1

Plant Sciences, Zoology & Evolution / Re: Do plants have a body clock?

« on: 24/05/2013 14:45:39 »

I'm sure plants do sense seasonal change, it was only about three weeks ago and during some terrible weather, cold temperatures and harsh rain, and generally overcast most days, I had my first pollen sneeze in UK this year, then I mentioned to a friend I said ah the season is changing, we are in for some better weather, and low and behold it improved almost over night. Was this the plants and trees knowing change, or coincidence?

2

General Science / Re: Does keeping water bottles in the fridge save on energy costs?

« on: 24/05/2013 14:39:19 »

They used to tell us to fill empty spaces in the freezer with loaves of bread, this takes up empty space and in turn saves electricty, I suppose water bottles act in the same way, there are of course many other items which can be frozen, cheese, milk are two others I know of.

3

Physiology & Medicine / Re: Thalidomide

« on: 17/05/2013 16:55:07 »

As far as I know, my mother was offered the drug, but thankfully she declined it back in the late 40's /early 50's, it was a drug manufactured by a German drug company for a specific treatment, but was also found whilst in use or during tests, that it stopped the morning sickness in pregnancy, but sadly this was later found out to be a high price to pay because this also had a side effect of creating deformed births.

4

New Theories / Re: POLL: Did we land on the moon?

« on: 17/05/2013 11:04:06 »

This is still a tricky one, when I was 15 years old and on a school holiday in France, I can still see the headline news in a newspaper 'La Homme sur la lune!' please excuse the spelling if wrong, I was so excited as most of us were, although I have some doubts now about the landing on the moon, I think they did actually travel round the far side of the moon, and after seeing those structures they NASA decided it was not a good idea to land. Interestingly well before video recorders were available to the general public, I can remember whatching a TV documentary about wierd things and astronaughts and missing people, the program was titled 'Science Report' and I'm sure it was broadcast on Granada TV, or possibly Thames TV station around 1977 possibly 1978, In it one of the astronaughts Buzz Aldrin says, (and they mention he is saying this under the influence of taking a lot of alcohol), ''Do you think we need a bicycle to get up there?'' he was refering to aparently what he had seen on the far side of the moon, alien spacecraft we presume, but he was loud in his slurred speach and when asked for further details, he said '' cut, that's it, I've said enough''  at that time I did have a sound recording of this program, but sadly it has been lost. The only thing that lends any credence to the validity of the space walk, is the low gravity effect you see when they bounce around. If anyone here on the naked scientist knows of the TV broadcast I'm talking about, I'd like to hear from them.

5

Geek Speak / Free download of who wants to be a millionaire? UK version

« on: 17/05/2013 10:25:37 »

Help, I would like to ask if anyone knows of a site that provides a free game of who wants to be a millionaire?, it must be a UK version, I have the USA one already, and it should be not asking for a free toolbar or any other add-ons, thanks in advance

6

Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology / Engineering Slips can they join together?

« on: 17/05/2013 09:36:17 »

I was told years ago by a production engineering colleague that if two engineering slips (those used for measuring gaps) in imperial or metric increments, were left joined together for too long, would eventually join permanently by the electrons passing over from one slip to the other, is this true?

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Cells, Microbes & Viruses / Re: Can a mosquito pick up malaria from an infected human?

« on: 17/05/2013 09:24:00 »

Yes, that is how most of the malaria is spread, I think that other animals being bitten that are carrying malaria also do this.

8

Cells, Microbes & Viruses / Re: What causes chronic bad breath (halitosis)?

« on: 17/05/2013 09:19:36 »

The most common cause of bad breath is not the food you eat, it is gum decease, I suggest you attend a dentist and see a hygenist.

9

Plant Sciences, Zoology & Evolution / Re: How To Remove Bed Bugs

« on: 17/05/2013 09:16:59 »

Bed bugs are an increasing problem, you need to hire specialists teams to destroy them, they hide in pockets and creases of mattreses, the headboard and other places, and are not easy to locate, a suitable pesticide is used to kill them.

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Geek Speak / Re: Why go through "normal" shutdown procedures for programs such as Firefox?

« on: 16/05/2013 17:32:55 »

I found when I had firefox it slowed everything down, so I removed it, I cannot think of any other answer.

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Technology / Re: How to make a safe mobile phone for people driving?

« on: 16/05/2013 17:09:46 »

As I've said, you can overide motion, you can do this before you start jogging. Not all phones have GPS.

12

Geek Speak / Re: Which antivirus is best?

« on: 16/05/2013 16:16:04 »

I swear by AVG free anti-virus, it gives moderate protection, but you can upgrade for higher end protection.

13

Technology / Are two-stroke engines the most efficient engine designs?

« on: 16/05/2013 16:13:22 »

Hi folks, I just want to settle this notion that I was told years ago regarding the humble two-stroke engine, is it true, that it is still the most efficient fosil fuel engine for power output for it's weight? and if so, why aren't manufacturers getting in on the act?...my idea for a very efficient car, would be to build it with a powerful electric motor and have the two-stroke engine charging the batteries

14

General Science / Re: GM food

« on: 16/05/2013 15:39:24 »

I think it is wrong to interfere with nature, this is not cross polination, but adding a soil bacteria to the plant, we do not yet know if this is safe. I recently returned a soya product because it was GM.

15

General Science / Re: How can we prove that a number's really random?

« on: 16/05/2013 11:50:48 »

Interesting, I looked at the link you gave. 8D

16

Technology / Re: Do Engines Have To Be Made Of Metal ?

« on: 16/05/2013 11:37:46 »

Some parts have to be made of metal, but thermo-plastics and ceramics have already been utilised in engines.

17

Technology / Re: Why does my fan take so long to speed up ?

« on: 16/05/2013 11:34:58 »

The reason is the bearings are wearing out, and specifically the grease has hardened, so whilst it is in motion, the grease in the bearings warm up, and start to loosen (melt effect), thereby causing less drag and hey presto your fan goes faster.

18

Technology / How to make a safe mobile phone for people driving?

« on: 16/05/2013 11:29:16 »

Hi everyone, I'm fairly new to this site, but I have a project for a budding inventor, I give this idea free, in the hope someone will take this project on and save a lot of lives on our roads.

Can we design all mobile phones that has inside them a multi-axis mecury switch that cuts off power whilst the phone is in motion, i.e. the phone is in a vehicle and moving?, it could automatically block all calls and sms messages, both in and out, but you could incorporate an overide switch after the phone flags up a message ''Phone in transit, if you are a passenger, press overide button'' which would bridge the mercury circuit and allow the phone to be used normally. Mercury switches have been used on planes for a number of years, though mecury is expensive, I believe we should look at this as a real life saver.

19

Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology / How does salt melt snow/ice?

« on: 16/05/2013 11:17:34 »

Hi everyone, I just want to know how salt actually melts snow and ice, what is the chemical action or reaction going on?

20

Technology / What's different about the batteries now used in the latest generation of cars?

« on: 16/05/2013 11:14:12 »

Most of the time, technology really makes our life better, but I can honestly say, this does not run true in the case of the car battery, I much preffered the old type of battery where you topped up the electrolyte, these batteries would last between 2-4 years and when they started to play up, at least you had an early warning, they would gradually start to be less efficient, but the gell type low maintenance car battery which is probably not much different in technology to rechargeable batteries you put in your torch, gives no indication of failure, which is almost total failure, and leaves you to buy another battery immediately, I know these types of batteries have been in use in cars for a number of years, but I just wished some bright spark could come up with a better battery