Why did pirates used to wear eye patches?
Hoist the Jolly Roger and set sail past the jump for some piratical facts
How It Works Feed your mind with fascinating facts about the world around you
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The Great Train Robbery of 1963
How was a notoriously bold and skilful heist foiled by a game of Monopoly? After emerging from prison in 1962, Bruce Reynolds, along with a few of his close accomplices, began to devise a...
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Are there different colours of blood?
Animals have evolved some colourful methods of getting oxygen around their bodies Humans and most other vertebrates Humans and most other vertebrates have red blood thanks to a protein called haemoglobin. Iron atoms in...
The importance of phytoplankton
Forget whales, sharks and the giant squid: it’s the smallest living organisms in the briny blue that keep life on our planet working as it should (image credit: NEON) Phytoplankton are the definition of...
Bacteria: the good, the bad, and the ugly
Not all bacteria are bad, but some can be deadly. Discover the trillions of helpful microbes in your body, and their sinister cousins
Cosmetic chemistry: the science behind your lotions and potions
Cosmetic products are packed with chemical science, but do they live up to the hype? Anti-wrinkle creams Proteins are the major building blocks of the human body and collagen and elastin are two critical...
Making the Terracotta Army
Meet the immortal warriors built to defend the Chinese Emperor Qin Shi Huang and find out how they were constructed over 2,200 years ago The Terracotta Army comprises a huge collection of sculptures found...
How do dogs help the police?
Despite being adorable, police dogs have some of the toughest occupations in the canine world. Dogs have been an important part of the fight against crime for centuries. There are a number of crucial...
Are any other animals monogamous?
Question from Helen Cross There are examples of monogamy throughout the animal kingdom. Gibbons, swans and black vultures are all known to pair up with a single partner, although infidelities do occasionally happen. Wandering...
Useless Body Parts: Vestigial organs
Why have humans and other animals stopped using certain organs and functions which were once crucial for survival? Charles Darwin is one of history’s most famous naturalists. Living in the 19th century, he became...
Seaweed superpowers: How can eating seaweed improve your diet?
We know that humans have eaten algae since prehistoric times. Edible seaweed is still a common ingredient in many countries, such as the nori that surrounds many Japanese sushi dishes. Algae are far less...
The human body: What are electrolytes?
We need these tiny ions to keep our muscles and nerves moving Our bodies are huge biochemical batteries, and to keep our nerves firing, our muscles moving and our hearts beating, we need to...
The dangers of loud music
How can high-volume sound cause hearing loss? The way we hear sound involves an intricate series of physical, chemical and electrical activity within our ears. An integral part of our ability to hear lies...
