ScienceIQ.com

Why does popcorn pop?

Popcorn is the most amazing food! It all starts with a kernel only several millimeters in diameter which explodes into a 40-50 times bigger fluffy, tasty, white wonder. The kernel is made of three parts: the pericarp, the endosperm and the germ. The pericarp is the outer shell, which is air-tight and extremely tough. The endosperm is mostly ...

Continue reading...

WhyDoesPopcornPop
Physics

Ultraviolet Light

Ultraviolet light is a form of radiation which is not visible to the human eye. It's in an invisible part of the 'electromagnetic spectrum'. Radiated energy, or radiation, is given off by many ... Continue reading

UltravioletLight
Chemistry

Luminol; Trick-or-Treat or Terrible Feat

What does trick-or-treating and crime scene investigation have in common? Hopefully, they don't have much in common, unless the trick-or-treater is wearing a safety glow stick. Glow sticks contain ... Continue reading

Luminol
Medicine

Mad Cow Disease

In 1986, the first case of 'mad cow' disease or bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) was found in cattle in Great Britain. Irritable personalities, fearful behavior, and a staggering gait preceded ... Continue reading

MadCowDisease
Biology

A Sweaty Subject

When human body temperature rises, tiny muscles around the sweat glands in the skin contract, squeezing perspiration - better known as sweat - out through the pores. Sweat is about 99 percent water. ... Continue reading

Sweat

Is Catnip a Drug for Cats?

IsCatnipaDrugforCatsMost people think of catnip as having drug-like effects on their cats. Some cats lick it, eat it or just sniff it and owners can see a definite behavior change. Catnip is actually a plant from the mint family. It contains the chemical trans-nepetalactone which causes the cats' odd behavior. It is not a drug; therefore completely safe for cats!

House cats aren't the only animals that go bonkers for catnip; tigers do too. In fact, all animals in the felidae family react to it. Humans and other animals are not affected by the trans-nepetalactone in the catnip. So why does this chemical make members of the cat family go crazy for it? Well, trans-nepetalactone smells just like a chemical found in a dominant female cat's urine. This smell deceives male cats, causing them to try to impress the female by acting crazy. They roll around, jump, stretch out their claws and anything else to get 'her' attention.

Not all cats are affected by catnip though. So, don't think that your cat is not truly a cat if it doesn't act bizarre around catnip. Older cats or kittens may not be affected by catnip. Also, cats may have a crazy reaction to the catnip then walk away and act normal for a while. As soon as their brain 'resets' and the cat goes back to the catnip, the same reaction occurs. The craziness associated with your cat in the presence of catnip can go on as long as the catnip keeps its smell. Although we can't smell it, our cats go wild for it!