How are deep-sea cables laid?
It’s a serious undertaking to connect each country to the internet across thousands of kilometres of ocean (Image source: Future PLC/ Ed Crooks) We often think we’re living in an increasingly wireless world. We...
Category: Technology
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...
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...
How does a Taser gun work?
How these weapons use electricity to bring suspects down Typically tucked away in a police officer’s holster, Taser guns have the power to bring criminals crashing to their knees. Once triggered, these weapons deliver...
How do contactless cards work?
The original aircraft-tracking technology has evolved to change the way we pay In the UK, when you tap your contactless card you can spend up to £30 in the space of a second. Some...
What’s inside a waste incinerator?
These hulking machines burn hot enough to melt metal and send rubbish up in smoke Image source: Pexels The UK alone produces approximately 220 million tons of waste annually, a figure that contributes to...
How is money made?
From workshop to wallet, how does the world’s money reach our back pockets (Image source: Pixabay) As online banking and contactless cards continue to grow as our preferred method of payment, physical money may...
The science of lie detectors
Do polygraphs really reveal the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth? (Image credit: Federal Bureau of Investigation) Since the early 1920s ‘lie detectors’ have been used to evaluate whether or not...
How to read braille
What is it about these tiny dots that lets them communicate the world’s languages? (Image source: Pixabay) Braille, the tactile reading system blind people can use to read text, is in more places than...
How to code with Raspberry Pi
Meet the mini computer that’s making a huge impact (Image source: Pixabay) Computers are everywhere in the modern world. For office jobs we use desktop computers; when we’re at home we use laptops and...
