What is an atom?
The structure of these microscopic building blocks drives the chemistry of the universe (Image source: Getty Images) Atoms are the building blocks of everything around you, from the cells in your body to the...
How It Works Feed your mind with fascinating facts about the world around you
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Tractor evolution
How has farming progressed from horse-pulled carts to the tractors of today? (Image source: Pixabay) Tractors have been around since the 1800s, when John Froelich incorporated the first stable petrol-powered traction motor. For most...
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What causes fire rainbows?
(Image credit: Guillaume Piolle) Question from Isla Jenkins Fire rainbows are so called because the wispy clouds look like bright flames licking the sky. Officially known as circumhorizontal arcs, they only occur in very specific conditions,...
How technology uncovers the history of the world’s artwork
Meet the art detectives Image credit: Getty Images 1. The Element Analyst A key detective technique, especially when dealing with paint, is to look at chemical composition. To maintain or restore the original appearance...
How are planets made?
Discover how the dust and gas swirling around a newly formed star coalesces into a planetary system Planet formation is a spinoff – literally – of star formation. Stars are born in interstellar space,...
5 of the most amazing rock formations on Earth
1. Devils Tower Image source: Pixabay Towering above the trees of the Black Hills National Forest, this colossal monument appears to have sprouted straight from the underworld. The imposing geological formation is, in fact,...
The invention of Polaroid cameras
Discover the instant camera that inspired generations of photographers (Image source: Eniko Kis/ Unsplash) The invention of Polaroid cameras marked the beginning of a new era for photography. Today, we may take for granted...
What are totem poles?
While only specialists are trusted to carve these mighty sculptures, it takes a village to raise them (Image source: Pixabay) Totem poles are one of the most iconic examples of Native American art. They’re...
How did the Titanic sink?
From the early tragedies to the last recorded words, discover the events of the ‘unsinkable’ ship (Image source: Wikimedia Commons) The air was buzzing with excitement ahead of the launch of Titanic in 1912....
Meet the animals powered by the Sun
These creatures take inspiration from plant photosynthesis and use sunlight to feed themselves Image credit: Karen N Pelletreau et al As Earth’s natural solar panels, plants obtain energy from converting sunlight into food in...
How does a whale’s death bring new life?
The body of a whale can support millions of deep sea organisms (Image source: Pixabay) On an average day, creatures living in the depths of the ocean rely on ‘marine snow’ – a slow...
5 strange theories about the universe
Why is the universe the way it is? Over the years, scientists have explored many ways to explain the cosmos, leading to some crazy-sounding ideas… Image source: Pixabay 1. The Big Splat In the...
Why are children such fussy eaters?
(Image source: Pixabay) Question from Joel Francis Fussiness in childhood probably helped to keep our ancestors safe. You only have to look at the huge variety of foods consumed across the world to see...
