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Can a contact lens get stuck around the back of your eye?

Can a contact lens get stuck around the back of your eye? SARAH MORRIS, SWANSEA A common concern among new contact lens wearers is that a lens might move behind the eye and get stuck there, but the anatomy of the eye prevents this. The eye is protected by a soft pink tissue lining known […]

How is colour added to the JWST images?

How is colour added to the JWST images? BENJAMIN MARSH, VIA EMAIL This July we were treated to the first spectacular images taken with NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). But JWST is an infrared (IR) telescope, meaning that it is not seeing what the human eye sees. In fact, JWST is detecting what we […]

Owls vs larks: When is the best time of day to exercise for sleep?

Owls vs larks: When is the best time of day to exercise for sleep? SIENNA HARRIS, VIA EMAIL Exercise has been found to help improve sleep quality. Some of the mechanisms by which there is a positive impact include: reducing factors that can disrupt sleep, such as anxiety and obesity; and assisting the circadian rhythm, […]

What is the Maillard reaction?

What is the Maillard reaction? DAVID WALKER, VIA EMAIL Often described as non-enzymatic browning, the Maillard reaction gives a wide range of cooked foods their appealing flavours and colours. Sped along by heat, the Maillard reaction is actually a series of reactions, starting with one between protein and a reducing sugar, such as glucose or […]

Can you make a functioning candle from earwax?

Can you make a functioning candle from earwax? JOHN BOTHWELL, VIA EMAIL No. Earwax, or cerumen, is not really a wax. It is mostly dead skin, with some long-chain fatty acids and cholesterol and other compounds binding it. Normal candles burn from the top as the wax melts in the heat from the flame, is […]

How soon can you catch COVID again?

How soon can you catch COVID again? BELLA JACOBS, SALISBURY We are seeing more people getting COVID-19 a second, third or fourth time. Often it is months between infections, but some people can catch it again within a few weeks. The likelihood of this occurring depends on two factors: how your immune system responds to […]