A metallic bond is characterized by free electrons and generally forms a specific geometric pattern of compact arrangement of atoms. All metals (except mercury) thus exist in a solid state at room temperature and have a specific crystal structure. Mercury belongs to the zinc group of elements in the periodic table, which comprises zinc, cadmium and mercury. They all have …

Although some Ancient Roman writers made reference to eyeglasses of beryl gemstone worn by the Emperor Nero, the earliest framed lenses to correct defects in vision were made in China in the 10th century. They did not appear in Europe until the later 13th century and are first recorded in Britain in 1326. These early spectacles were held in the …

The first recorded sighting of Nessie was in the year 565, when St Columba has a confrontation with the monster and ordered it not to harm people. It never has, although many people have been startled, if not frightened, by its sudden appearances. Photographs have been taken of what people say is Nessie, and although scientists have tried to claim …

The Solar Impulse 2, claimed to be the world’s only solar-powered aircraft, took off from Oman on Tuesday to head towards Ahmedabad, launching the second leg of its epic bid to become the first such plane to fly around the world. The aircraft took off from Muscat earlier this morning and is expected to land in Ahmedabad after flying nearly …

I don’t think there are any magic love potions that you can use to make someone fall in love, but chemistry does play an important role in how a relationship progresses. First, there’s attraction. Nonverbal communication plays a big part in initial attraction and some of this communication may involve pheromones, a form of chemical communication. Did you know that …

Ever since man has been aware of worlds beyond our own, he has begun to wonder whether he is alone in the Universe. Do other races of creatures very different or perhaps quite similar to ourselves exist on distant planets? This desire to explore beyond the confines of our world and to imagine what possible life forms could exist on …

In a way, this is true of the north and south polar regions, and is caused by the tilt of the earth in relation to the sun. In fact, summer at the north pole is a time when the sun never actually sets from March to September, because the earth does not tilt enough for it to disappear below the …

Since the discovery of the outermost planet Pluto, in 1930, astronomers have wondered whether another planet might exist unseen in the outer darkness. They have looked, but nothing has been found. Clyde Tombaugh, the man who discovered Pluto, photographed the entire sky in search of extra planets. He concluded that if any other planets existed they must either be very …

In 1929, the American astronomer Edwin Hubble discovered that the galaxies are moving apart from each other at high speed. The Universe is expanding like a balloon being inflated. The further apart the galaxies are, the faster they move. For instance, a galaxy 10 million light years away gets 300 km (187 miles) further from us every second. A galaxy …

It is confusing fact that there is both an air breathing mammal called dolphin that lives in the sea, and also a true fish of the same name. There are two kinds of dolphin fish. One is quite large and grows to about 5 feet in length, and the other is similar in looks but grows to only 2 feet. …