Why Do Mosquitoes Bite Some People More Than Others?
Every summer barbecue seems to have one: the person slapping their ankles all night while everyone else barely notices a mozzie. So why do mosquitoes bite some people more than…
Does Sweat Smell? Why Body Odour Is Really About Bacteria
Does sweat smell? Surprisingly, not on its own, because fresh sweat is almost odourless. The smell we call body odour comes from bacteria living on our skin, which feed on…
How to Get Rid of Hiccups (and Why We Get Them at All)
Everyone has a favourite hiccup trick: drink water, hold your breath, swallow a spoonful of sugar, get someone to scare you. So how do you actually get rid of hiccups?…
What Is High Blood Pressure? And Why It Rises at the Doctor
The cuff tightens around your arm, the machine starts humming and you sit there trying very hard to relax. Then the doctor reads out two numbers that are higher than…
How to Get Rid of Cellulite: What Actually Works
Search for “how to get rid of cellulite” and you’ll find an endless supply of creams, scrubs, massage tools, supplements and cosmetic treatments promising smoother skin. What’s much harder to…
Bed Bugs: How to Spot Them, Treat Bites and Get Rid of Them
“Good night, sleep tight, don’t let the bed bugs bite.” It’s an old rhyme, but bed bugs are very real, and they can turn a normal night’s sleep into an…
What Is the Meaning of Life? The Big Answers Compared
It might be the biggest question there is, and also one of the oldest. What is the meaning of life? There is no single answer that everyone agrees on, and…
Is Water Fluoridation Safe? What the Evidence Says
Ask what’s actually in your tap water, and fluoride is one of the answers most likely to start an argument. Fluoride occurs naturally in water, soil and rocks, and it…
How Does Cannabis Get You High? The Science of THC
Cannabis can produce some very different effects. One person feels relaxed and giggly, another gets hungry, loses track of time or finds ordinary sounds suddenly fascinating, and someone else becomes…
What Is a Circadian Rhythm? How Your Body Clock Works
Why do you feel wide awake at some times of day and struggle to keep your eyes open at others? Why does flying to Europe leave you wrecked for days?…