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How World War II Revolutionised Antibiotics: A Short History
Alexander Fleming is lauded as a hero for his chance discovery of penicillin in 1928. However, penicillin wasn’t available to the general public until the mid-1940s. Why did this happen, and what did World War II have to do with it? — read more
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The Chemistry of Bog Bodies
A poster explaining peat bogs, the bodies that have been found in them, and the science behind why these bodies are so well-kept for hundreds of years. — read more
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A researcher and a blue hedgehog walk into a lab…
Why is a gene named after a beloved video game character? — read more
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Why does this building have a woman’s name on it?
On London’s Euston Road there sits a 19th Century building in faded red and yellow brick. Look up at this building, and you will find a name printed in bold black font: “Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Hospital”. But why does she have a hospital named after her? — read more
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But, how did horseshoe crabs get involved in the pharmaceutical industry?
Did you know that the safety of injectable drugs is guaranteed by using the blood of a single species of crab? When you stop to think about it, this statement becomes increasingly bizarre. — read more
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A Brief History and the Possible Futures of the Speculum
The vaginal speculum is a device known to many, and those who have been to a cervical cancer screening have a particular relationship with it. What may be lesser known is the history behind its design. — read more
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Sneezing at (Sun)light
Have you ever walked into a room with bright lights, or sunlight, and sneezed? — read more
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Caesar Wasn’t First – So, Why is it Called the Caesarean Section?
In simple terms, no-one knows. In more complicated terms, there might be two reasons. — read more
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What do crows and shoulder blades have in common?
Beaks. — read more
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When Placenta Was Dessert
It’s not the same kind of placenta you’re thinking of. — read more
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