What are hydrcarbons?

Some vegetables contain iron, selenium, magnesium, and other minerals that conduct electricity. Microwaves have electric and magnetic fields, and minerals within the vegetables act as antennae for the electric fields. When there’s a difference between the electrical properties between two bits of material—say, the surface of one piece of kale and the surface of another nearby piece—it creates an arc of electricity, which we see as a spark. The electrical charge moves from the material…

While it’s impossible to trace word origins definitively, the modern usage of "cop" seeps to derive from the word’s definition as a verb: "To get hold of; catch, capture," per Merriam-Webster. The noun evolved from the verb—police officers were "copping" criminals, and eventually, officers became "coppers," then simply “cops." There are other possible answers, but they’re not supported by any real evidence. One such theory: "Cop" is an acronym for "constable on patrol" or "citizen…

Maybe, under the right conditions, but not for most people—and not overnight. When we’re talking about the effect of fear on the human body, we’re really talking about stress, and stress can certainly cause profound physiological changes. One study also found that hormones created by stress can disrupt the process of cells called melanocytes, which produce pigment for hair and skin. Stress can cause hair loss in several ways; most commonly, it can prompt hair…

Yes, several organizations are developing proposals for possible missions. None of those proposals are concrete, but that could change in the near future. Here’s an overview: NASA’s Journey to Mars NASA’s strategy for a manned Mars expedition is probably the most promising, given that the agency has actually landed robotic craft on the planet’s surface. The administration envisions a multi-stage approach in which the moon serves as a stepping stone to Mars. Currently, NASA is…

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It’s actually pretty complex. Traffic light patterns vary considerably from country to country, although traffic lights in the United States typically follow the National Electrical Manufacturers Association TS-1 or TS-2 standards. So, let’s say you’re an engineer, and your job is to set up patterns for a city’s traffic lights. You want to keep vehicles moving wherever possible while allowing sufficient time for pedestrians to cross the street. It’s an important job—poorly timed traffic lights…

Typically, it finds its way home. The mechanisms it uses to do that depend on the exact species of ant. Some rely on pheromone trails as their primary means of navigation; if these ants get lost, they’ll wander around, looking for the trail of other ants. Some ants use visual landmarks when they’re far from their colonies. In one study, scientists led wood ants along a straight line next to a black wall to get…

If you’re hoping to avoid tickets, your best bet is to drive safely. With that said, yes, there’s some evidence to indicate that vehicle choice does correlate with the likelihood of receiving a traffic ticket. First, to dispel an old myth, red cars don’t receive a much greater proportional percentage of traffic tickets than cars of other colors. The misconception comes from the idea that drivers act more aggressively when driving red cars, or that…

Also known as "boot camp," basic training teaches the traditions and tactics necessary for military service. In films and television, basic training is often shown as extremely difficult and physically demanding; however, the actual experience differs significantly from portrayals in movies like Full Metal Jacket. While the physical components of basic training plans can be difficult, the goal of most camps is to get the recruit into the proper mindset for military service. This means…

That depends on how you define "weird." After all, The Guardians of the Galaxy film franchise features a talking space raccoon, and the Ant-Man franchise features a hero that comics fans once found ridiculous. Both were massive hits—weirdness is in the eye of the beholder. With that said, the two main comics companies, Marvel and DC Comics, have had plenty of oddball outliers over their combined 165 years of business, and some are inarguably...well, weird…

There’s no simple answer, as Spotify has a fairly complicated payment structure, but by delving into the site’s terms of service and looking at a few recent stats, we can get a good idea of how much (or how little) artists make. First, it’s important to recognize that a paid play (i.e., a play from a Spotify Premium user) pays differently than a free play. When a Spotify user listens to a song with the…

Horse Trainer/Exerciser Contrary to popular belief, other people outside of the jockeys actually help train and exercise the horses before their races. The main objective of a horse trainer is to make sure that the horses are properly prepared for the jockeys. According to Salary.com, the annual median salary is around $50K. This is the perfect career choice if you're a horse lover! Pet Food Taster Pet food tasters check the value of pet food…

When sports teams are vying for a spot in the playoffs, especially in baseball, you’ll often hear discussion about your favorite team’s "Magic Number", but not much explanation of what that statistic actually represents. According to MLB.com, "a team’s magic number represents the combination of wins needed by that team and losses by its closest competitor to clinch a given goal. Every time a team wins, its magic number decreases by one. Similarly, every time…

Impeachment is the process used by a legislative body to bring charges of wrongdoing against a public official. Basically, it is the indictment of an appointed or elected public officer on serious criminal charges. The legal basis for impeachment is stated in Article II, Section 4 of the United States Constitution: "The President, Vice President and all civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason…

If you are living paycheck to paycheck, worried about debt collectors, or can't seem to develop a workable budget, you may be considering a consumer credit counseling service. Your creditors may be willing to accept reduced payments if you enter a debt repayment plan with a reputable credit counseling service. Choosing whether or not to use one of these services and choosing which agency to work with can be difficult, so here are some tips…

The only safe way to avoid a traffic ticket is to avoid breaking the law in the first place, but if you’re asking this question, you’re past that point. In the United States, an average of 125,000 people receive speeding tickets each day. A single speeding offense can increase a driver’s insurance premiums by 25 percent, depending on the nature of the offense and other factors, so it’s no wonder that drivers look for ways…

Not great. The exact statistics vary, depending on what you define as "famous", but let’s assume you want to make a living on YouTube. An average YouTube channel might receive about $3-5 per 1,000 video views. To make $2,000 per month—a livable, but not comfortable wage in most of the United States—you’d need to attract over 27,000 views per day. Of course, if your audience has a higher than average engagement rate (meaning they’re attractive…

In one sense, the letter “j” was invented in 1524, but the character was widely used before that—as a numeral. Here’s the deal: The Roman numeric system used both uppercase and lowercase numerals. When writing a row of ones, writers would often add a slash to the “i" to indicate the end of the series (for instance, the number three would be written as “iij”). As European languages evolved, they used “i" to represent the…

Yes, hurricanes can have a dramatic effect on sea life. Hurricanes form when a low-pressure area moves across tropical waters, picking up moisture. Warm air rises, forming another low-pressure area, which causes more air to rush in. That air rises, forming clouds and thunderstorms. The storm is officially categorized as a hurricane when wind speeds reach 74 mph. A hurricane can create waves as high as 18.3 meters (60 feet), and its raging winds can…

According to urban legend, daddy long-legs produce the most potent venom of any spider, but their fangs aren’t strong enough to penetrate human skin. This isn’t true. The name "daddy long-legs" is used to refer to several species, including some spiders, but none of them are particularly venomous. When you think of "daddy long-legs," you’re probably thinking of one of these creatures: Pholcidae - Spiders in the Pholcidae family are found throughout the world, and…

It is no great secret that what we put into our bodies affects our overall well-being, from brain health to our ability to fight infection, heart health, weight management and even physical performance. But, did you know that there are specific food factors that can lead you to your happy place and let you live there for all eternity? Of course, everyone wears cranky pants occasionally, but wouldn't it be nice to sport them much…

She-Hulk is a Marvel character introduced in February 1980. She’s also the star of an upcoming Disney+ series. In Marvel lore, She-Hulk is lawyer Jennifer Walters, the shy cousin of Bruce Banner (the original Hulk). After an accident, Walters receives a blood transfusion from Banner, which gives her his powers, albeit in a milder form. Marvel’s official character description notes that “while she gained massive strength, she never lost her passion for justice.” In addition…

Moon Knight is a Marvel comic book character and the protagonist of the upcoming Disney+ television series of the same name. He was created by writer Doug Moench and artist Don Perlin for the comic book Werewolf by Night #32 in August 1975. He has been compared to D.C. Comics character Batman, as both of the heroes rely on their mastery of martial arts and extensive tactical knowledge rather than superpowers (Moench also worked on…

Both devices provide non-volatile storage, which means they’re capable of storing data even when a computer loses power (as opposed to something like random access memory, which requires a constant source of electricity). Hard disk drives (HDDs) use mechanical components to store data using magnets, while solid-state drives (SSDs) store data electronically. SSDs do not contain moving parts, which is advantageous for several reasons. To understand the benefits of each technology, we need to understand…

We probably won’t get the next game in the Elder Scrolls series until at least 2021. The game series, which has spawned massive hits including Morrowind, Oblivion, and Skyrim is notorious for long development times. Skyrim, the fifth game in the main series, was released in 2011. It quickly broke sales records, and soon after, fans started clamoring for a sequel. Bethesda, the series’ publisher, teased The Elder Scrolls VI at their E3 2018 press…

While we’re not especially superstitious, Friday the 13th has certainly held bad luck for some people. Here are a few of our favorite coincidences: An author’s ship suffered a strange fate. Author Thomas William Lawson was a businessman and author, and he might have helped popularize the Friday the 13th superstition. In 1907, he wrote Friday, the Thirteenth, a popular novel about a stock broker who brings down the markets on the eponymous date. Lawson…

Nobody knows for sure, but we’ve got some pretty good theories. It’s likely that Friday the 13th is seen as unlucky for multiple reasons. While the number 13 has been seen as unlucky for centuries (at least in the Western world), the specific superstition of Friday the 13th is much more recent. Here are a few facts that help to explain the origins of the idea that Friday the 13th is the unluckiest date on…

Many scientists believe the Amazon rainforest plays a crucial role in moderating global temperatures. That’s the primary reason to be concerned about deforestation efforts, but here’s a more detailed breakdown of the Amazon’s importance: 1. It removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Each year, the Amazon rainforest absorbs about a quarter of the carbon dioxide generated by the burning of fossil fuels, so it’s one of the most effective tools we have in the fight…

As of September 27, 2019, Spider-Man will stay in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with Sony Pictures and Marvel Studios reaching a deal to coproduce a third Spider-Man movie starring Tom Holland as the masked web-slinger. His next installment will be produced by Amy Pascal through Pascal Pictures, who also produced the previous two Spider-Man films. The deal includes about 25% of the film's profits for Marvel and parent company Disney, as well as Disney retaining…

Most science resources focus on four main steps of the water cycle—evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and collection—but some resources get more granular. Here’s a breakdown: 1. Evaporation - Heat from the sun (or another source) comes into contact with water. The heat excites the molecules of water, spreading them out; as a result, the water loses density and evaporates, rising into the air as vapor. This can happen at any temperature between water’s freezing and boiling…

Disney’s new streaming service, Disney+, will debut Nov. 12, 2019, and the studio is busy whipping up tons of original content. That’s a major development in the entertainment world, since, in addition to their historical stranglehold on animated children’s fare, Disney now owns some of the most beloved properties in Hollywood. That includes the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the Star Wars franchise. Disney+ will hit the market at an initial price point of $6.99 per…

Chip cards are generally considered to be more secure than magnetic strip cards. To understand why, we need to understand how the two technologies work. A magnetic strip holds information about the card and the cardholder’s account. This is static information—it doesn’t change. Every time you use the card, it sends the same information to the card reader to authorize the purchase. Chip cards use an EMV chip. EMV stands for Europay, Mastercard, and Visa…

Nothing is 100 percent guaranteed in astronomy, but scientists don’t expect the asteroid 99942-Apophis to come into contact with the Earth (or any other celestial bodies in our solar system, for that matter). A blog post from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) at the California Institute of Technology notes that on Friday, April 13, 2029, 99942-Apophis will “cruise harmlessly by Earth, about 19,000 miles (31,000 kilometers) above the surface.” You read that right: An asteroid…

“I went to school with someone who found out on the honeymoon [that] her new husband had been having a long-term affair,” wrote PhantomTireBuyer. “She was surprisingly cool with everything and never seemed upset.” “She even said she was happy she found out then rather than five years down the line, or when they had children.”

Modern astronomers break the sky into 88 designated star groups known as constellations. Here’s a quick breakdown of the five largest. Constellations are typically measured in square degrees of the night sky; for comparison, a full moon covers about 0.2 square degrees. HydraMeasuring at 1,303 square degrees, Hydra is the largest of the modern constellations. It’s visible in the Northern Hemisphere from January to May, but it’s best seen in the Southern Hemisphere. Hydra It’s…

Amelia Earhart, the first woman to pilot a non-stop flight across the Atlantic Ocean, disappeared on July 2, 1937, during her attempt to fly around the globe. She was legally declared dead on Jan. 5, 1939, but nobody knows precisely what happened to her. In the years since her disappearance, researchers have posited a number of theories, some of which are more credible than others. Let’s look at a few possible explanations: 1. She ran…

Here are a few of the most interesting facts about lefties (and by the way, this answer was written by a lefty): Four of the last six U.S. presidents were lefties. Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama were left-handed. George W. Bush and Donald Trump are righties. Overall, eight of the 45 American presidents have been lefties (the others are James Garfield, Herbert Hoover, Harry Truman, and Gerald Ford). Lefties make…

We all know by now—or at least we should—that what our history textbooks told us in school is not exactly the gospel truth. Time and centuries’ worth of oral and written tradition tend to distort and reshape the facts to the sensibilities of modern audiences, so one person’s intrepid discoverer of the Americas becomes another person’s

You might say the books you read when you were a child are some of your fondest memories growing up. You may even go on to say these tales you enjoyed with loved ones or by yourself contributed to the person you became as an adult. It’s a solid truth that reading to children and spending time with them creates a bond that can last for a lifetime. When you’re ready to begin your literary…

Dog farts are no joke. Canine flatulence can clear out a room and ruin a sweet, cuddly moment in an instant. Your pet might not seem to be bothered by their gas, but if you're reading this, you probably are. And there's a good reason to take doggie gas seriously: Along with other symptoms that we'll get into in a little bit, excessive gas could indicate gastrointestinal issues or a food allergy, according to PetMD…

Emma Lazarus wrote the sonnet “The New Colossus” on Nov. 2, 1883 as part of a fundraising effort for the construction of the Statue of Liberty’s pedestal. Lazarus was born on July 22, 1849, into a wealthy Sephardic Jewish family (Sephardic Jews descend from people who were expelled from Spain during the Inquisition in the 15th century). While her Jewish heritage played a minor role in her early work, it eventually became a major part…

Tourists adventuring in America are losing their appetites over conversations about tipping. After all, what's the fun of facing off against an absurdly-sized triple cheeseburger that could feed a family of four if you're focused on remembering the guidelines of gratuity. Oh wait; that's right, there are no guidelines! Instead, there are only arguments about percentages for tourists to contemplate as they chew and that's enough to put a bad taste in their mouths that…

The exact origins of the phrase are difficult to pin down, but it’s generally attributed to the practice of biting on a bullet during warfare to deal with pain or discomfort. According to one theory, soldiers would bite bullets during field amputations during the Civil War. Patients would either die or “bite the bullet" and undergo a horrific operation. The lead balls, while not exactly nutritious, would absorb the bite without damaging their teeth. While…

There’s really only one way to fold a fitted sheet without succumbing to the frustration that usually accompanies the task. The elastic bands do present an issue, see, and most of us end up shoving unfolded linens into our closets. That wastes space, and it’s completely unnecessary—folding a fitted sheet is fairly simple, once you’ve mastered the technique. Here’s the best method: Start by holding the sheet lengthwise by the top two corners (the short…

It comes from a tradition followed by some Native American tribes. At the end of a war, the tribes' chiefs would literally bury a hatchet as a symbolic gesture of their new peace. Not all tribes followed this tradition. However, it likely predated the European settlement of the Americas, and it was seen as a solemn and important ceremony. One 1664 account describes the Iriquois proposing peace as “proclaim[ing] that they wish to unite all…

It’s based on a musical notation system used in the Middle Ages. First, let’s look at Merriam-Webster’s definition of the phrase: “To encompass an entire range of something. Ex: Her emotions ran the gamut from joy to despair.” To put that another way, “run the gamut" means to go from the start of something to the ending, and this meaning has an origin in medieval music theory. The monk Guido of Arezzo developed a system…

If prepared well, they taste similar to shrimp. And yes, they’re edible. Contrary to popular belief, roly polies (also known as pill bugs, doodle bugs, potato bugs, and by their scientific order name, Armadillidiidae) aren’t insects or arachnids. They’re land crustaceans, and as such, they’re more closely related to lobsters, crayfish, and shrimp. As a general disclaimer, you shouldn’t eat random crustaceans you find walking across your basement, but if you decide to eat roly…

Here’s the basic process. After you’ve got this down, we’ll look at a few ways to influence the outcome of the coin flip. Step One - Make your hand into a fist, wedging your thumb against your index finger or in the crease between your index finger and middle finger. Point the thumb side up. Step Two - Place the coin on top of your fist on the space between your thumb and index finger…

Sometimes, but not typically. The film’s producer makes that decision. Many film productions outsource it to a motion graphics company like Scarlet Letters, which claims to be the number one company in the world specializing in end titles. The company might receive a credit for that work, but the specific person who types the names into the end credits won’t usually receive their own individual credit. That’s because they’re not doing a ton of work—the…

The answer depends on the type of shuffle you use. With a bit of math, we can determine that a brand-new deck will be effectively randomized after seven traditional (or “riffle") shuffles. First, a quick definition of a riffle shuffle: Divide the deck into two roughly equal halves, then use your thumbs to pull up (or down) on the ends of each stack. Allow the halves to fall so that the cards alternate. If you’re…