Why is a sandwich called a sandwich? It is named after John Montagu, the 4th Earl of Sandwich, but he isn’t the person who invented it. There is no way to work out when sandwiches were invented because people presumably ate them once there was bread. A sandwich merely consists of a filling between two […]
#1116 Why is a sandwich called a sandwich? Read More »
Why do some fish create their own light? Some fish create their own light to attract prey or, surprisingly, to hide from predators, and many other reasons as well. Being able to create light is called bioluminescence and it is not limited to just fish. The most common organism that creates light on land is
#1115 Why do some fish create their own light? Read More »
What is leukemia? Leukemia is a type of cancer that begins in the bone marrow. It is a group of different cancers, rather than one type of cancer. “Leukemia” comes from the Greek words “leukos”, which means white, and “haima”, which means blood. It is named in Greek, but the Greek’s didn’t know what it
#1114 What is leukemia? Read More »
Do larger animals have a faster metabolism? No, bigger animals don’t have a faster metabolism. It tends to be the exact opposite. Let’s look at what metabolism is. The metabolism of an organism refers to all of the chemical processes that go on within the cells to keep that organism alive. There are three main
#1113 Do larger animals have a faster metabolism? Read More »
Do guilt and shame have a purpose? Shame and guilt serve to make people function more as a group and to follow the agreed social norms. Many of us spend a large portion of our lives weighed down with shame and guilt and we often wish that they were two emotions we didn’t need to
#1112 Do guilt and shame have a purpose? Read More »
What is a thorium reactor? A thorium reactor is a nuclear reactor that is powered with thorium and not uranium. Let’s look at how a current nuclear reactor works and then look at how a thorium reactor would work. Nuclear reactors work on the principle of nuclear fission. This is where an atom of a
#1111 What is a thorium reactor? Read More »
Why are the White Cliffs of Dover white? The White Cliffs of Dover are white because they are made of white chalk, which is a type of limestone. The White Cliffs of Dover are a very famous symbol of the UK. During the Second World War they were often sung about because when pilots crossed
#1110 Why are the White Cliffs of Dover white? Read More »
How do weight loss drugs work? There are different kinds of weight loss drugs, but the most common ones work by suppressing appetite and slowing down how fast the stomach is emptied. A large percentage of people in developed countries are becoming seriously obese. There are many reasons for this. The prevalence of ultra-processed food
#1109 How do weight loss drugs work? Read More »
How does a CT scan work? A CT scan uses x-rays and computer software to produce a 2D or a 3D image of the section of the body being scanned. CT stands for Computed Tomography. “Computed” means calculated, or worked out. “Tomography” is “imaging by sections using any kind of penetrating wave”. Tomography is made
#1108 How does a CT scan work? Read More »
When did we start using taxis? The first taxi service was started in London, UK in 1605. Just as with buses, it took several changes in society before a taxi service became necessary or possible. Before we look at that, though, let’s look at the origin of the word “taxi”. Taxi is a shortened form
#1107 When did we start using taxis? Read More »
