Breaking News: Bomb Threat to Trowbridge, Wiltshire!

Trowbridge locals look on in disbelief - "Why can't I get to Poundland!"...
Trowbridge doesn’t seem like a likely target for terrorists. But yesterday, the centre of the town became ‘locked down’ as bomb disposal squads investigated a ‘suspect bag’.

I like the place, but a lot of people don’t. It’s the official county town of Wiltshire, a beautiful and historic region, yet Charles Moore from The Spectator described Trowbridge as a town lacking any “sign of talent, originality, workmanship, beauty or local pride”. He said the locals are “tattooed people shuffling round”. Even former front man of The Stranglers wrote a disparaging (but rather amusing) song “Don’t put me on a slow boat to Trowbridge”.

So it was with some surprise that yesterday, my afternoon shuffle to Asda was rudely interrupted by a police cordon and bomb disposal squad… Read more

How a Chocolate Indulgence can be Good for You! (but not your dog)

Chocolate lovers beware: Reading today's blog could be beneficial to your health!
Chocolate is the nation’s favourite indulgence. Every year we collectively chomp our way through four Olympic stadiums worth of the stuff.

Today’s blog is all about enjoying chocolate and leaving the New Year’s resolutions for another day. Research shows that the healthy chemicals from chocolate will soon be making their way into the next generation of cold and flu medicines. But be warned… this choco-extract is the same chemical that makes chocolate poisonous to cats and dogs.

I’ve prepared an irresistible chocolate recipe so you can test out chocolate’s healing powers at home. And just so the pet dog doesn’t feel left out, there is something in here for Fido too! Read more

Exploding Milk Bottles! When Ice and Dairy collide…

Sub-zero temperatures can be hazardous. If frostbite, hypothermia and road accidents weren’t bad enough; now our milk bottles are exploding!

In a previous post, Ruth wanted to know the answer to her milk bottle saga:

Sweet-tasting cream erupting from a bottle of milk!

“My milk was frozen this morning so that the cream erupted out of the bottle in a column. I see why that happened but why did this bit of cream taste really sweet?”

After promising to investigate and learning about the science behind a simple bottle of milk, it seems Ruth has discovered an ingenious way to get naturally sweet cream… Read more

The Science behind the Perfect Christmas Roast!

Christmas day is looming. That hallowed day of food, wine, gifts, food and then some more food is nearly here!

Mmm, tasty!
In the UK, ten million turkeys will be cooked, 25 million Christmas puddings eaten, and six million gallons of wine drunk! The chances are that you will be eating roast turkey at some point this next week (unless you’re vegetarian).

But how many of us know the best way to cook a roast? Have you’ve ever wondered what actually goes on in the food you cook? If you like cooking or eating, then today’s post is for you!

Warning: Reading today’s blog may make you decidedly hungry… Read more

The rise of the ‘Skeptics’: A new breed of Armchair Scientists

When I was a child, Johnny Ball used to be my hero. He hosted a UK TV programme, called ‘Johnny Ball Reveals All‘. With the enthusiasm of a five-year-old, he bounced across the TV screen while explaining science questions: ‘Why does a volcano erupt?’, ‘How do my eyes work?’ and ‘What is electricity?’ He was an inspiring and eccentric character, who helped give me a love of science.

We love Johnny Ball!

I’m still excited about science today, and try to share that passion with others. But some people don’t seem to get quite as passionate as me: My wife’s eyes normally glaze over when I start to get animated about quantum physics!

But I’ve stumbled across a new breed of science lovers:  a movement of armchair scientists, on a mission to separate fact from fiction.  They call themselves ‘skeptics’ and are determined not to fall victim to any hoax or scam. They meet together in pubs and cast a questioning eye over anything controversial. In recent months, numbers have been mushrooming and I wanted to know what all the fuss was about. I picked the brains of Hayley Stevens, co-founder of the Bath Skeptic Society to find out more….  Read more

Driving on Ice: Alternatives to Grit Salt

How’s your driving at the moment? Ice can be a treacherous thing: I once drove a brand new car into a lamppost on an icy, un-gritted road; resulting in £1,000 worth of damage and a severely dented ego!

Let's face it, rubber and ice weren't made for each other...

In Britain, we don’t handle the cold weather very well; a flurry of snow or an icy day seizes our roads, railways and airports to a standstill. Every winter road-gritters work hard to keep us moving by spraying our roads with grit and salt. They’ve been doing it for over 50 years, but isn’t it a little strange that they’re still just using plain old salt? It damages cars , pollutes the environment and only really works down to about -5 degrees C! Surely science must have come up with something better than the stuff you put on your fish and chips?

Read on and never slip-slide away again…! Read more

Its Official: Men are Terrible at Christmas Shopping… (but women love getting gifts)

It’s Christmas shopping frenzy time! That’s right, shops and malls everywhere are going to be bursting with families clamouring to get the best gifts for their nearest and dearest. Christmas shopping may be someone’s idea of fun, but I find it all rather masochistic! You risk life and limb tripping over screaming toddlers while trying to avoid marital strife in arguments over whether Aunt Elsie would prefer the pink or blue polka dot scarf!

Do you like Christmas Shopping?
Me? I’d rather relax in front of a log fire with some warm mulled wine!

Are you nodding in whole-hearted agreement or do you think I’m a boring old scrooge?

In case you ever wondered why it is always men rushing around at 4pm on Christmas eve , then read on! 

Given man’s inability to buy Christmas presents, find out why it is a miracle any couples are still together come boxing day.. Read more

Xbox ‘Kinect’, Playstation and Wii: Is playing Video Games bad for you?

Have you decided what to buy for Christmas yet? In the UK, we spent over £2 billion on video games most households have at least one games console. Chances are that someone you love will want a video game for Christmas this year. Oh how things have changed….

I used to spend hours playing a Commodore 64! The 10 minute loading times taught me patience...
Video gaming to be all about sweaty teenage boys spending hours alone in darkened bedrooms: It isn’t anymore! Over the last few years; thanks to the family-friendly Nintendo Wii, and ‘serious’ adult games, playing video games has gone from a geeky pleasure to a socially acceptable pastime for all ages.

But should we be worried? By getting video games for kids are we stopping them developing social skills? Do action games make us more violent people?

Today’s blog will explain how the ‘Xbox Kinect’: the new console that can apparently spy on you and will try to get some truth about the nation’s new favourite hobby… Read more