WHY do oil rigs burn?
Along with the oil, combustible gas, a mixture of volatile hydrocarbons dissolved into the oil at depth under high pressure, flows out of the wells.
Associated gas can be gathered and processed, though since it's typically scarce, not always cost-effective.
Releasing it into the atmosphere in its pure form is not healthy for environmental and safety reasons. Therefore, the gas is burned in flares.
Along with the oil, combustible gas, a mixture of volatile hydrocarbons dissolved into the oil at depth under high pressure, flows out of the wells.
Associated gas can be gathered and processed, though since it's typically scarce, not always cost-effective.
Releasing it into the atmosphere in its pure form is not healthy for environmental and safety reasons. Therefore, the gas is burned in flares.
👍10
WHY do women over 60 dye their hair purple?
Well, it's pretty simple, gray hair is highly visible when growing out at the roots, so one can't dye it on a daily basis.
In their 60s, most people's hair turns gray, and very few have white ones. Many have a slightly grayish-yellowish color, an ugly shade, so they use violet toner.
This color absorbs the yellowness, and purple is really refreshing.
Well, it's pretty simple, gray hair is highly visible when growing out at the roots, so one can't dye it on a daily basis.
In their 60s, most people's hair turns gray, and very few have white ones. Many have a slightly grayish-yellowish color, an ugly shade, so they use violet toner.
This color absorbs the yellowness, and purple is really refreshing.
WHY does a witty answer only come to mind after the conversation is over?
This phenomenon was described by the philosopher Denis Diderot as early as the 18th century, and he gave it a name: "the ladder mind". At a dinner party in a dispute with his opponent, Diderot was so flustered that he could not adequately respond to the attacks of his interlocutor. Yet when he went out to catch his breath on the stairs, the perfect answer was there.
In a stressful situation (argument, debate, criticism), the brain starts to think in patterns, and nothing but the standard "who`s talking" comes to mind.
Never be afraid of saying the wrong thing: relax and don't look for the ideal answer. If you can learn not to twitch during an argument, then great phrases will be born by themselves.
This phenomenon was described by the philosopher Denis Diderot as early as the 18th century, and he gave it a name: "the ladder mind". At a dinner party in a dispute with his opponent, Diderot was so flustered that he could not adequately respond to the attacks of his interlocutor. Yet when he went out to catch his breath on the stairs, the perfect answer was there.
In a stressful situation (argument, debate, criticism), the brain starts to think in patterns, and nothing but the standard "who`s talking" comes to mind.
Never be afraid of saying the wrong thing: relax and don't look for the ideal answer. If you can learn not to twitch during an argument, then great phrases will be born by themselves.
🔥11😁2👍1
WHY was sushi not originally eaten with rice?
Sushi emerged in Southeast Asia, where boiled rice was used to ferment fish. This allowed it to be stored for a long time. However, only fish was eaten in this sushi, and fermented sour rice was discarded.
In the 14th-16th centuries, the Japanese came up with the idea of adding vinegar to rice, which made it also suitable for consumption and accelerated the fermentation process. And only at the beginning of the 19th century chef Yohei Hanaya suggested eating raw fish with rice, thereby creating modern sushi.
Sushi emerged in Southeast Asia, where boiled rice was used to ferment fish. This allowed it to be stored for a long time. However, only fish was eaten in this sushi, and fermented sour rice was discarded.
In the 14th-16th centuries, the Japanese came up with the idea of adding vinegar to rice, which made it also suitable for consumption and accelerated the fermentation process. And only at the beginning of the 19th century chef Yohei Hanaya suggested eating raw fish with rice, thereby creating modern sushi.
👍5
WHY is a word sometimes "on the tip of our tongue" but we cannot recall it?
In our brains, various departments are responsible for memory, figurative thinking, sensation, and speech, "naming". Apparently, some times they fail to work in sync so that you remember the image, feel everything connected with it, but the speech department refuses to give out the result.
The more you wish to recall, the less likely it is that you will succeed. Studies indicate that such "forgetting" situations occur more and more frequently as we age. Yet the cause isn't always age-related mental deterioration.
The point, as it turns out, is in the accumulated experience — the more there is, the more complicated the work of the centers involved in thinking and the more likely there are failures and internal conflicts.
In our brains, various departments are responsible for memory, figurative thinking, sensation, and speech, "naming". Apparently, some times they fail to work in sync so that you remember the image, feel everything connected with it, but the speech department refuses to give out the result.
The more you wish to recall, the less likely it is that you will succeed. Studies indicate that such "forgetting" situations occur more and more frequently as we age. Yet the cause isn't always age-related mental deterioration.
The point, as it turns out, is in the accumulated experience — the more there is, the more complicated the work of the centers involved in thinking and the more likely there are failures and internal conflicts.
👍6
WHY don't mosquitoes carry HIV?
When a mosquito bites, it injects saliva containing special substances, not blood from a previous bite. HIV cannot develop in a mosquito or any other blood-sucking insect.
In many cases, however, an insect attack can result in more than just allergies. Mosquitoes carry such unpleasant diseases as Rift Valley fever, yellow fever, Lyme disease, Dengue fever, Zika virus, leishmaniasis and, obviously, the well-known malaria.
When a mosquito bites, it injects saliva containing special substances, not blood from a previous bite. HIV cannot develop in a mosquito or any other blood-sucking insect.
In many cases, however, an insect attack can result in more than just allergies. Mosquitoes carry such unpleasant diseases as Rift Valley fever, yellow fever, Lyme disease, Dengue fever, Zika virus, leishmaniasis and, obviously, the well-known malaria.
WHY did sailors wear flared pants?
The original invention of the wide leg pants has been attributed to the Dutch, but they were first made a compulsory part of a sailor's uniform in the USA in 1810.
Flared pants do not constrain movements, they are handy for climbing the ropes and masts. Also, these pants roll up quickly and easily so one cannot get them wet when cleaning the deck or jumping into the water from the dinghy.
Besides, a sailor's job always involves the risk of falling into the water. Thus, clothes should be quickly removed if necessary, so as not to interfere with the swim.
The original invention of the wide leg pants has been attributed to the Dutch, but they were first made a compulsory part of a sailor's uniform in the USA in 1810.
Flared pants do not constrain movements, they are handy for climbing the ropes and masts. Also, these pants roll up quickly and easily so one cannot get them wet when cleaning the deck or jumping into the water from the dinghy.
Besides, a sailor's job always involves the risk of falling into the water. Thus, clothes should be quickly removed if necessary, so as not to interfere with the swim.
👍1😱1
WHY are bacteria and microbes afraid of UV light?
Ultraviolet radiation is electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength between 10 and 400 nm. In fact, it is radiation which spectrum lies between the light visible to the human eye and X-rays.
Ultraviolet is capable of penetrating the DNA and RNA of microorganisms and destroying them, at least damaging them, significantly slowing down or preventing the reproduction of cells altogether.
For humans, exposure to high doses of ultraviolet light can cause dangerous damage to the eyes and skin.
Ultraviolet radiation is electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength between 10 and 400 nm. In fact, it is radiation which spectrum lies between the light visible to the human eye and X-rays.
Ultraviolet is capable of penetrating the DNA and RNA of microorganisms and destroying them, at least damaging them, significantly slowing down or preventing the reproduction of cells altogether.
For humans, exposure to high doses of ultraviolet light can cause dangerous damage to the eyes and skin.
👍3❤1
WHY are right-handed people outnumbered by left-handed ones?
Statistically we are aware that about 85% of the world's population is right-handed, up to 10% is left-handed, and an even smaller number are ambidextrous.
Actually, lateralization, i.e. preference to use the left or right limb (hand and foot) is explained by the peculiarities of brain structure and functioning.
The left hemisphere, which controls the right hand, is responsible to a greater extent for logical and sequential thinking, which in ancient times was the key to human survival. Those with a more developed left brain were more likely to pass natural selection.
Statistically we are aware that about 85% of the world's population is right-handed, up to 10% is left-handed, and an even smaller number are ambidextrous.
Actually, lateralization, i.e. preference to use the left or right limb (hand and foot) is explained by the peculiarities of brain structure and functioning.
The left hemisphere, which controls the right hand, is responsible to a greater extent for logical and sequential thinking, which in ancient times was the key to human survival. Those with a more developed left brain were more likely to pass natural selection.
❤2👍1
WHY are piggy banks commonly shaped as pigs?
In Western Europe, piggy banks are rooted in medieval England. Pottery in those days was made from clay, known as pygg, and its name was consonant with pig.
Piggy pots have also been found in Indonesia, but none of these could be connected with the English language! Not with English, but with the Indonesian language, yeah. After all, "piggy bank" is celengan and "boar" is celeng. Naturally, the same-rooted words were combined in one image of a piggy bank.
Yet the most beautiful is the version from China. According to it, the pig is a symbol of wealth and prosperity from the earliest times. Who else would you trust to save and accumulate money but a piggy bank in its shape?
In Western Europe, piggy banks are rooted in medieval England. Pottery in those days was made from clay, known as pygg, and its name was consonant with pig.
Piggy pots have also been found in Indonesia, but none of these could be connected with the English language! Not with English, but with the Indonesian language, yeah. After all, "piggy bank" is celengan and "boar" is celeng. Naturally, the same-rooted words were combined in one image of a piggy bank.
Yet the most beautiful is the version from China. According to it, the pig is a symbol of wealth and prosperity from the earliest times. Who else would you trust to save and accumulate money but a piggy bank in its shape?
❤1
WHY do certain characters' eyes in some paintings follow you?
If the shadows, light and perspective in a painting do not change as the viewer moves, then when the eyes in a portrait look straight ahead, they seem to follow the observer as they move. It only works in the plane - since the picture is two-dimensional and you cannot bypass it and see the painted eyes from the side.
So we perceive the portrait as a front view with the pupils facing the observer. Curiously, if the artist shifts his gaze from the painting and depicts the eyes so that they look slightly away from the observer, this effect vanishes at once.
If the shadows, light and perspective in a painting do not change as the viewer moves, then when the eyes in a portrait look straight ahead, they seem to follow the observer as they move. It only works in the plane - since the picture is two-dimensional and you cannot bypass it and see the painted eyes from the side.
So we perceive the portrait as a front view with the pupils facing the observer. Curiously, if the artist shifts his gaze from the painting and depicts the eyes so that they look slightly away from the observer, this effect vanishes at once.
👍5❤1
WHY do camels spit?
Once in a while, a camel may have a food lump in its mouth that is excessively large. In such a case, the camel may spit without aiming at anyone, which is rare. Typically, the spitting is done deliberately, at a specific target, which is hit with amazing accuracy.
Spitting is also used for self-defense, protection of cubs. Camels actually have no obvious enemies in the natural environment, but cubs can be attacked by wolves.
Once in a while, a camel may have a food lump in its mouth that is excessively large. In such a case, the camel may spit without aiming at anyone, which is rare. Typically, the spitting is done deliberately, at a specific target, which is hit with amazing accuracy.
Spitting is also used for self-defense, protection of cubs. Camels actually have no obvious enemies in the natural environment, but cubs can be attacked by wolves.
😱2👍1
WHY doesn't the Earth's core freeze?
The core is the source of the magnetic field that created life.
It's actually cooling down, just slowly. From the Earth's core, colossal upward thermal flows of magma, the plumes, rise. At the surface of the mantle, they spread out to the sides, causing continents to drift, and when they get cold, they descend into the depths.
Yet the core also contains heating sources: the decay of long-lived radioactive elements and the friction between the core and the Earth's outer layers, which tides gradually slow down the rotation of the Earth.
According to approximate calculations, at least 1 billion years would pass before the core cools down completely and chemical and other reactions in it stop.
The core is the source of the magnetic field that created life.
It's actually cooling down, just slowly. From the Earth's core, colossal upward thermal flows of magma, the plumes, rise. At the surface of the mantle, they spread out to the sides, causing continents to drift, and when they get cold, they descend into the depths.
Yet the core also contains heating sources: the decay of long-lived radioactive elements and the friction between the core and the Earth's outer layers, which tides gradually slow down the rotation of the Earth.
According to approximate calculations, at least 1 billion years would pass before the core cools down completely and chemical and other reactions in it stop.
👍3❤1
WHY might cold food or drinks cause a headache?
The reason is that cold irritates the upper palate, responsible for the nerve nodes transmitting sensations to the brain.
The blood vessels respond to cold by constricting or expanding, resulting in pain. When you feel cold, your body sends warm blood to the cold spot, which causes pain.
The reason is that cold irritates the upper palate, responsible for the nerve nodes transmitting sensations to the brain.
The blood vessels respond to cold by constricting or expanding, resulting in pain. When you feel cold, your body sends warm blood to the cold spot, which causes pain.
👍6😱5
WHY did women start wearing high heels?
As it turns out, the first to wear high heels were not women, but men.
They were the most comfortable shoes for riders as it allowed them to fix the rider in the stirrups. Catherine de Medici, the wife of the Duke of Orleans, was the first woman to wear heels.
She wished to emphasize her high status and for this very purpose she demanded high heels to be made for herself.
As it turns out, the first to wear high heels were not women, but men.
They were the most comfortable shoes for riders as it allowed them to fix the rider in the stirrups. Catherine de Medici, the wife of the Duke of Orleans, was the first woman to wear heels.
She wished to emphasize her high status and for this very purpose she demanded high heels to be made for herself.
👍11❤1
WHY is WEB 3.0 our future?
The term "Web 3" was coined by Polkadot founder and Ethereum co-founder Gavin Wood back in 2014. Yet the idea only became popular in late 2021, mostly due to interest from investors in cryptocurrency and high-grade technology.
Right now, the Internet used by many of us is all controlled by a few big players. Centralization is now affecting the entire Web.
The idea behind WEB 3.0 is to decentralize the online ecosystem of the future based on blockchain.
One prime example of a decentralized system is TON Sites, which are currently in development. They will be similar to ordinary websites, but accessed via the TON blockchain.
The term "Web 3" was coined by Polkadot founder and Ethereum co-founder Gavin Wood back in 2014. Yet the idea only became popular in late 2021, mostly due to interest from investors in cryptocurrency and high-grade technology.
Right now, the Internet used by many of us is all controlled by a few big players. Centralization is now affecting the entire Web.
The idea behind WEB 3.0 is to decentralize the online ecosystem of the future based on blockchain.
One prime example of a decentralized system is TON Sites, which are currently in development. They will be similar to ordinary websites, but accessed via the TON blockchain.
WHY don't monkeys sound like humans?
Scientists have discovered that the closest human relatives, chimpanzees, cannot speak due to the fact that their analog of the speech gene, inherited from our species through a common ancestor, has evolved in a completely dissimilar way from humans.
So far, it has not been fully clarified exactly which genes are involved in speech, but it is believed that the FOXP2 gene plays a key role, since mutations and disorders in its operation in humans are generally accompanied by impaired verbal ability.
However, it has been determined that the human FOXP2, and monkeys are not only different in appearance, but also have distinct functions, causing various effects on the work of the same genes, which is why monkeys can not speak.
Scientists have discovered that the closest human relatives, chimpanzees, cannot speak due to the fact that their analog of the speech gene, inherited from our species through a common ancestor, has evolved in a completely dissimilar way from humans.
So far, it has not been fully clarified exactly which genes are involved in speech, but it is believed that the FOXP2 gene plays a key role, since mutations and disorders in its operation in humans are generally accompanied by impaired verbal ability.
However, it has been determined that the human FOXP2, and monkeys are not only different in appearance, but also have distinct functions, causing various effects on the work of the same genes, which is why monkeys can not speak.
👍1😱1🤩1
WHY are snowflakes hexagonal?
It is the orientation of the molecules in the lattice and the arrangement of the free hydrogen bonds, both of which favor the formation of even faces.
Water vapor molecules are more likely to fill voids than to stick to smooth edges, as voids contain more free hydrogen bonds. As a result, the snowflakes take the form of regular hexagonal prisms with even edges.
It is the orientation of the molecules in the lattice and the arrangement of the free hydrogen bonds, both of which favor the formation of even faces.
Water vapor molecules are more likely to fill voids than to stick to smooth edges, as voids contain more free hydrogen bonds. As a result, the snowflakes take the form of regular hexagonal prisms with even edges.
❤2👍2
WHY does the song stick in your head?
"Earworm" is what scientists call songs stuck in your head.
Absolutely any tune may be stuck there, but, as scientists found out in surveys and studies, numerous songs share a common characteristic. It turns out that intrusive compositions are characterized by fast tempo and sharp changes in pitch. Songwriters do their best to make the music as catchy and easy to play as possible.
Songs tend to stick after repeated listening: say, if the song is repeatedly played on the radio or TV. Besides, if you have heard the song dozens of times, you have probably managed to create associations, so the likelihood of it becoming your "earworm" increases. Then the "trigger" can be anything: a place, a person, food, or even a smell.
"Earworm" is what scientists call songs stuck in your head.
Absolutely any tune may be stuck there, but, as scientists found out in surveys and studies, numerous songs share a common characteristic. It turns out that intrusive compositions are characterized by fast tempo and sharp changes in pitch. Songwriters do their best to make the music as catchy and easy to play as possible.
Songs tend to stick after repeated listening: say, if the song is repeatedly played on the radio or TV. Besides, if you have heard the song dozens of times, you have probably managed to create associations, so the likelihood of it becoming your "earworm" increases. Then the "trigger" can be anything: a place, a person, food, or even a smell.
WHY is fresh water boiling faster?
Regular fresh water boils at 100 °C, but in a salt solution the boiling point will depend on the concentration of salt. The increase in temperature is directly proportional to the amount of substance dissolved.
Thus, at 1% salt, a solution boils at 100.21°C, 15% boils at 103°C, and a 20% solution of table salt will boil at 105°C. Any liquid comes to boil at the temperature at which the pressure of its saturated vapor reaches the value of the external pressure.
During the boiling of fresh water, the vaporization process begins more quickly, and a liquid with dissolved salts requires more energy to boil.
Regular fresh water boils at 100 °C, but in a salt solution the boiling point will depend on the concentration of salt. The increase in temperature is directly proportional to the amount of substance dissolved.
Thus, at 1% salt, a solution boils at 100.21°C, 15% boils at 103°C, and a 20% solution of table salt will boil at 105°C. Any liquid comes to boil at the temperature at which the pressure of its saturated vapor reaches the value of the external pressure.
During the boiling of fresh water, the vaporization process begins more quickly, and a liquid with dissolved salts requires more energy to boil.
🔥1
WHY do stars fall?
Actually, what we perceive as shooting stars are just small fragments from the asteroids filling our orbit.
Due to the friction of a fast-flying body against the surrounding layers of atmosphere consisting of nitrogen, oxygen, and other gases. Bodies can either fall directly on Earth or fly past so close as to enter Earth's atmosphere.
In the second case, the body is capable of leaving the Earth's atmosphere and carrying on its journey, while losing some of its mass through combustion. In the first case, if the body fails to burn up completely and reach the Earth's surface, it will be called a meteorite.
Actually, what we perceive as shooting stars are just small fragments from the asteroids filling our orbit.
Due to the friction of a fast-flying body against the surrounding layers of atmosphere consisting of nitrogen, oxygen, and other gases. Bodies can either fall directly on Earth or fly past so close as to enter Earth's atmosphere.
In the second case, the body is capable of leaving the Earth's atmosphere and carrying on its journey, while losing some of its mass through combustion. In the first case, if the body fails to burn up completely and reach the Earth's surface, it will be called a meteorite.
🤩3