In 1896, Henri Becquerel—a French scientist—made an astounding discovery. He observed that in a dark environment, uranium salts were capable of blackening a photographic plate. This happened even when there was a paper barrier. He had stumbled on the concept of radioactivity: unstable atomic nuclei...
Sodium benzoate is a kind of salt. It can be found in many foods, since it is used as a preservative. However, it is not frequently used as a flavoring, since too much can give the food and drinks a distinctly flavor. About 7 out of 10 people will detect sodium benzoate when it is added to food...
In 1948 a Dutch theoretical physicist named Hendrik Casimir predicted that two uncharged plates, when placed very close to each other in a vacuum, would have a tiny attractive force. Ten years later, his theory was validated by Marcus Spaarnay. Scientists eventually explained that the “Casimir”...
In an effort to determine if an individual is being honest, he or she can undergo a lie detector test. Such a test involves measuring the individual’s response to questions posed by an examiner. The answers provided are measured by physiological responses and are later evaluated and analyzed by a...
Washing soda is often used to remove stains from clothes. However, it is not the same as washing detergent. It is also nothing like baking soda, which is also used to remove stains. (Are you confused yet?) Washing soda is an alkaline with the chemical formula of Na2CO3. It is sometimes called...
Beets (“beta vulgaris” or common beet in Latin) are a kind of plant that were endemic to the Mediterranean but now flourish in several parts of the globe. They are quite easy to cultivate since they adapt well to different environments, except those that have extreme hot or cold temperatures....
Epsom salts are actually magnesium sulfate (with the chemical formula MgS04-7H2O). It is a mineral that can be found in water. The name “Epsom” refers to a town in England where it was first distilled and marketed as a kind of all-around cure. Epsom salts are used as a bath salt. Many people will...
Flavonoids are antioxidants that can be found in plants. While they have nothing to do with plant growth, they can be found in plant nutrients. Some are responsible for plant appearance, such as the colors of particular flowers. There are also flavanoids that act as the defensive barrier, repelling...
Gizzards are actually stomachs – or actually, the second stomach of birds. Since birds don’t have sharp teeth, they need to break down their food with small stones that they ingest and then store in their gizzard. Gizzards are used in cooking, and is grouped along with beef tripe and pork intestines...
California quakes rattle coastal cities in places near the border between California and Mexico. The U.S. Geographical Survey reports that a magnitude 5.7 earthquake rattled Southern California on June 14, 2010 at 9:42 p.m. local time. The quake occurred 65 miles from Tijuana, Mexico...
