The AnswerBank Articles

Why does hair go grey

A. Grey hair is caused by the loss of melanin, the pigment in our hair that gives it colour, over time. Melanin is produced by cells called melanocytes. Melanocytes eventually die and so stop00:00 Mon 02nd Jul 2001

Why should perfume be kept in a closed container

A. Because perfume contains alcohol. Alcohol is a drying agent; it evaporates at a relatively low temperature, around 20 degrees Celsius. Keeping perfume away from light and warmth slows down the00:00 Mon 02nd Jul 2001

Why do only the pads on my fingers wrinkle after a long bath

A. The dead keratin filled cells of the outer skin absorb water, however, the underlying live ones don’t. The outer layer swells with the water, increasing its surface area. Because the skin on00:00 Mon 25th Jun 2001

Why do my ears pop during a flight, even though the aircraft is artificially pressurised

A. Because the pressure in the aircraft is reduced gradually to a safe level, rather than achieved in one go. So your ears pop as they respond to this gradual change. Q. What is the highest00:00 Mon 25th Jun 2001

Is it possible to use my watch as a compass

A. Yes, it is, but it only acts as a rough guide and isn't as accurate as a real compass. Just point where the hour hand is at the sun then look where the 12 o'clock point is, the halfway point00:00 Mon 25th Jun 2001

Why do bodies placed in water initially sink but float eventually

A. A living person has almost the same density as water. If the person is alive and breathing, they will float, but if they drown they exhale and sink as water takes the place of air in the lungs. 00:00 Mon 18th Jun 2001

How does soap work

A. You probably don't think about it when you wash your hands or clothes, but the cleaning process actually occurs at the molecular level. Soap works by interfering with the bonds that dirt and the00:00 Mon 18th Jun 2001

What is geothermal energy

A. 'Geo' means earth, and 'thermal' means heat, so geothermal means 'earth heat'. Geothermal energy is produced by the heat of the earth and is normally found in volcanic and seismically active00:00 Mon 18th Jun 2001

Why do we hiccup

A. The reason behind this unusual, sometimes embarrassing, often irritating condition isn’t fully understood. Explanations proffered by the medical establishment range from an ancient remnant00:00 Mon 11th Jun 2001

If I m speeding on a road with more than one lane, how does a speed camera know it was me

A. Asked Isaacr recently. Here The AnswerBank has an in depth look at how speed cameras work. How do speed cameras work There are two main types of speed camera around at the moment, fixed speed00:00 Mon 11th Jun 2001

Why do I get sick if I read in the car

A. Motion sickness occurs when our sense of balance and equilibrium are disturbed. We naturally sense our spatial orientation: which way we are facing and moving, whether we are turning or standing00:00 Mon 11th Jun 2001

What causes red eye

A. 'Red eye', the amateur photographers bugbear, is most common with cameras that have built-in or camera-mounted flash, where the flash unit is closest to the lens. This configuration means that00:00 Mon 04th Jun 2001

How do trees work as carbon sinks

A. Carbon is stored in many forms on Earth, mainly in the oceans and fossil fuels. However, trees also store large amounts of the Earth's carbon. These natural carbon storage systems are known as00:00 Mon 04th Jun 2001

Does the Swiss Army use Swiss Army knives

Thanks to DOUBRIS for this question. A. Yes they do and have done since 1886, when the Swiss Army decided to equip every soldier with a regulation single-blade folding knife. Q. But I thought00:00 Mon 04th Jun 2001

Why is a can of fizzy drink so much fizzier if I shake it up first

A. Your can of fizzy drink is carbonated, the carbon dioxide is under pressure in the can so that the gas dissolves in the drink. Once opened, the gas will eventually escape the depressurised can.00:00 Mon 28th May 2001

How do wind farms generate electricity

A. Humans have been harnessing wind power for over 2000 years, the first windmills were built in Persia. Wind farms are a very modern way of utilising wind: a pollution free renewable resource. 00:00 Mon 28th May 2001

How can scientists date things such as the Dead Sea Scrolls so confidently

A. By using a chemical dating technique called radiocarbon dating. Q. When was radiocarbon dating discovered A. By a team of scientists led by the late Professor Willard F. Libby of the00:00 Mon 28th May 2001

Can I feed my dog the same food as I eat

A. Thanks to djtaz11398 for this question recently to see Sensei's answer click here. Basically, it depends how good YOUR diet is! Stick to fresh food where possible when feeding your dog, also00:00 Mon 28th May 2001

Why does orange juice taste disgusting after I ve cleaned my teeth

A. This phenomenon, known as 'the orange juice effect' has been widely studied. The nasty flavour is caused by the detergent added to toothpaste. The detergent, the most commonly used one is00:00 Mon 21st May 2001

What is Gekkomat and how does it work

A. It's a new invention, inspired by the vertical climbing abilities of geckos, that allows humans to climb up walls. It is the brainchild of Gerald Winkler, from Herzogenaurach, Germany. 00:00 Mon 21st May 2001