Is it dangerous to ignite your farts?
READER QUERY: “I have a friend who claims that he has set light to his farts. Can this be done, and is it dangerous?” The gases released during flatulence are indeed flammable. Gut…
Artificial tongue to lick fake whisky
Who else but Scottish engineers would think of using an artificial tongue to differentiate between whiskies? A new paper published in the Royal Society of Chemistry’s journal Nanoscale describe how they built the tiny…
Why do shellfish change colour when cooked?
The answer to this question lies in the breaking of specific chemical bonds by heat.
Scientists mimic nature to make a light-harvesting antenna
The photosystems in green bacteria could give scientists a new type of solar cell.
Nuclear material in Antarctic moss provides clues to climate change
Atmospheric radiocarbon absorbed by the mosses during 1950s and 60s nuclear tests indicate significant climate change in East Antarctica.
Chemicals in spider silk repel ants
Golden orb web spiders add a chemical to their web silk to prevent ant invasions.
Inner planets did not form from the same material as the sun
Solar nebulae ‘fossils’ suggest that the sun and the inner planets did not form from the same materials, according to researchers.
