All food that is eaten has to be mixed with saliva inside your mouth to be able to taste it. Have you ever wondered why food is more tasteless with a dry mouth? Well now you know. Your taste buds can't work properly if they have no water (saliva mostly consists of water). Your body relies on water, and is about one or two thirds water. That is why flavored drinks such as soda (or pop) and Gatorade can be tasted with a dry mouth, and food can't (as well).
Friday, June 22, 2012
Rubber bands last longer when refrigerated..!!!
In all things, entropy is usually the boss, meaning, when things are at their most basic broken down state, they tend to last longer. And anything at a higher more complex state will tend to have a much shorter life span. Such is the same for a rubber band, when a rubber band is stretched it causes its polymer chains to become very ordered and it expels thermal energy (heat) thus shortening its life. But when a rubber band is in its relaxed state it is very unordered, and will cool when going from a structured state to a relaxed state. So when a rubber band is put in the refrigerator it makes the polymers even more relaxed, because of the way they behave in the cold. But something to be careful of is immediately stretching the rubber band after being in the fridge. This will cause it to weaken significantly because of the rapid change in the contrast of states.
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
HOW DO BATS NAVIGATE ?
Some species of bats have very large and round eyes to be able to see in the dark while their ears are smaller than the size of their heads. Thus this adaptation shows they use their eyes rather than their ears like other bats.Other bats that you say are blind use another source of "sight" called echolocation. This is like the sonar of a dolphin or submarine to detect other things in the water only this form is on dry land. Bats emit a loud sound (or that little squeak you hear all the time when they fly around you) and when those sound waves bounces off of an object and comes back to the bat, it can know the location of obstacles or insects. Bats can use the echo that bounces off and use that to obtain information about that object or insect, like what size it was, how it moves, all that good information and they use that to their advantage whenever they're obtaining food or dodging trees and light poles. But while vision is not important to the bats during the night, hence the large ears but small eyes, the bats really can see so they're not really blind as people think.
WHAT MAKES A FIREFLY GLOW?
Light production in fireflies is due to a type of chemical reaction called bio luminescence. This process occurs in specialised light-emitting organs, usually on a firefly's lower abdomen. A firefly's bio luminescence is produced by a chemical reaction within its body. Calcium, adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the substrate luciferin, and the enzyme luciferase must all be present in the light organ. The introduction of oxygen triggers the reaction between these ingredients, resulting in light energy.
Nitric oxide is the key that opens the door to the light organ, allowing oxygen to enter and initiate the reaction. In the absence of Nitric oxide, oxygen molecules bind to the mitochondria on the surface of light organ cells, and no light can be produced. When present, nitric oxide binds to the mitochondria instead, allowing the oxygen to enter the organ and generate light.
One reason that fireflies glow is to attract a mate. Males and females of the same species will flash signals back and forth as a way of communicating. Each firefly species has its own particular pattern. For example, the fireflies of one species will fly around in the night sky and dive steeply just as the flash begins and turn upward to make a distinctive J-shaped pattern of light. Female fireflies hang out on a tree branch or in the grass while the males fly around showing off their best flashes. When a female recognizes the flash from a male of the same species, she will answer with her best flash.
Another reason that fireflies glow is to avoid predators. Fireflies are filled with a nasty tasting chemical called lucibufagens, and after a predator gets a mouthful, it quickly learns to associate the firefly's glow with this bad taste! So not only does the flashing help attract a mate, but it also warns predators to stay away.
Having lucibufagens is so important for survival that one species of firefly that can't make this chemical acquires it by eating other species that can make it. They do this by mimicking the flash pattern of another species and luring them in close. The unsuspecting male firefly thinks he is going to find a mate, but instead becomes a tasty treat to the tricky firefly. Talk about a bad date!
THE MYSTERY OF BERMUDA TRIANGLE
Computer studies of ocean floors around the world, particularly the area known as The Bermuda Triangle, reveal evidence of massive methane explosions in the past. For years, believers in the paranormal, aliens, and other outlandish theories pointed to the the disappearance of ships and aircraft as an indicator of mysterious forces at work in the “Devil’s triangle.”
Scientists have finally pointed the rest of us to a more plausible cause. The presence of methane hydrates indicates enormous eruptions of methane bubbles that would swamp a ship, and projected high into the air- take out flying airplanes, as well. Any ships caught within the methane mega-bubble immediately lose all buoyancy and sink to the bottom of the ocean. If the bubbles are big enough and possess a high enough density they can also knock aircraft out of the sky with little or no warning. Aircraft falling victim to these methane bubbles will lose their engines-perhaps igniting the methane surrounding them-and immediately lose their lift as well, ending their flights by diving into the ocean and swiftly plummeting.
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