We can now add the newest element to the periodic table. It has been named Copernicium in honour of Nicolaus Copernicus (1473-1543), the Polish astronomer who first hypothesized that the Earth...
Alexander the Great was known to use aloe as a purgative after being taught about the plant’s effects by his tutor Aristotle. Purgatives were highly valued at the time because it was believed that...
Ever snap off a dandelion head and see the white liquid seeping out from the stem? It turns out that fluid isn’t sap or poison, but a defense mechanism, in the form of latex! The Lithuanian word...
Despite what movies would have you think, rats barely ever make any sounds, at least those that humans are able to hear. Rat’s vocalizations start at around 2 kHz and extend as far up as 100 kHz....
The hypericum herb, or St John’s wort as it is commonly referred to, is widely used for the treatment of mild depression. In fact, in Germany it outsells the synthetic drug Prozac. It has been...
The Shetland Islands are famous for sheep and wool. But did you know that they are also home to the stormy petrel? This unusual bird, so-named because it was thought to appear before a storm, has...
RSS