The reason that ants can lift so much is due to a concept of physics known as scaling. In fact the muscles of ants are no stronger than human muscles, but it is their small size that provides their advantage. Ants can lift so much because of the ratio between their body size and body mass; their small size means they do not have a large body mass and the proportion of their mass that is muscle is very high.
As a result they are able to lift weights that are many times larger than their own body weight. In comparison elephants have massive size and the proportion of their mass that is muscle is quite low; although they are able to lift incredible weights they are unable to lift or carry their own body weight. Humans have utilised the laws of physics to our advantage and we use levers and hydraulics to enable us to lift as capably as ants.

In total darkness an owl has no better ability to see than any of us. However, 100 million years of evolution allows this group of birds to squeeze enough light out of their nocturnal world to enable them to hunt, which they do as effectively as any other predator. Owls’ reputation for being able to see well at night is richly deserved.
Owls’ eyes are packed tightly with light receptors (known as rods). This allows owls the power of vision in extremely dimly lit locations. Owls that are the most nocturnal, such as the widespread tawny owl, have the highest number of rods in their retinas. Owls can also see well in daylight because their irises can close tightly, allowing only a tiny amount of light to pass.
Like us, owls have forward-facing eyes, giving them exceptional binocular vision. This permits them to focus on a smaller area – a little like focusing the beam of a torch – but it also allows them to judge distances well: a vital trait if you have to pluck prey from the woodland floor in moonlight.
Highly developed eyes give these birds the edge in most situations, but there are times when even an owl is blind. Then, like a fi ghter pilot, owls switch to other systems to locate their targets. Slightly nonsymmetrically placed ears allow owls to find prey by listening when sight alone is not quite enough. Tests have shown that owls can successfully pounce on a mouse that is under inches of snow or in complete darkness.
From the Arctic wastes to the searing deserts there are few places on earth that doesn’t have at least one of these impressive night-shift hunters. However, many owls are threatened, proving that a history 30 times longer than man is not enough to combat the threats these birds now face.

On board an aircraft carrier

Our article on how to take off and land on an aircraft carrier back in issue 5 was so popular we’ve gone a step further to bring you an insight to life on board the magnificent Nimitz Class carrier USS Abraham Lincoln. Discover what happens on this floating island – from the nuclear power at its heart to the aircraft stowed in the hangars and on the flightdeck.

Titan – the wonder of Saturn’s largest moon revealed

We take a look at the fascinating Titan and learn about the unusual activity that takes place on and below the surface of this, the most Earth-like of all the bodies in our solar system. A real eye-opener, this article explains the mystical methane rain that falls slowly through Titan’s dense atmosphere.

iPhone 4

Our cover feature comes complete with all you need to know about Apple’s latest smartphone. Read on to discover just what this anticipated update is capable of and follow our step-by-step guide to making your first FaceTime video call. We explain iOS4, the three-axis gyroscope and the A4 chip plus much more. And of course, all the gory insides are dissected for your viewing pleasure.

Cleaning up an oil spill

The headline-dominating disaster in the Gulf of Mexico has captured the attention of the world, and the grave situation has affected both the environment and the economy. Discover what is being done to seal the leak and clean up the mess in this feature that explores the techniques for ridding the world’s oceans of slicked oil.

Megastructures

Your jaw will drop when you consider the mammoth feats of engineering behind Earth’s biggest man-made structures. Learn how the longest bridge in the world was constructed, find out how the longest ever road tunnel beat the world record by seven kilometers, discover the pendulum swinging at the heart of the famous Taipai 101 skyscraper, plus loads more unbelievable megastructure facts.

King of the swingers

This bumper guide to our closest relatives reveals the lives and anatomy of the highly specialised and highly intelligent primates. See what happens when a group of chimps gives chase, learn about their amazing gripping hands and prehensile tails, and find out what is putting these incredible creatures at risk.

PLUS: today’s cutting-edge car technology, hangovers, baggage handling, adrenaline, in-flight refuelling, air bags, Facebook’s new privacy settings, blood vessels, the T-34 tank, mammoths, ion engines, dry cleaning, the Mars 500 mission, the Mavizen TTX02 electric superbike, air conditioning, IMAX cinemas, power drills, tree rings, starfish anatomy, the history of duelling, amphibian skin, beehives, Leyden jars, heatwaves, and much more besides.

Look out for How It Works issue 10 when it hits the shops 15 July – earlier if you’re a subscriber. And don’t forget, if you can’t get to the shops, you can also download the awesome PixelMag on your shiny new iPad, or your old iPhone or iPod touch. Just visit the Apple App Store and search for How It Works, then download any issue for just £1.79. Check it out today!

St Elmo’s fire can be described as a more or less continuous, luminous electrical discharge in the atmosphere, which emanates from elevated objects above the Earth’s surface. These objects can include lightning conductors, wind vanes, or on the wings, tips or propellers
of aircraft in flight. This electrical charge can also occur on an aircraft where a static charge has been produced by the frictional impact of ice, snow, rain, dust or sand. The phenomenon is usually of a bluish colour and has been seen as white or violet. When St Elmo’s fire is present, it can be accompanied by a crackling sound which occurs when the electrical field close to the object becomes very strong. St Elmo’s fire can also been termed ‘corposant’, which means ‘holy body’. There are several other types of electrical phenomenon including sprites and elves.

The world’s largest hard-shelled turtle has been announced by the US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to be under threat from the continued oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico. The Loggerhead turtle, whose nests litter the surrounding area of the spill, will have to be gathered and relocated in order to prevent a generational wipe-out. Critically, however, time is of the essence for the rescue team as the nests will have to be collected quickly – at the point in the incubation cycle where potential egg loss is least probable – in order for the program to have much impact. Captured nests are to be transfered to a climate-controlled location on the east central coast of Florida, before hatched turtles being released onto the surrounding beaches.

Ants, like all insects, don’t have lungs, breathing through tiny holes in their sides – spiracles – one pair per segment. These lead into a network of tiny tubes – tracheae – permeating their entire body, getting narrower and narrower, supplying air (and hence oxygen), right to the tissues that use it, rather than using blood to transport it like us. Though they can open and close their spiracles, they have little ability to pump air in and out, which happens just through general movement. It’s this inability that stops insects getting as big as us, with our ultra-efficient lungs and blood.

Don’t miss issue 9, which is packed full of articles to really feed your brain. Kicking off is an exhilarating four-pager on roller coasters and the science of thrills, and if you’re trying to decide between iPhone and Android, we’ve put them head to head in a useful buyer’s guide centred on how they work. Another close-to-home feature looks at superfast broadband and how new technology is capable of providing faster, more efficient internet services. An excellent feature on the nervous system reveals what keeps our bodies functioning and communicating properly, but if that doesn’t get your synapses firing we have another biology article that explains what heart bypass surgery entails. A mighty four-page article explaining the nature of explosives will keep you hooked while a hot and steamy spread on geysers will enlighten you on these spectacular geological features. Never get caught short during an avalanche as we explain what they are and how to survive them. If you want to learn how the most deadly chopper in the world works, check out our teardown of the Apache Longbow. Meanwhile, for information on the engineers attempting to break the land speed record take a look at our article on the race to 1,000mph. In space, we have a complete guide to Mercury, a look inside Jupiter’s moon Io, details about the Cassini-Huygens mission and how that’s working, plus a huge feature exploring our search for new Earth-like planets in the galaxy. Discover how the Greeks took to the seas and did battle in huge warships called Triremes, find out why the Tower of Pisa leans and how the west was won in our Wild West weapons article as well as a look at how the Battle of Britain was fought.

We also answer questions such as why can crocodiles snap their mouths so powerfully but not open them with the same force, how does bulletproof glass work, how do placebos work, what are allergies, how do hummingbirds beat their wings up to 80 times a second, how is it possible to rain frogs, how do volcanoes work, what is a Wankel engine, and what are solar flares?

So don’t miss out, get your copy of How It Works issue 9, available in all good newsagents and supermarkets. And if you want to enjoy the magazine on your iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch, simply visit the Apple App Store and search for How It Works, then download it for just £1.79. Check it out today!

Superfast broadband

So, we all rely on broadband for our insatiable internet habits, and as with many things in life, we’re also demanding a faster, more efficient service. In this month’s cover feature you’ll learn how broadband speeds are being maximised. You can also find out what superfast broadband can be used for, and with the help of some very snazzy infographics discover the cities currently enjoying the fastest services around the world.

Human nervous system

Another electrifying human science article this issue comes in the form of a complete guide to the human nervous system. The feature reveals the nature of our bodies’ built-in autopilot functions, as well as the anatomy of a nerve and the reason behind why our arm tingles if we knock our funny bone.

Volcanic eruptions

Thousands of air passengers around the world were left stranded or unable to travel due to the ash from an Icelandic volcano. Discover the amazing geography of these sleeping geological giants in our massive volcanoes feature.

The world’s deadliest chopper

Take a look inside the AH-64D Apache Longbow, the next generation of multi-mission attack helicopter that’s changing the face of modern warfare. We dissect the vehicle and explain its components in true How It Works style.

The race to 1,000mph

Three teams of world-class engineers from different corners of the globe – Great Britain, the United States and Australia – are all trying to smash the 1,000mph barrier and break the land speed record with their superfast rocket cars. We get under the hood of each vehicle and discover exactly how they will achieve their high-speed dreams.

Searching for new Earths

Focusing far beyond the solar system, this space special takes a look at how we’re searching for Earth-like planets capable of supporting human life. Discover the incredible techniques space agencies are employing to find extrasolar bodies, as well as info on where we’re focusing our search, not to mention the exciting results of recent missions.

There’s oodles more great stuff to discover this issue, including how the Battle of Britain was fought, why hummingbirds can beat their wings so quickly, the causes allergies, how a heart bypass could save your life, what a spark plug does exactly, an explanation of solar flares, why the Tower of Pisa leans, the difference between fog, mist and haze, what’s inside a worm, the reason crocodiles can snap their jaws shut with great power but can’t open them with the same force, causes of avalanches, a complete guide to the planet Mercury, inside a Greek warship and so much more great stuff that we simply can’t be bothered to list.

Look out for How It Works issue 9 when it hits the shops this Thursday, 17 June – earlier if you’re a subscriber. And don’t forget, if you can’t get to the shops, you can also download the awesome PixelMag on your shiny new iPad, or your old iPhone or iPod Touch. Just visit the Apple App Store and search for How It Works, then download any issue for just £1.79. Check it out today!

If you have ever watched a flea jump, you may be startled to see that they can jump astonishingly high (and far) compared to their size. This is down to a combination of strong leg muscles and pads of a rubber-like protein called resilin which is located above the hind legs of the flea.
When the flea prepares to jump, it crouches which squeezes the resilin. This resilin is able to store energy and release it suddenly in one go, a bit like a spring. This launches the flea as it from a catapult allowing the flea to jump up to around 35 centimetres in length and 20 centimetres in height.