Why does tickling makes us laugh?
Image credit: Getty How this strange reaction is a human evolution that kept our species safe Beneath your skin are millions and millions of nerve endings – branched arrangements of white-coloured cells that send...
Category: Science
The Human body: How vaccines work
These injections, drops and sprays train your immune system to fight deadly diseases Made up of millions of individual white blood cells, the immune system patrols the body in search of germs. When tissues...
Booze & Botanicals: How is gin made?
Botanicals to bottle, the science behind the UK’s favourite boozy beverage Gin has been one of the nation’s favourite tipples since the early 1700s after it was introduced in London by the Dutch. The...
How do ticks cause lyme disease?
The vampiric ectoparasite that can only survive by drinking blood One of the most adaptive and resilient hitchhikers of the gruesome world of parasites is the hard-bodied tick. These hard-shelled masterminds rely on your...
How fire extinguishers work
The science helping people to fight fires fast To fight fire, first you need to understand what makes it burn. There are three main components that help keep a fi re going: fuel, oxygen and heat. Fuels...
What are the dangers of loud noises?
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...
7 weird science facts
1. Plants have friends and enemies Recent studies suggest that plants behave differently depending on who their neighbours are. When surrounded by ‘friendly’ plants, including genetic relatives or helpful species that limit pests and...
Why do we lie?
It’s not just bad behaviour- deception is a product of evolution and it gives your brain a real workout Your dog really did eat your homework, and you have no idea who took the...
Heroes of Science: Joseph Lister
The man who used antiseptics to revolutionise surgery Joseph Lister was born into a Quaker family on 5 April 1827. Having spent his childhood dissecting specimens and looking at tissue samples using his father’s...
Heroes of Science…Richard Feynman
The maverick theoretical physicist whose enthusiasm and wit brought science to life Not many ten-year-olds have their own home laboratory, but Richard Feynman was not like most people. As a child, he had a...
