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What is a squall line?

What is a squall line? ADAM MARSH, VIA EMAIL A squall line is a fast-moving system of thunderstorms in a long, narrow line formation. They can stretch for hundreds of miles (typically arranged north-south) but are usually less than 32km (20 miles) wide. As they sweep across the landscape, they deliver a short, violent burst […]

How does a queen bee get to be a queen?

How does a queen bee get to be a queen? MARY REYNOLDS, PLYMOUTH The queen bee is mother to all members of the hive and is the only bee in the colony to lay fertilised eggs. Her pheromones are so powerful that they bond the colony together as a social unit, and her absence is […]

Why do dogs look like their owners?

Why do dogs look like their owners? LAURA RAYNER, VIA EMAIL Studies that ask participants to match dogs with their owners reveal that pooches do indeed often resemble their people. One reason could be that familiarity breeds content. We love our human family and so are drawn to dogs with similar features, but the phenomenon […]

Why are biscuits so addictive?

Why are biscuits so addictive? AVA EDWARDS, VIA EMAIL Sweet, fatty biscuits trigger our brain’s reward circuit, flooding it with dopamine and making us feel good. We also tend to find crunchy foods satisfying to eat, from a sensory perspective. So, it’s easy to see why we soon reach for another biscuit seconds after the […]

What is vertical farming?

What is vertical farming? RICH FRENCH, LONDON It’s a way of taking the controlled environment of a modern commercial greenhouse to the literal next level. By stacking plants vertically on shelves or tall pillars, vertical farming allows 10 times the yield for a given land area. Plants are grown in completely enclosed conditions, with LED […]

How is fog formed?

How is fog formed? KAYLEIGH SUMMERS, DORSET Fog consists of molecules of water vapour, suspended in the air as tiny droplets of water close to the surface of the Earth. It occurs when air saturated with water vapour is cooled suddenly, and there are several different ways this can happen. Radiation fog forms over land […]

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From the editor

FROM THE EDITOR Our attitude to meat and dairy in the UK is evolving, and you only have to visit a local supermarket to see it. Alongside the meat and dairy aisles, now sit shelves crammed full of plant-based alternatives. There are juicy burgers made out of pea proteins, chicken nuggets made from mushrooms and […]