1

Plant Sciences, Zoology & Evolution / How did the two sexes evolve?

« on: 19/08/2008 07:49:17 »

Phew, I nearly got involved in this discussion, having been involved in research into the evolution of two sexes, but I can't compete with divine intervention. That allows you to ignore all rules and logic to conclude anything. Glad I waited to see where the thread was going!

2

Physiology & Medicine / Why Are Flu And Colds Prevalent In The Winter ?

« on: 22/05/2008 07:34:05 »

In winter we tend to keep the windows closed, travel in buses and trains with the windows closed etc. There is no breeze to freshen the air etc, so the cold or flu virus has a much greater chance of being transmitted in winter. The more people who have it, the more virus there is etc.
Many people take vitamin D suppliments in the winter, which gives them higher levels of vitamin D than in the summer, and they still get more colds

3

Physiology & Medicine / Do babies cry in the womb?

« on: 18/05/2008 21:45:33 »

Babies do not breath in the womb, they get their oxygen from their mother. Crying involves breathing.

4

Cells, Microbes & Viruses / What is the difference between MRSA and C. difficile?

« on: 15/05/2008 07:10:20 »

Clostridium difficile is an anaerobic bacterium that is resistant to many antibiotics, and can cause serious infections in the gut. It is present in lots of people at low levels, but can multiply and cause disease when people take antibiotics, which wipe out their own gut bacteria, allowing the resistant clostridium to take over. They can be difficult to get rid of, as they make very resistant spores, which are not killed by most disinfectant. It causes serious diarrhea. MRSA stands for Multi-drug (or methicillin or multiple, all are acceptable) Resistant Staphylococcus aureus. This often infects wounds and is difficult to treat because of the resistance to most drugs. Both are serious, and both often occur in hospitals where infection from patient to patient is fairly easy, and most people have somewhat weakened immune systems, which allow the infections to get hold.

5

Plant Sciences, Zoology & Evolution / Are Daddy Long Legs really that poisinous?

« on: 15/05/2008 06:43:37 »

In the UK, a daddy long legs is an insect, not an arachnid. I think we had this discussion last year!!

6

Physiology & Medicine / Re: What is the difference between "good" and "bad" cholesterol?

« on: 12/05/2008 16:17:00 »

Yes, 5.6 is high.
http://www.ctsu.ox.ac.uk/~hps/fact_chol.shtml

This link explains how it is measured etc!

7

Plant Sciences, Zoology & Evolution / Leaf evaporation - What happens to all the heavy minerals?

« on: 08/05/2008 11:24:47 »

The trees do not accumulate lots of heavy metals at the top. Yes, you can poison e tree, but it still doesn't mean you accumulate deposits at the top of the tree.
Leaves make oxygen, so why do you think they want to keep it out?

8

Plant Sciences, Zoology & Evolution / Leaf evaporation - What happens to all the heavy minerals?

« on: 07/05/2008 21:16:01 »

The mechanism by which plants take up water means that they don't take up things like heavy metals, or only in a very limited way. They are very selective!

9

Cells, Microbes & Viruses / Re: Can kissing help to boost my immune system?

« on: 03/05/2008 09:14:43 »

Yes, in the USA it is called Mono.

10

Plant Sciences, Zoology & Evolution / How does a rose bush change?

« on: 03/05/2008 09:09:17 »

Any shoots off cultivated roses will be wild ramblers, and they are much more hardy than the original rose. The rootstock surviving after a fire is more likely to be of the wild rambler than the original cultivar!

11

General Science / What's the ' properties ' difference between polished and unpolished ?

« on: 03/05/2008 08:58:08 »

Thank you for that Sophiecentaur! I knew platinum didn't oxidise much, and neither does gold, but I do know my gold wedding ring is much less shiny than when I first wore it!

12

Cells, Microbes & Viruses / Re: Can kissing help to boost my immune system?

« on: 01/05/2008 19:06:19 »

Glandular fever... also called the kissing disease!

Of course you have to have the disease first.... diseases don't just spontaneously appear as a result of kissing.. []

13

Plant Sciences, Zoology & Evolution / Why Do We Have Eye Lashes And Other Animals Do Not ?

« on: 30/04/2008 18:04:33 »

Snakes don't even have eyelids! They have a tough, transparent scale over their eyes. I think this is true for some other reptiles.

14

Physiology & Medicine / Is My Body Fighting Chicken Pox right NOW ?

« on: 30/04/2008 18:01:00 »

Chicken Pox in an adult can be VERY serious! Several adults a year die of it.

15

Cells, Microbes & Viruses / Viruses live!

« on: 19/04/2008 10:54:32 »

But when you argue whether its alive or not, i think what you're really argueing about is your definition of life.

I totally agree with this!!

16

Plant Sciences, Zoology & Evolution / How does the bird learn how to speak?

« on: 08/04/2008 07:05:08 »

My Grandma used to have a budgie in a cage, and it spoke a few words.... mainly "Wake up Eddie". The cage was at the bottom of the stairs, and every morning my Grandma would stand at the bottom of the stairs and yell for my uncle to wake up. The bird learned from the repetition.

17

General Science / Snow.. How come it melts when on pavement??

« on: 06/04/2008 11:48:57 »

It's just that the stones hold more heat, have a greater thermal capacity. If it had been really cold when it snowed, the stones in your garden would get staying snow first. The roads hold the heat from all the cars driving on them.. that's why small side roads get snow build up more quickly, even in the middle of the night when there's little traffic anywhere.

18

Plant Sciences, Zoology & Evolution / Slugs.. Now.. No.. Go away.. Ewww.. come off!! Gwrr.. SLIMY!!!

« on: 03/04/2008 06:49:55 »

Sooo..... if they are just snails without their shells, do the French eat them??  )

19

General Science / Why Do Eggs Harden ?

« on: 02/04/2008 11:51:54 »

Each protein is a long chain of amino acids, which fold up in a particular way to give them their distinct characteristics, and these proteins are held together by various interactions between the individual amino acids. When heated up, these internal bonds break, and they are then able to re-bond with other amino acids, from within their own chain or from others. Imagine a whole lot of neatly rolled balls of wool, direct from the manufacturer... add heat (a cute kitten for example) and imagine the unravellable mess you would get! Thats what happens to your proteins!

20

General Science / Re: Why do I get tons of mosquito bites whenever I go to Korea in the Summer?

« on: 31/03/2008 12:10:56 »

It's not that you are bitten more, but that you react more, because you are not used to those mosquito's, and are, perhaps, more sensitive. I always get bites, and my husband doesn't, and I used to think they preferred me to him, but I've seen them biting him and he doesn't notice and gets no bite mark!