There is a small category of materials that are not assembled from anything, and felt is the oldest of them.
Almost every fabric is made of threads. Spinning turns loose…
There is a class of object that has to work with nobody supervising it, in public, permanently, and postboxes are among the clearest examples.
Before they existed, a letter had…
There is a common assumption about layered rocks that slate steadily breaks.
The assumption is that a rock which splits into sheets does so along the layers in which it…
Every other preservation method makes food hostile to spoilage organisms. This one removes them entirely and then locks the door. Here are fifteen consequences.
1. The Order Is Seal First,…
There is a reason water clocks were difficult and sand timers were easy, and it comes down to a surprising difference between liquids and piles of small solid grains.
A…
There is an image that makes most people wince the first time they see it: a hammer driving nails into a horse's foot.
The reaction is reasonable, and it rests…