did you know

Do dead batteries really bounce?

Ada McVean B.Sc. — Wed, 10 May 2017 18:46:50 +0000

You’ve probably heard of the bounce test for dead batteries- simply drop a battery, and if it bounces, it’s dead. It turns out that this isn’t completely true. Conventional batteries have an outer layer made of zinc, which once hooked into a circuit, is slowly converted to zinc oxide, while releasing electrons and allowing them to flow, thereby creating electricity. Before a battery has been hooked into a circuit, the zinc molecules aren’t aligned in any particular way. This means that when dropped, these molecules can move slightly, and absorb the kinetic energy.

Therapeutic touch

Joe Schwarcz — Wed, 10 May 2017 18:26:00 +0000

Dolores Krieger, a nurse, is the mother of Therapeutic Touch. She claims that humans are surrounded by energy fields which become disturbed when they are ill and can be massaged back into place by a skilled therapeutic touch practitioner. “Krieger claims that a skilled therapist can store energy in a cotton ball between her hands. The cotton will retain the energy for several hours to be used by “healees” to “unruffle” their maladjusted energy fields.” Attempts to show scientifically that humans have energy fields have failed.

Sniffing Bobcat Urine

OSS — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 15:54:44 +0000

Mouse traps are fine if you are dealing with a few rodents but if there is a major infestation you need some heavy artillery such as bobcat pee. Mice, rats, rabbits and moles fear bobcats and for a very good reason. They can quickly become lunch! It is the law of the wild that prey avoids predator. But how? Scent can play a critical role. Predators usually mark their territory with urine and animals they prey upon learn to keep their distance from this fragrance.