NewScientist The Last Word - Tag 'transport' details

Tag 'transport' details

Be informed on updates to this list by RSS

40 matches found

<< First < Prev [1] [2] [3] [4] Next > Last >>

In the clink My father-in-law used to tape family mealtime conversations. When played back, the background noise - like silverware hitting plates and doors closing - is surprisingly prominent. Why is it that we filter these sounds out as they happen, but seem unable to filter them out when we listen to the recording?Gary Yane, Oldenburg, Indiana, US
(1 vote) average rating:4 There are 30 answer(s) for this question. View answers \| Submit an answer

Asked by Michael Marshall
on 2008-11-26 18:03:00

Member status
none

Categories: Human Body.

Tags: human body, animals, transport.

Report abuse

Dead in space During long voyages in space it is possible that people will die, either from illness or because of an accident. What plans are there for disposal of the corpses?Jessica Franklin (age 12), London, UK
(no votes) There are 16 answer(s) for this question. View answers \| Submit an answer

Asked by damian
on 2008-09-24 18:02:00

Member status
none

Categories: Transport, Technology.

Tags: animals, unanswered, technology, transport.

Report abuse

Shifty sand

On a beach in Malaysia I saw small balls of sand in patterns around some holes (see Photo). I couldn't see an animal inside any of the holes. So what makes these patterns, and how are they formed?Romayne Gallagher, Vancouver, British Columbia, CanadaClearly patterns of small balls on the beach is a common sight. So too are their creators. We've received reports from northern Queensland in Australia, Borneo, Goa in India, and Zanzibar. Here are two possible culprits - Ed

(no votes)

There are 9 answer(s) for this question. View answers | Submit an answer

Asked by Michael Marshall
on 2008-08-13 18:00:01

Member status
none

Categories: Planet Earth.

Tags: transport, planet earth.

Report abuse

Beat generation

Most music is written in 4/4 meter, giving four beats per bar. Why are we inclined to prefer 4/4 time? Are there circuits in our brains that tick along in patterns of four?Michael Light, Carlisle, Western AustraliaLots of debate here about whether rhythmic choice is nature or nurture, as you'll see below. Marching may be the origin of the 4/4 meter, but it is clearly only part of the story, for the reasons outlined in the final contribution - Ed

(no votes)

There are 40 answer(s) for this question. View answers | Submit an answer

Asked by Michael Marshall
on 2008-08-06 18:09:04

Member status
none

Categories: Human Body.

Tags: human body, transport.

Report abuse

Chain gang My father used to hang a chain which dragged along the road from the back of our car. He said it would prevent my sister from getting car sick. I thought it was some kind of placebo effect but later I discovered that my husband's family did this for their car-sick dog. Does it work and, if so, how?Ginette Andress, Allambie Heights, New South Wales, Australia
(1 vote) average rating:4 There are 43 answer(s) for this question. View answers \| Submit an answer

Asked by Michael Marshall
on 2008-04-30 18:21:53

Member status
none

Categories: Human Body, Transport.

Tags: human body, domestic science, transport.

Report abuse

Do you have it in green? Is it more damaging to the planet to buy a new, greener car than it is to use my old, more-polluting car until it finally falls to pieces? I've heard that producing a new car would consume more resources - and so is actually more environmentally harmful. Is this true?Paulo Forti, Rome, Italy
(no votes) There are 19 answer(s) for this question. View answers \| Submit an answer

Asked by Michael Marshall
on 2008-04-16 17:48:49

Member status
none

Categories: Environment, Technology.

Tags: unanswered, technology, transport, environment.

Report abuse

Sick as a horse On a long motorway journey while driving behind a horsebox, I wondered, do horses get travel sick? In fact, do we know whether any animals besides humans suffer from motion sickness?Neil Bowley, Newthorpe, Nottinghamshire, UK
(1 vote) average rating:5 There are 20 answer(s) for this question. View answers \| Submit an answer

Asked by Michael Marshall
on 2008-03-26 17:49:03

Member status
none

Categories: Animals, Transport.

Tags: animals, technology, transport, planet earth.

Report abuse

Flight of fancy

A truck driver approaches a bridge that has a weight limit of 5000 kilograms. He and his truck weigh 4950 kilograms so he would be able to cross it were it not for his 100-kilogram cargo â€“ a flock of pigeons loose in the back of the truck. He has the bright idea of banging on the side of the truck to scare all the birds into taking flight and then he quickly drives across the bridge. Does it work?David Thomas, Pointe-Claire, Quebec, Canada

(no votes)

There are 42 answer(s) for this question. View answers | Submit an answer

Asked by damian
on 2007-11-19 16:21:16

Member status
none

Categories: Transport.

Tags: transport.

Report abuse

Thirsty jets

Last month, on a flight from London to Washington DC, the Boeing 747 I was flying on had to wait a little while for take-off on the runway at Heathrow. It was a very wet day and I noticed that the engines appeared to be sucking up water from the tarmac in front of them. Strangely, the water rose vertically in a very narrow stream less than 10 centimetres wide from a point on the tarmac directly in front of each engine. Then, when the vertical columns of water reached a point about a metre in front of the centre of each engine, they changed direction to head horizontally into the middle of each turbine. They looked, in effect, like large walking sticks made of water pouring upwards into each engine. I can accept that jet engines suck in huge amounts of water on wet days but presumed they did it more generally from the air around them rather than somehow sucking it up vertically from the tarmac in such a specific way. What is going on?Jennifer Gold, Madrid, Spain

(no votes)

There are 7 answer(s) for this question. View answers | Submit an answer

Asked by damian
on 2007-10-09 15:01:47

Member status
none

Categories: Transport.

Tags: transport.

Report abuse

Save our cars On the south coast of New Zealand, the steelwork of our cars is constantly being eroded. Why can't cars be protected by connecting a sacrificial anode made of zinc to the body and chassis in the same way as steel ships?Pete Fowler, Tuatapere, New Zealand
(no votes) There are 17 answer(s) for this question. View answers \| Submit an answer