wilbur Wright obviously spring to mind. However, they probably wouldn’t have been able to fly without the work of Otto Lilienthal, a German aviator, who was known as the flying man. Lilienthal wasn’t the first person to build heavier than air flying
#833 Otto Lilienthal – the first successful aviator Read More »
Why are tennis scores so peculiar? Nobody seems to know the answer, although there are several theories. Tennis has a very illogical scoring system. Both players start on zero, which is called love. From there, the points go to 15, then 30, then 40. If a player on 40 scores one more point, they win
#832 Why are tennis scores so peculiar? Read More »
What is the difference between bees and wasps? There are many differences. Some of them are what they eat, where they live, how they sting, and how hairy they are. There are many more differences. This is not an easy question because there isn’t just one type of bee and one type of wasp. There
#831 What is the difference between bees and wasps? Read More »
Why do we have ears on the sides of our head? Because of the position of our brains and our spines, because it puts the most possible distance between each ear, because we rely on sight more than sound, and because we are not prey animals and we don’t hunt by stealth. Our ears are
#830 Why do we have ears on the sides of our head? Read More »
What game has the best odds in a casino? Blackjack has a 49% chance of winning, which is the best odds you will find in a casino. There are a lot of casinos in the world, although they are illegal in some countries, such as China. China gets around the law by allowing them on
#829 What game has the best odds in a casino? Read More »
How does the dome of St. Paul’s Cathedral support itself? The dome of St Paul’s Cathedral in London looks like one massive dome, but it is actually two domes with a cone of bricks between them to give it strength and structural support. St Paul’s Cathedral is one of the main landmarks in London. It
#828 How does the dome of St Paul’s Cathedral support itself? Read More »
Why is looking at the sun dangerous? Because the UV light can burn a hole in the retinal tissue. If you look at the sun for even a few seconds, you can badly damage your eyes, something called solar retinopathy. It is also called eclipse retinopathy because it is very common during solar eclipses. People
#827 Why is looking at the sun dangerous? Read More »
