Ask Grandad

Argan oil is a plant oil produced from the kernels of the argan tree (Argania spinosa L.) that is endemic to Morocco. In Morocco, argan oil is used to dip bread in at breakfast or to drizzle on couscous or pasta. It is also used for cosmetic purposes.

Bubble tea is a tea-based drink that originates from Taiwan. It is also known as pearl milk tea, boba tea and QQ (onomatopoeic for the Taiwanese word for ‘chew-chew’). The name ‘bubble tea’ originally came from the frothy bubbles that form when the drink is shaken to mix the tea, milk and flavourings together, but over time this has changed to refer to the bubble-like tapioca pearls in the bottom of the drink. These were the original ‘boba’, but now the terms bubble tea and boba tea are more or less interchangeable.

Hiccups are very puzzling – a jumpy gulp in the back of your throat that makes a very distinctive sound!

Hiccups occur when your diaphragm – that’s the thin layer of muscle that separates your chest cavity from your abdomen – suddenly and involuntarily tightens.

As it tightens, it causes you to breathe in air very quickly. The incoming air is stopped when your glottis – that’s the opening between your vocal cords – closes suddenly, producing the characteristic sound of a hiccup.

Now although we know WHAT happens when we hiccup, it’s not clear WHY they occur.

They sometimes start after you have been eating or drinking too quickly, and spicy foods and fizzy drinks are particularly to blame.

There isn’t actually a sure fire way to get rid of them, although some people think that a sip of water or even a shock can make them stop.

But don’t ask someone to give you a shock when you’re having a drink. It might go down the wrong way!

Luckily hiccups aren’t generally harmful and stop all by themselves after a few minutes.

So if you’re still hiccupping after several hours, it might be worth a visit to the doctor!

Yuk…hey we found this video to tell you all about your skin, what it is made of and how it works…you humans are very odd, Badgers prefer fur!!!

Generally speaking, nuts are safe for dogs to eat, but they’re not a very healthy choice Nuts are high in fat and dense in calories so they’re OK in moderation but you will end up with a fat and lazy pup if you keep feeding her nuts all day!!!

PVA is biodegradable. Clear glue in a tube that has a strong solvent smell (ie. Superglue) is toxic to aquatic organisms and may cause long-term adverse effects in the aquatic environment.

How do they each work?

Superglue and PVA glue both use polymerisation for adhesion. Polymerisation is a chemical reaction, where the sharing of electrons allows some types of molecule to join together, forming long chains called polymers. Superglue contains a compound called ethyl 2-cyanoacrylate, which reacts with water to cure (ie turn from a liquid into a solid). Usually there is a very thin layer of water present on most surfaces – condensed water vapour from the air – making superglue effective on almost any type of surface. PVA (polyvinyl acetate) glue is water-based, and is commonly used for sticking wood together. Water in PVA intertwines the fibres of wood with the polyvinyl acetate, eventually evaporating and leaving behind a bond stronger than the material itself.

Baby moles are in their mummies stomach for only 30 days. Moles can have a litter of 2-7 young but normally they have an average litter of 3 or 4 babies born in the spring.

You can find out much more about moles here Popster…

https://ypte.org.uk/factsheets/mole/mole-habits?hide_donation_prompt=1

Our brains contains about 100 billion microscopic cells called neurons. There are so many, it would take you over 3,000 years to count them all!

Your brain generates enough electricity to power a lightbulb

Your brain contains about 100 billion microscopic cells called neurons. There are so many, it would take you over 3,000 years to count them all! Whenever you dream, laugh, think, see or move, it’s because minute chemical and electrical signals are racing between these neurons along billions of tiny neuron pathways. Incredibly, the activity in your brain never stops. Countless messages zip around inside it every second – just like a supercharged pinball machine. Your neurons create and send more messages than all the phones in the entire world. And while a single neuron generates only a very small amount of electricity, all your neurons together can produce enough energy to power a low-wattage light bulb. Imagine that!

More stuff here Finnster…

https://www.natgeokids.com/uk/discover/science/general-science/human-brain/