The stones that lie around the railway tracks are known as track ballast. Sharp-edged stones are used in ballast and their task is to hold the wooden cross ties in place. These hold the rails in place, prevent them from swaying or dislocating when the trains run on them. They prevent the weeds and vegetation […]

It is due to capsaicin, a colourless, odourless, oily chemical found in peppers. Capsaicin binds to the special class of Vanilloid Receptors Type 1 (VR1) that are found inside our mouths. The task of VR1 receptors is to detect heat and that is why they are located in our mouths, tongues and skin. These receptors

Brain freeze happens while eating an ice-cream or anything cold. The reason is the cold stimulus touching the roof of the mouth or the palate. The cold temperatures cause ‘vasoconstriction’. The blood vessels constrict too quickly due to the extremely cold stimulus. It is when the vessels rebound back to their original size (vasodilation) as

There are always exceptions to this rule, but most aircrafts are painted white. It is cheaper to colour the aircraft white. Moreover, the white colour is a good reflector of light. It helps keep the aircraft cool, by reflecting sunlight and radiating heat. White colour enhances the visibility of the aircraft and reduces accidents with

The food that we eat is made up of carbohydrates and proteins along with other elements such as oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, phosphorus, etc. Carbohydrates in food means that it is carbon, oxygen and hydrogen molecules mixed together. Proteins have these three together and nitrogen molecules as well. So, when we leave our food on the

A brine pool is a large body of water on the ocean basin that is extremely saline, approximately around three to eight times more than the surrounding water. The source of salt is the salt that gets excluded during the formation of ice in sea water, a common phenomenon in the Antarctic Ocean. The brine

In recent times, scientists and researchers have discovered rivers running under the sea or ocean. These rivers are formed when water with different density levels meet. This results in them creating layers. These rivers are formed when fresh top water seeps through thick layers of salty underground water. As the water seeps through, it forces

Birds spread out their plumage and skin in full sunshine to take advantage of solar radiation. It helps them convert compounds into vitamin D, which is essential for good health. It helps them to dry their feathers after a bath or dip in water. They like it for the sheer enjoyment and relaxation just like

The oyster’s shell is its protection and when a grain of sand or bits of floating food slip inside this shell, the oyster immediately sets out to protect itself from the invasion. It will immediately cover the intruder with layers of nacre, the mineral substance that makes its shell. It will cover it with multiple

Looking at the Sun during a Solar Eclipse can lead to ‘eclipse blindness’. It is a temporary or permanent vision impairment. Sometimes, it can even result in legal blindness which means to have significant vision loss. Viewing the Sun during the Eclipse with the naked eye can burn the retina, that can damage the images

The benefit of flying at higher altitudes is that there is less air, and fewer air molecules. That would require less thrust or less aerodynamic drag to move the plane. This substantially reduces the fuel consumption of the aircraft. With almost no heat at those high altitudes and temperature of -55°C, the efficiency of the

Nails accumulate dirt and have more chance of spreading infections. Keeping them clean is imperative. It is one very important task for maintaining good hygiene and staying away from health problems. This curbs the spread of disease. Cutting or trimming nails regularly can prevent ingrown nails, bacterial infection and even fungal growth. Pretty nails give

Like all living things, plants need water to survive. In fact, plants are made up of 90% water. The amount of water that a plant needs depends on the type of plant, the amount of light it gets, and how old it is. Plants need water in the photosynthesis process through which they make food

When we are trimming our hair ends, we are not actually making it help grow faster. On the contrary, we are trimming unhealthy split ends at the bottom of the hair. This will prevent less breakage and flyaways, making it look thicker and to a certain extent, shinier. The benefits of regular trimming are to

Lizards have the special ability to regenerate or regrow their tails if they get cut off accidentally. Most lizards, however, can do it only a limited number of times. Tails of reptiles such as green iguanas and bearded dragons can also regrow. In case of accident or if the lizard drops its tail on purpose,