How to win a duel
When honour was at stake, a gentleman’s only option was to cross swords For centuries, settling a dispute through armed combat was not only customary, it was a highly respected ritual reserved for the...
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How to became a back garden eco-warrior
Believe it or not, you can help save the planet without leaving your own home Leading scientists, environmentalists and governments the world over are trying to save the Earth from a horrifying future, a...
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Why do kids hate broccoli?
The world’s most contentious culinary debates solved by science (Image credit: Leilani Angel) 1. Why do kids hate broccoli? Broccoli contains a glucosinolate compound that makes it taste bitter. The human gene TAS2R38 is...
How dogs reduce stress
Discover the impact of these canine companions can have on our mental health (Image source: Pixabay) Whether you have a hamster or a Great Dane, pets have provided us with comfort, friendship, exercise, protection...
Viral Vectors: How scientists use viruses to treat faulty cells
Image source: Getty Images Viruses specialise in getting past cellular defences to deliver genetic information into cells, but in nature they often contain genes that cause disease. However, if we strip out these damaging...
Medical History: The NHS through the decades
Discover just some of the many medical milestones throughout over 70 years of the UK’s National Health Service 5 July 1948 – Birth of the NHS Image credit : University of Liverpool Faculty of...
FREE eBook: Home Experiments
Fill out the form below to receive your FREE eBook now! Get 5 months of How It Works for just £5/$5/€5 For more science and technology articles, pick up the latest copy of How It Works from...
When were pubs invented?
Discover how foreign conquerors helped shape a British institution (Image source: Pixabay) When the Romans invaded Britain in 43 CE, they brought with them all the trappings of civilised living: walled cities, literacy, sanitation...
Viruses: What are they and how do they infect cells?
Image source: Pixabay These tiny packets of genetic code are the most successful parasites in the world Viruses are the tiniest biological replicators on the planet, roughly 100-times smaller than bacteria. Made from a...
Why can I remember song lyrics for so long?
(Image credit: Michael Maasen) Question from Sarah Ross The average human brain contains about 86 billion neurons – a vast network that processes information. Memories are formed when specific connections between neurons are strengthened,...
Where is the world’s tallest waterfall?
Image source: Pixabay Discover why you might struggle to visit the tallest waterfall on Earth With their staggering power and awe-inspiring beauty, waterfalls are one of the most popular natural wonders to visit on...
How does a spacecraft take photos?
Image source: Pixabay Getting an image back to Earth from a probe can be complicated but it’s worth it in the end 1.Using filters First, the spacecraft will snap its visible image – such...
How does soap clean?
Find out how interactions between molecules help get our hands clean (Image credit: Jackmac34) Soap is an ancient concept that can be traced back to 2,800 BCE in Babylon, and the basic principle of...
