Everyone has an Adam's apple, but men's are usually easier to see. It's a bump on the neck that moves when you swallow, named after the biblical Adam. Supposedly, it's a chunk of the Garden of Eden's forbidden fruit stuck in his descendants' throats, but actually a bump on the biggest piece of cartilage – thyroid cartilage – surrounding the voice box (larynx). The thyroid cartilage is shield-shaped and the Adam's apple is the bit at the front. Why do men's stick out more? Partly because they ...

Veins are blood vessels that carry blood back to the heart. Deep veins are those found deep inside the body as opposed to veins closer to the surface (superficial veins). If a blood clot (thrombosis) forms in one of your deep veins, normally in your leg, this condition is called deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Clots can cause swelling and pain and may lead to complications such as a pulmonary embolism (i.e. the initial blood clot gets transorted and deposisted in the arteries supplying the lungs causing a ...

Another fine edition of the best science monthly on the market hits newsstands today – get it now! From the performance-enhancing technology of the World Cup to the most unashamed luxury available on the planet's most expensive mega yachts, this issue will keep you distracted long after you were supposed to get back to work. But don't feel guilty; read on and feed your brain with fascinating facts on the wonder of twins, exploring below the surface of the oceans, creating the real Iron Man and the technologies capable of augmenting ...

Issue 8 is another splendid feast for the mind, so read on to discover the highlights of this month's edition of your favourite science and technology magazine. First up is this month's rather swanky cover feature: Mega Yachts. You won't believe the high technology and advanced design of these masters of the seas. In this four-page extravaganza we look at the biggest and best the yachting industry has to offer, and we even knocked up a little brainstorm of what our ...

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a poisonous, colourless, odourless and tasteless gas, which is formed when there is not enough oxygen present when carbon-based fuels such as wood and oil are burnt (ie incomplete combustion). Exposure to carbon monoxide can cause symptoms that include headaches, nausea and even death. Carbon monoxide poisoning is mainly caused by your body’s cells being deprived of oxygen, which is used to release energy from your food via aerobic respiration. Oxygen is usually carried through the circulatory system by haemoglobin found within red ...

The Galileo thermometer consists of a vertical glass tube, typically filled with water, and sealed glass bubbles containing coloured water or alcohol. Each bubble is also attached to a specific mass (labelled with the temperature it represents) to calibrate its density (the amount of mass in a given volume). The temperature can be read by interpreting the distribution of these bubbles. The principle of buoyancy states that if an object is less dense than a liquid, it floats; and if the object is denser than the liquid, ...

These long white clouds you are referring to are called condensation trails or contrails. Jet fuel is made of carbon and hydrogen which burns in the presence of oxygen. In this reaction some of the carbon joins with the oxygen to make CO2 (carbon dioxide) and some of the hydrogen joins with the oxygen to make H2O (water). The water which comes out of the engine is invisible water vapour but as soon as it is exposed to the colder temperatures of the upper atmosphere, it condenses ...

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 ...

Amps, watts, volts and ohms are units of measurement in a similar way that the metre is a unit for distance. The ampere (often shortened to amp) is the unit of electric current. The symbol for amps is A. Current is a measurement of how much charge is moving through a particular point in a unit of time. One amp is the current generated when 6.242 x 1018 electrons pass a particular point per second. That’s 6,242 followed by 15 zeros – a lot of electrons! Watts are ...

The Gadget Show's Jason Bradbury has found a new way to enjoy How It Works – find out what he had to say about our new PixelMag… Jason Bradbury: "The wait for the digital publishing revolution is finally over and the PixelMags version of How It Works is on the frontline. With my iPad and the How It Works magazine app, I have content-rich geek journalism at my fingertips." If, like Jason, you also want to enjoy How It Works ...