This is often in the rivers where is found gold in powder form, mixed with sand that lines in the beds of rivers and streams. To extract the gold dust was used in ancient time skins of animals deposited in stream bottoms to catch gold. The sand and gold (heavier than water) were retained in the hair of the furs and lifted from time to time to sift the precious metal. When the Greeks saw for the first time these…

It’s with the Nautilus that zirconium lived its greatest adventure of strategic metal. It had been used, indeed, in the first U.S. atomic submarine which is also the first true submarine. Until the Nautilus, the submarines could not sink more than few hours under the sea. The Nautilus instead, thanks to its nuclear engine, was capable of providing non-stop, for days, considerable power with no need of…

Why men and animals use so much energy to scream? When in danger, would not it be more effective to take his legs around his neck? Mammals, birds, and even amphibians scream. Scientists have wondered why animals and humans lose valuable time when their life is in danger. But it seems that the scream has several functions. First, shouting can be scary. Shouting informed the enemy that is seen and recognized. With…

Regular lamps, (incandescent bulb), enlighten us with a metal filament that is heated to redness (like a piece of iron which is heated in a forge) by passing an electric current. For this filament does not burn, it is placed in a glass bulb which was evacuated. Instead, the light provided by fluorescent lights (eg those of shop signs) is from atomic energy. In a glass tube which contains neon, it sends an electric…

This device called phytotron is a kind of incubator for plants. If you put such radishes, technicians will be able to watch hour after hour, the growth of radishes. Inside the growth chamber, we can vary the humidity, temperature, air composition... We can study how well the plant is nourished and know therefore what foods it likes and who are growing the fastest. Thus one can experience the performance of…

For years, archaeological missions have tried to find on Mount Ararat in eastern Turkey, the remains of Noah’s ark. Which would prove the reality of the Flood and the destruction of humanity with the exception of few. The Old Testament gives details of the ark: a kind of triple-decker bunk barge and whose impressive dimensions - some 180 meters long by 30 wide and 18 high - would make it the largest vessel…

The hype and disaster movies have given to sharks the image of dangerous predators that pounce on anything that swims, including swimmers - which is far from the case. In fact, sharks rarely attack human, a hundred cases or less are reported each year. Half the time, the man survived the encounter. However, this is increasing. Mainly because divers, swimmers, surfers and other water skiers ventured deeper and…