Natalie Harrison
Recent articles by Natalie Harrison
Could humans evolve again from apes if we went extinct?
Would evolution follow the same set path, or is it all a matter of time and place?
Why does a ‘tree of ice’ form in my bottle of lager after I take it from the freezer?
Ice crystals can rapidly form in a bottle of liquid after you remove it from the freezer - but why?
Why do some smells cause disgust?
Scents provoke strong responses, and not everyone responds in the same way, so why do some things provoke disgust universally?
Which mammal produces the largest litter of babies?
Humans have been known to give birth to up to eight babies at any one time, but that doesn't even bring us close to the biggest mammal litters.
Will we ever find a cure for the flu?
The seasonal flu vaccinations are produced to target a specific strain of influenza each year but a universal vaccine is much harder to develop.
Could human singing make bees produce more honey?
Something by Sting or the Bee-Gees, perhaps.
Why do we get jetlag?
It's probably not a good idea to binge on in-flight entertainment.
Is waving back at a stranger on a bridge a sign of happiness?
Waving is a behaviour that promotes bonding within a group, but is responding to someone waving at you a sign of your state of mood?
What is the most difficult machinery to operate?
From surgery to flight, there are lots of complex procedures and machinery that require special skill - but what is the most difficult?
Why are spiders scary?
Arachnophobia could be an evolutionary or a cultural aversion - unfortunately, not knowing makes it difficult to get to the bottom of the fear.
Are toeprints unique, like fingerprints?
Try asking the criminals who have tried to hotfoot it away from the scene of the crime barefoot.
What did the woolly mammoth eat?
You can tell a lot about an animal's diet from their teeth and stomach contents...
Why is QWERTY on our keyboards?
The QWERTY keyboard we use today originated with typewriters.
How does the power output of a traditional windmill compare to a modern wind turbine?
The difference in power between a traditional windmill and a modern wind turbine is influenced by overall output, sail diameter, and generator efficiency.
Why don’t humans hibernate?
Human hibernation doesn't exist for many reasons, but the reason why is not quite as immediately obvious as you might think.
Why do many girls prefer the colour pink?
It could just be a cultural quirk, but recent research hints at a deeper reason.
Why are people less likely to enter an art gallery if nobody else is there?
People don't like to go into spaces that are not very busy and there are a number of psychological causes for this behaviour.
What’s the difference between a cyclone and a hurricane?
You spin me right round baby, right round, like a record baby - but like a typhoon or like a hurricane?
What determines the colour of an object?
Is colour just a pigment of our imagination? Here we shed some light on what exactly gives objects their colour.
Is artificial photosynthesis a promising technology for future energy production?
Talk about green energy!