NewScientist The Last Word - Tag 'unanswered' details

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Round and round Athletics tracks are always run anticlockwise. Does this favour particular runners? Races could surely be run either way, so why never clockwise?Peter Hallberg, Stockholm, Sweden(Image: dlritter, stock.xchng)
Editorial status: In magazine. (3 votes) average rating:2.67 There are 55 answer(s) for this question. View answers \| Submit an answer

Asked by Michael Marshall
on 2009-07-01 17:31:31

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Categories: Human Body.

Tags: human body, unanswered, domestic science.

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Thinking person's crumpet

A little while ago we froze a packet of those pancake-like products that in these parts we call crumpets. At the time, the sealed plastic packet seemed to contain a lot of air, but after four months in our freezer it had contracted tightly against the crumpets, which had also shrunk. After two more months at room temperature, the whole package appeared to have shrunk still further, though with no sign of mould or decay (see photo, left).The ingredients are listed as flour, water, yeast, raising agents, E450, E500, salt, sugar, preservative, calcium propionate. What's going on?Chris Greenwood, Ettington, Warwickshire, UK

Editorial status: In magazine.

(no votes)

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Asked by Michael Marshall
on 2009-07-01 17:28:59

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Categories: Domestic Science, Technology.

Tags: human body, unanswered, domestic science, technology.

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Water world The Last Word has told us what percentage of the UK's surface area is roads (24 January 2004), but having just returned from the Netherlands I would like to know what percentage of the surface area of that country is water.Byron Hambleton, Lille, France(Image: NASA World Wind)
(1 vote) average rating:3 There are 9 answer(s) for this question. View answers \| Submit an answer

Asked by Michael Marshall
on 2009-06-17 17:01:01

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Categories: Planet Earth.

Tags: animals, unanswered, domestic science, planet earth.

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Leaf me alone Why does my dishwasher have such difficulty cleaning spinach from my plates?Frank Schanze, Stuttgart, Germany(Image: MLON, stock.xchng)
(no votes) There are 9 answer(s) for this question. View answers \| Submit an answer

Asked by Michael Marshall
on 2009-06-10 17:01:00

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Categories: Domestic Science, Technology.

Tags: unanswered, domestic science, technology.

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Taste tribulation

This is a question that my husband, Jon Richfield, cannot answer to my satisfaction. I find the taste of certain common spices quite horrible. The nasty flavour I get from all of them seems, to me, quite similar.The spices that taste this way are aniseed, caraway, cumin, fennel and coriander. Tarragon, cardamom and capers also taste awful in the same way.I wonder if there is a food scientist who knows what they have in common, or what my aversion might be. I should add that I am not a fussy eater in general.Bess Richfield, Somerset West, South Africa

(2 votes) average rating:4

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Asked by Michael Marshall
on 2009-06-03 17:50:18

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Categories: Domestic Science, Human Body.

Tags: human body, unanswered, domestic science, technology.

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Monkey business

My son has a game in which you hang small plastic monkeys and gorillas from a plastic network of tree branches. The branch network is attached to an overhanging trunk by a magnet. As more monkeys are hooked on, the network becomes more unsteady until the magnet can hold it up no more. The player who breaks the bond is declared the loser.The game depends on a magnet of a clearly defined strength. But how is this strength determined so accurately during manufacture that it can hold almost all the monkeys (but not quite)?Pavel Sypchenko, Kiev, Ukraine

(1 vote) average rating:3

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Asked by Michael Marshall
on 2009-06-03 17:48:22

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Categories: Domestic Science, Technology.

Tags: animals, unanswered, domestic science, technology.

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Bad soap I found this forgotten bar of soap after winter at my home in northern Sardinia. It had grown a coat of mould (pictured). What is the mould and how did it grow on soap, which is supposed to keep your hands clean?Patrizia Figoli Turcheteti, Bellaire, Texas, UK
(1 vote) average rating:5 There are 29 answer(s) for this question. View answers \| Submit an answer

Asked by Michael Marshall
on 2009-05-20 17:01:00

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Categories: Domestic Science, Plants, Unanswered.

Tags: human body, unanswered, domestic science, plants.

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Point the way

When the Apollo and other similar space capsules were returning to Earth, it was important for the larger end of their bell-shape to face downwards. This is because the protective shield, that resisted the intense heat created on re-entry by atmospheric friction as the spacecraft slowed, was positioned there.How were the capsules designed so that they would always keep the larger, protective face towards the Earth and not flip over so that the pointed end faced earthwards? It seems to me that this would be likely to happen as this orientation would minimise air resistance. Or is my grasp of space flight a bit flimsy?Bill France, Leicester, UK(The photo shows the Apollo 13 Command Module after splashdown (Image: NASA))

(no votes)

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Asked by Michael Marshall
on 2009-05-13 17:17:32

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Categories: Transport, Technology.

Tags: human body, unanswered, technology, transport.

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Jersey of many colours When I look at an electric light bulb through the fabric of my maroon, acrylic school jumper, why does it seem to have a rainbow halo around it?Thomas O'Hare (aged 6), London, UK
(no votes) There are 6 answer(s) for this question. View answers \| Submit an answer

Asked by Michael Marshall
on 2009-05-13 17:00:01

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Categories: Domestic Science.

Tags: human body, unanswered, domestic science.

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Apple melt The snow at the base of our small apple trees melts before snow elsewhere has melted. We've seen this under other trees too. Why? Robert Campbell, Uetendorf, Switzerland (Image: Mattox, stock.xchng)
Editorial status: In magazine. (1 vote) average rating:4 There are 31 answer(s) for this question. View answers \| Submit an answer