How It Works hits the shops today so don't delay – get yours now. The latest edition of How It Works is not to be missed. We really don't know where to start as there's so much crammed in this month. As well as our exclusive interview with Professor Brian Cox, we also have hundreds of fine facts to feast on. Here are the highlights: inside the iPad, emergency vehicles, petrol pumps, hydrogen-powered cars, dolphins, quicksand, coral reefs, optical illusions, space-exploring robots, human muscles, smoke alarms, Neptune, Spitzer Space Telescope, dialysis ...

Switching on a fan and feeling a nice breeze can feel very refreshing on a hot day, but what is going on? Is the fan taking some of the heat energy away? In a small, perfectly insulated room, switching on a fan can increase the temperature in the room as fans usually have a motor which gives out heat. The reason why fans make you feel cool is due to something called the wind-chill effect. Blowing air over your skin causes quicker evaporation of sweat which allows ...

Witness the awesome power of the volcano whose resulting ash cloud is responsible for the widespread disruption of flights in and out of the UK The Eyjafjallajökull volcano in Iceland has been experiencing violent eruptions for over a month now with no signs of stopping – and in fact there's even the possibility that a bigger neighbouring volcano could be set off. This amazing video reveals the beautiful yet ...

The lowering of temperature as you reach higher altitudes is due to the change in atmospheric pressure. You may be aware that the air around us is constantly exerting pressure on us due to there being lots of air above us weighing down on us. It sounds a bit strange to say that air weighs something but it does, we just don’t feel it because it is what we’re used to, just like gravity is constantly pulling us down. There is a direct relationship between temperature and ...

So who's up for an early-bird preview of the latest issue of How It Works, which doesn't officially go on sale till 22 April? Issue 7 is crammed with more science-, technology-, history-, transport-, space- and environment-based wonder than ever before. We thought we'd start off by taking a look at emergency service vehicles. In the event of a disaster, the emergency services are always on hand to sort things out. From cop cars with high-tech ...

Planes in the UK have been grounded due to a massive cloud of volcanic ash drifting across the North Atlantic – but why take such drastic measures? The cloud currently drifting at altitudes of up to 11km over the UK consists of extremely fine rock, mineral and volcanic glass particles. The cloud formed because molten rock contains dissolved gases that expand and escape from the volcano in a violent explosion that shatters the solid rock into minuscule bits of dust. The finest particles ascend high into the Earth's atmosphere where they ...

We can calculate how far something travelled if we know its speed and the time it has been travelling using this equation: Distance = Speed x Time. The speed of light is very fast, at roughly 300,000,000 metres per second, so we see lightning almost instantaneously. In comparison, sound travels through air at around 330–350 metres per second, depending on temperature and humidity. You can work out how far away the lightning struck by measuring the time between seeing the lightning and hearing the thunder, ...

Well, it's that time again when we give you a sneaky peek at the next issue of your favourite science and technology-fest – How It Works magazine. This issue doesn't hit the shelves until Thursday 25 March so until now only subscribers (who receive their copies well in advance of the on-sale date) and we, the magazine's tireless creators, know what lies in store in issue 6… But today we're ready to share. As well as all the regular brain-based joy we bring you month after month, this issue we're packing ...

A team of 41 international experts have confirmed that they strongly endorse the theory that the dinosaurs were made extinct largely due to a 15km wide asteroid crashing into Earth. The panel reviewed over 20 years of research to determine their conclusion and writing in the Science Journal, the team rule out many other alternative theories such as mass-volcanism. The asteroid in question is believed to have hit Earth on the northwestern edge of the Yucatan Penisula, centering around Chicxulub, Mexico. The huge crater that the impact caused ...

Your early sample of the next jam-packed issue of How It Works is here From an interview with the inimitable Johnny Ball to a fascinating introduction to your immune system, issue five is jam-packed with knowledge for you to soak up. And to kick off the issue and the Formula One season, we have put together a bumper feature dedicated to all things F1. From the cars to the drivers and from the pit lane to the circuits, this feature offers everything ...